Description:

JOHN F. KENNEDY'S LIGHTER/CIGARETTE CASE PRESENTED TO A FELLOW SHIPWRECKED PT BOAT OFFICER
A very early and important Kennedy relic, his ca. 1940s engraved Ronson pocket lighter and cigarette case presented to a fellow PT boat officer who, like Kennedy, served in the Solomons and also found himself stranded on an island after a Japanese destroyer had destroyed his ship! The 4.25 x 2.5 in. Art Deco piece bears a tortoise shell finish with a chromed trim, a center panel carefully and professionally period-engraved 'J F K'. The bottom of the lighter swings open to reveal a cigarette case with spring-loaded retainers. One tiny chip to the finish, else only lightly scratched. With the lighter is 'Kennedy' PT boat pin, apparently used by Kennedy in one of his political campaigns. These items originate directly from the untouched footlocker of Navy Lt. Charles M. Melhorn, an officer aboard PT-44 which was active in the Solomons Campaign, especially in interdicting the Tokyo Express supply operation. On Dec. 12, 1942, PT-44 and other PT boats engaged Japanese destroyers offloaded barrels of supplies while underway. The Japanese destroyers KAWAKAZE and SUZUKAZE opened up, and PT-44 was blown to pieces. PT-109 was involved in the same action, and picked up one survivor, while PT-40 picked up Lt. Charles M. Melhorn from a tiny islet. These two men were the sole survivors - nine others were lost, including Captain Frank Freeland and Ensign John Chester who both who had transferred from PT-109 to PT-44 only two weeks earlier. On Feb. 23, 1943 Kennedy was transferred to Tulagi, the base from which Melhorn, PT-40, and PT-44 had operated, and on April 23, 1943 John F. Kennedy took command of PT-109. We know that Melhorn remained in the PT boat service, almost certainly at Tulagi, until at least the Battle of Tassafaronga on Nov. 30, 1942, and likely longer. It is entirely plausible that the 'green' Lt. Kennedy sought to learn as much as possible about the battle-seasoned crewmen on PT-109, the history of his new command, and the attack techniques and strategies used by PT boat captains, and hero Melhorn would have been the perfect candidate. Additionally, Tulagi was not a giant base, and PT boat officers would have mingled on a daily basis. Kennedy undoubtedly thanked his mentor with the gift of this lighter...or as more often the case, Navy man Melhorn, whose father was a distinguished admiral, admired the case and was given it as a gift, perhaps in an effort to influence the admiral. Melhorn would later become a Navy aviator, leading the torpedo bomber attack that sunk the battleship HARUNA at Kure and earning him the Navy Cross. In later years, Melhorn obtained the PT boat pin, along with a May 10, 1943 copy of Life magazine honoring 'PT Skippers' and a 1961 paperback copy of 'PT 109', also included. A most evocative relic of Kennedy's wartime service.

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August 16, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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