The Kennedy Coconut

Lieutenant John F. Kennedy served as commander of the PT109 during World War II. His boat was struck and sunk by a Japanese destroyer, stranding him and his crew in the Solomon Islands. Kennedy carved a message on a coconut shell which was delivered by a native to the PT base a Rendova, and they were all eventually rescued. 

The message read:       NAURO ISL
                                   COMMANDER...NATIVE KNOWS POS'IT...
                                   HE CAN PILOT...11 ALIVE
                                   NEED SMALL BOAT...KENNEDY

Kennedy later had the coconut shell encased in a clear paperweight, which he kept on his desk in the Oval Office.

A Future Leader

John F. Kennedy and Joseph Kennedy, Jr. c. 1919

Joseph Kennedy, Sr. had plans for his elder son to run for president, but it was not to be. Joe Kennedy, Jr. was killed in a WWII combat mission in August of 1944. John would eventually be elected the nation's 35th president, the first Roman Catholic to hold the office. In November of 1963, he was assassinated in Dallas, TX, abruptly ending his short, but very popular presidency.