Lot 178

Previous image preload Next image preload

Description:

JFK "PT-109" Reunion Photos

A small collection of photographs personally owned by Ensign George Henry Robertson "Barney" Ross (1918-1983), one of the crew members of Commander Jack Kennedy's ill-fated patrol boat, "PT-109." Items are related to the Jack Paar television show episode which reunited the "PT-109" crew with their rescuers for the first time since the 1943 shipwreck. Provenance: From the collection of Ron Hoskins, assassinologist; from the estate of George H.R. "Barney" Ross.

The lot is comprised of six glossy black and white photographs showing Solomon Islander Benjamin Kevu (b. ? - d. ?) and Australian coast watcher Arthur Reginald Evans (1905-1989) during a September 1962 visit to the United States. The "Jack Paar Tonight Show" had located Kevu and paid for him to travel to the United States to open its Season 1 Premiere. The 58-minute-long episode aired on Friday night, September 21, 1962 on NBC. The program featured the "PT-109" reunion, World War II Pacific theater battle footage, and singer Robert Goulet. The "PT-109" reunion was in advance of the June 1963 release of a feature-length Warner Bros. Studios picture about the catastrophe.

The lot is comprised of:

1. Photo showing Jack Paar, George H.R. "Barney" Ross, Benjamin Nevu, and "Reg" Evans wearing leis and sipping tropical cocktails from carved coconut shells. Photo signed by the host as "Jack Paar" verso. Light expected surface wear including discolored mounting traces at the corners, else very good to near fine. 9.125" x 7."

2. The remaining photos, three 5.25" x 3.5" and two 3.5" square snapshots, depict Kevu entertained by his American hosts, including Ross shown seated next to him on a couch.

Commander John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) and his 12-person crew had patrolled the waters off the Solomon Islands in the "PT-109," their heavily armed 80' long motor torpedo boat, during the spring and summer of 1943. In the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, the Japanese destroyer "Amagiri" rammed the "PT-109," splitting it in half and killing two crew members, near the Japanese-held island of Kolombangara. "PT-109" survivors hid on nearby Plum Pudding Island, Olasana Island, and Naru Island in the Blackett Strait to scavenge for supplies and reconnoiter rescue over the next several days. Kennedy and the 10 survivors were eventually rescued on August 8, 1943 after a remarkable sequence of events that culminated in a S.O.S. message carved into a coconut shell! Solomon Islanders Benjamin Kevu, Eroni Kumana, and Biuku Gasa were instrumental in achieving their rescue. The trio relayed messages to Australian coast watchers like "Reg" Evans, delivered relief supplies, and transported the survivors in a canoe to safety.

Ensign George Henry Robertson "Barney" Ross was an itinerant skipper and "PT-109" survivor. Ross accompanied Kennedy on August 5th reconnaissance mission to Naru Island, and was later awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. In 1959, Kennedy asked Ross to help him drum up support for his presidential campaign, and during his administration, Ross served as a special committee adviser.

Jack Paar (1918-2004), talk show host, comedian, author, and actor, hosted his eponymous late night television program between 1957-1962.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice, unless you inform us otherwise, immediately upon your receipt of invoice***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.


After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item.


Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

March 3, 2021 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000