P. T. 109 Lyrics - Jimmy Dean

In '43 they put to sea, thirteen men and Kennedy 

Aboard the P.T. 109, to fight the brazen enemy 

And off the isle of ol' Lusana, in the strait beyond Nehru 

A Jap deatroyer in the night cut the '109 in two 

Smoke and fire upon the sea 

Everywhere they looked was the enemy 

The heathen gods of old Japan 

Yeah, the thought they had the best of a mighty good man 

And on the coast of Kolombangaro, looking through his telescope 

Australian Evans saw the battle for the crew had little hope 

Two were dead, some were wounded, all were clinging to the bow 

Fighting fire and a-fighting water trying to save their lives somehow 

Smoke and fire upon the sea 

Everywhere they looked was the enemy 

The heathen gods of old Japan 

Yeah, they thought they had the best of a mighty good man 

McMahon the Irishman was burned so badly, he couldn't swim 

Leave me, here go on, he said 'cause if you don't we'll all be dead 

The PT skipper couldn't leave him, a man to die alone at sea 

And with a strap between his teeth, he towed the Irishman through the sea 

Smoke and fire upon the sea 

Everywhere they looked was the enemy 

The heathen gods of old Japan 

Yeah, they thought they had the best of a mighty good man 

He led his men through waters dark, rocky reefs and hungry sharks 

Braved the ennemy's bayonets, a .38 hung 'round his neck 

Four more days and four more nights a rescue boat pulled into sight 

The P.T. 109 was gone but Kennedy and his crew lived on 

Now who could guess or who could possibly know 

That this same man named Kennedy 

Would be the leader of the nation, be the one to take command? 

The P.T. 109 was gone but Kennedy lived to fight again 

Smoke and fire upon the sea 

Everywhere they looked was the enemy 

But JFK and his crew lived on 

Which proves it's hard to get the best of a man named John 

(Big John) 

(Big John) 

(Big John) 

(Big John)