Naval War College Review

Volume 73 Number 2 Spring 2020 Article 12

2020

Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and -109PT

Edward Gillen

John J. Domagalski

Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review

Recommended Citation Gillen, Edward and Domagalski, John J. (2020) "Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and PT-109," Naval War College Review: Vol. 73 : No. 2 , Article 12. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol73/iss2/12

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Gillen and Domagalski: Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and PT-109BOOK REVIEWS 173

M. Reichberg; and Immanuel Kant, by controversies, and enduring legacies of Brian Orend), the editors also include less each historical figure, especially pertaining prominent thinkers (Gratian, by Rory Cox; to the primary concepts of jus ad bellum Christine de Pisan, by Cian O’Driscoll; (justice toward war), jus in bello (justice and Francis Lieber, by Stephanie Carvin) in war), and jus post bellum (justice after whose ideas inspire and enrich the heritage war). The editors highlight the divergence of human flourishing in war and peace of methodologies among the historical no less than those first mentioned but approach (James Turner Johnson), the without receiving the fanfare they deserve. legalist perspective (Emmerich de Vattel), Third, Brunstetter and O’Driscoll caveat and the revisionist trend (Jeff McMahan). their choice of authors with the acknowl- The poignant conclusions drawn at the edgment that they confined their consid- end of the book leave the reader wanting eration of political analysts to the Western more commentary from these eminent tradition, even though they recognize the scholars, and Brunstetter and O’Driscoll influence of other religious and cultural wisely caution that Just War Thinkers is traditions outside Europe and Christen- not the stopping point but the start for dom. The discovery of the New World in further research. Unconventional in its the Americas, the recovery of texts and choice of designated thinkers, diverse in translations by Jewish and Islamic scholars its selection of subject-matter experts, from classical antiquity, and the trade visionary in its formulation of overarching of goods and ideas along the legendary themes, Just War Thinkers promises to Silk Road generated an indelible imprint inform, surprise, and awe the reader with on the philosophy and practice of war. the “intimation of possibilities” for jus pax Fourth, the chapter authors are aware (just peace) in the twenty-first century. that the twin perils of anachronism and EDWARD ERWIN antiquarianism easily might undermine the credibility and the timely importance of their project, so they aspire to avoid those problems. Whereas anachronism sacrifices the authenticity of the historical record for Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and the sake of contemporary pragmatism, an- PT-109, by John J. Domagalski. Havertown, PA: tiquarianism reduces the just war tradition Casemate, 2014. 288 pages. $29.95. to historical obscurity and irrelevance for Writing an entertaining and readable the sake of scholarly minutiae. The editors account of one of the most famous naval aim for an integration of competent histori- vessels of World War II is a challenging cal scholarship with modern adaptations task. However, John Domagalski displays that recognize the significance of both con- his considerable knowledge of naval tinuity and change in the just war tradition. history in this well-informed narrative Not only do Brunstetter and O’Driscoll sat- exploring the short-lived career of PT-109. isfy these four challenges in their volume; The book is told through the lens of they also achieve a thematic coherence the vessel’s three commanding officers, throughout the anthology by establishing and thus is organized in three parts. standard criteria for the examination The first ten chapters concentrate on the of each seminal thinker. Every chapter background and construction of small investigates the contexts, texts, tenets, boats, the self-propelled torpedo, the

Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 2020 1 174 NAVAL WARNaval COLLEGE War REVIEW College Review, Vol. 73 [2020], No. 2, Art. 12

arrival of PT-109 in the Pacific, and the famous for his PT boat evacuation of early skirmishes near Guadalcanal and MacArthur from the Philippines. Bulkeley the Solomon Sea. This exposition includes recruited those sailors who “want[ed] to the evacuation by patrol torpedo (PT) get into a scrap without delay and who boat of MacArthur from the Philippines, had plenty of guts” (p. 126). Referencing the keel laying of the eighty-foot PT-109 Kennedy’s letters to his parents, operational by Elco in Bayonne, New Jersey, and accounts, and related books, Domagalski a basic description of the boat and its skillfully weaves together the last few armament. Including a blueprint of the months of PT-109’s service. His description boat at this juncture would have helped of the boat’s August 1943 final patrol the reader visualize the ship’s vulnerability. explains that “the Battle of Blackett Strait The author personalizes the story when was one of the most poorly executed boat he introduces the two officers who would operations in the South Pacific. Dogged command PT-109 before John F. Kennedy: by unsound operating procedures, poor Rollin E. Westholm and Bryant Larson, judgement among division commanders, both from Minnesota. Westholm was and possibly just plain bad luck, the named squadron commander as well as Americans failed to score a single hit on commanding officer of PT-109; Larson two passes of the Tokyo Express” (p. 173). served as his executive officer and later Domagalski helpfully employs maps as aids was named commanding officer of 109. in the combat narrative, as well as other These early chapters relate the nocturnal graphics to identify the combatants. The combat operations wherein the PTs manner in which the maps are referenced, attempted to interdict Japan’s “Tokyo however, is a bit difficult to follow. Never- Express” destroyer supply runs. The theless, the author does a credible job of narrative of the PTs’ operations as they putting the reader into the “fog of war” patrolled, looking for the enemy, is written and portraying the difficulties involved and researched extremely well. While the in assessing the success of a PT patrol. PTs were fast and maneuverable, they also The third part of the book has three chap- had drawbacks, and crews constantly were ters plus an epilogue. It traces the three PT- learning new lessons from their combat 109 commanding officers’ service after the mistakes. Larson recalled a December 1942 loss of the boat and briefly recounts their engagement in which PT-44 was lost: postwar experiences. Kennedy’s evolving “[F]or some reason Frank [Freeland] chose perspective on the war is noted, especially a high speed attack, leaving behind the boat after the loss of two crewmen, which may a tremendous phosphorescent wake that be the foundation for his war-related learn- was like a searchlight pointing toward the ing as president. Domagalski summarizes boat. He never had a chance. . . . [F]rom the Westholm’s impressive thirty-plus-year forty-four we learned two lessons—don’t career in the Navy, which included make a high speed night attack, and if you destroyer division command, and Larson’s are hit, under fire, and dead in the water, postwar business career, during which he get all hands off the boat before another remained in the Naval Reserve. Through salvo blows everyone to hell” (pp. 75–76). these accounts, the reader is reminded of Part 2 of the book consists of six chapters. the “Greatest Generation’s” accomplish- John Kennedy was one of the volunteers ments, as well as what might have been recruited by Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley, in store for the other lives cut short. The

https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol73/iss2/12 2 Gillen and Domagalski: Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and PT-109BOOK REVIEWS 175

book’s epilogue reminds the reader that the Maoist era. In many key areas, primary U.S. Navy has a continuing need for small, sources are scarce—often passed from fast warships and daring sailors willing to practitioner to practitioner rather than operate them against larger opponents. being widely available. While a few Readers will appreciate the way the author overview works exist, there has been uses oral histories, letters, newspaper little focused academic analysis of the accounts, deck logs, military after- basics of Chinese military science. action reports, written recollections, and In that context, Taylor Fravel’s volume on background books and articles to tell an PRC military strategy represents a ground- engaging sea story. This historical narrative breaking contribution to Chinese military will satisfy World War II buffs, sailors, and studies. In Active Defense, Fravel analyzes casual-interest readers. It is a quick and the nine “strategic guidelines” the People’s enjoyable read. Military scholars might ap- Liberation Army (PLA) has issued since preciate the focused examination of small 1949. Each strategic guideline provided boats. Domagalski deftly accomplishes his Chinese forces with four key elements: an mission: to pay homage to the intrepid war- authoritative analysis of the Chinese stra- fighting spirit of the patrol boat and motor tegic situation, an explanation of warfare torpedo boat sailors of World War II. in the present era, and direction for both force development and force employment. EDWARD GILLEN Three of these documents—those issued in 1956, 1980, and 1993—each represented a major shift in direction for the PLA. Rebutting those who see the PLA as isolated and insular, Fravel concludes that Active Defense: China’s Military Strategy since these three revisions were driven primarily 1949, by M. Taylor Fravel. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press, 2019. 392 pages. $35. by PLA perception of significant shifts in the conduct of modern warfare. While in During the Cold War, naval professionals each case the Chinese Communist Party working to understand Soviet military (CCP) wrote the overall analysis of the doctrine could call on a well-developed strategic situation—which is, at its core, body of literature. Authoritative Western a political assessment—the other three academic studies covered everything from component parts of each strategic guidance the Soviets’ overall strategic design to their document represented military judgments. philosophy of troop leadership. Advanced Fravel suggests that such fundamental students could call on textbooks from reassessments are possible only when the Soviet military colleges in translation. party leadership is internally unified and Taken together, these works were essential thus able to delegate this kind of work to to understanding that the Soviet military its military experts. Many Western readers, viewed warfare through a philosophical focused on CCP control of the PLA, will be lens fundamentally different from our own. surprised at this long-standing empower- Today, professionals trying to understand ment of the PLA military leadership to the modern Chinese approach to warfare decide foundational operational issues. find comparatively meager fare. Western The level of trust the party extends to the academic interest in the approaches military leadership in strategy development taken by the People’s Republic of China is only one of a number of arguments (PRC) to military strategy waned after the

Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 2020 3