THE SEARCH FOR KENNEDY'S PT 109
Special Edition
National Geographic
Dr Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic, sets sail for the South Pacific in this beautifully shot and narrated National Geographic television special. In this instance his search is for President John F Kennedy's World War II torpedo boat, PT 109.
Sunk in a night time collision with a Japanese destroyer, the final resting place and any actual remains of the 109 (a timber vessel like its other PT boat counterparts) had never been located.
Accompanying Ballard on his expedition is the late President's nephew, Max, who comes face to face with the Pacific islanders who rescued his uncle.
This is an exceptional program, featuring actual war time footage from the Solomon Islands' combat zones, and news reel footage of young Lieutenant Kennedy's subsequent rise to political fame.
With comments from the President's sole surviving brother, Senator Edward Kennedy, and some of JFK's naval contemporaries, the stories of PT 109 and its skipper are explored in detail.
This 2-disk special edition (not yet available in a PAL Region 4 version) includes a High Resolution Windows Media Video copy of the program for playing on home computers.
Other bonus inclusions are the featurette: War Code Navajo (about the Navajo Code Talkers of the US Marines and the Battle of Iwo Jima), a Sonar Search Game and high-definition wallpapers.
This is a very moving and memorable DVD program, one of the best of Ballard's voyages of exploration. Our copy was purchased from Amazon.com, or buy on-line from www.nationalgeographic.com. To watch the DVD on your television you will need a player with NTSC Region 1 capability.
Review by Kerry Hennigan
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