In '43 they put to sea thirteen men and Kennedy

Aboard the PT 109 to fight the brazen enemy

And off the isle of Olasana in the straight beyond Naru

A Jap destroyer 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 they thought had the best of a mighty good man



And on the coast of Kolombangara looking through this telescope

Australian Evans saw the battle for the crew had little hope

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

Fightin' fire and flightin' water trying to save themselves somehow

Smoke and fire upon the sea...



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...

[ flute ]

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

He braved the enemy's bayonets a thirty eight hung round his neck

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

The PT 109 was gone but Kennedy and his crew lived on

Now who could guess who could possibly know that same man named Kennedy

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

The PT 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 Big John Big John)