Here is a brief history of the PT-109 PT Boat:
According to Revell, "'John F. Kennedy, Lt. (jg)' USNR' signed the first entry in the log of PT 109 on April 26, 1943, at 0800 hours. At that time, the boat was moored in Sesape, a Chinese trading village on the island of Tulagi in the Solomons. PT 109 was just over 80 feet in length, nearly 21 feet through the beam and displaced thirty-three tons. She was powered by three twelve-cylinder Packard engines, and was equipped with four torpedo tubes, machine guns and an anti-aircraft gun. It was built by the Elco Naval Division of the Electric Boat Company in Bayonne, New Jersey. Shortly after Lt. Kennedy assumed command, the boat was ordered to Rendova Harbor. Then on a night patrol mission with other PT boats, the PT 109 was struck and sliced in half by a Japanese destroyer. Most of the crew survived the impact and made their way to a nearby island. However one injured crewman could not swim the distance. So Lt. Kennedy held the strap of the man's life vest and swam the 3 miles to the nearby island. In the end, the future president was able to save the lives of his men."
Source: “Revell: PT-109 P.T. Boat Plastic Model Kit.” https://www.revell.com/. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.revell.com/products/pt-109-p-t-boat-plastic-model-kit.html.