Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby Jones. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easy for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
War. What does that word make us think of? Death. Suffering. Hate. Survivors know all these things well. But survivors would also talk about courage, bravery and friendship. War often brings people from many different areas of life together. Difficult experiences can turn strangers into brothers. In today’s Spotlight we tell the war story of one of the most famous men of politics in history. And we tell of the two island men who helped to save his life.
Voice 2
A small, thin old man sits on a wooden step. His eyes are bad and he cannot hear very well. He is holding a picture in his left hand. The black and white image shows a young, smiling man. He was one of the most famous presidents of the United States – John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The old man’s name is Eroni Kumana. Eroni lives in the Solomon Islands. This small group of beautiful islands lies in the South Pacific Ocean. During the Second World War, the Solomon Islands became an area of intense conflict. The United States and its allies fought many battles there. They were fighting against Japanese forces. And both sides were in a race to take control of the South Pacific islands. Controlling these islands was important. It meant that the soldiers could have a ready supply of fresh water and food. Some of the islanders helped the allied forces in their struggle. And Eroni Kumana was one of these men.
Voice 1
John Fitzgerald Kennedy spent some years in the United States Navy. And he fought in the South Pacific Ocean in World War Two. In 1943, Kennedy was the chief officer on a small wooden boat – the PT109. The navy ordered him to sail his boat around some of the smaller Solomon Islands. He had to try and stop the Japanese supply boats from reaching Japanese camps. One dark night, Kennedy and his men were sailing quietly in that area. Suddenly, a Japanese boat came out of the darkness. It started to sail after Kennedy’s boat. After a short chase, the Japanese boat hit the small wooden boat. Two sailors died immediately. The rest of the men fell into a sea of burning fuel.
Voice 2
JFK was one of the survivors. He felt responsible for his men. He showed great courage in rescuing one man who had very bad burns. All the men swam to a nearby island. And Kennedy pulled the injured man with him. He later swam out to sea, alone, with a light. He looked for allied boats. But not one passed by. The surviving men then decided to swim to a larger island. Kennedy wanted to save his men. They had suffered so much together. They had become like his brothers.
Voice 1
At last, they landed on Nauru Island. Kennedy and another man went to search the island for food. Suddenly, they met two Solomon Islanders. One of them was Eroni Kumana. The other was his friend, Biuku Gasa. Eroni and Biuku worked as scouts for the allied army. They kept watch on the coast for any sign of the enemy. They did not trust the two American officers at first. Communication was difficult. But Kennedy managed to show them that they were friendly. And he signalled to Eroni and Biuku that his men needed help. Biuku answered by giving JFK a coconut. Coconut trees are very common in the Solomon Islands. Biuku then pointed to JFK’s knife. JFK understood what he had to do. He used his knife to write the following message on the skin of the coconut:
Voice 3
“NAURU NATIVE KNOWS OUR POSITION. HE CAN GUIDE US. ELEVEN MEN ARE ALIVE. WE NEED A SMALL BOAT. KENNEDY”
Voice 1
Eroni and Biuku rowed their wooden boat through enemy waters. And they succeeded in taking Kennedy’s message to an allied Naval base. This was on Olasana Island, fifty–five [55] kilometres away. An allied boat then came and rescued Kennedy and his men – six days after their accident.
Voice 2
These Americans and the Solomon Islanders had all shared a very dangerous experience. They came from very different countries. And they spoke a different language. But they had become like brothers in a situation of great danger. Kennedy told Eroni and Biuku that he would see them again one day.
Voice 1
After the war, John F. Kennedy entered the world of politics. And in 1960, he became president of the United States. But he did not forget his Solomon Island brothers. He invited Eroni and Biuku to the United States. He wanted them to attend the ceremony where he was officially made president. But Eroni and Biuku only made it as far as the capital city of the Solomon Islands, Honiara. Officials did not approve of these two men representing the Solomon Islands overseas. So, two government officials attended the ceremony instead.
Voice 2
Eroni Kamana is now a very old man. But he remembers how he felt when they turned him away:
Voice 4
“After the rescue, John F. Kennedy said that he would meet us again... Biuku and I spoke no English. I was very sad.”
Voice 2
President John F Kennedy only lived for three years after that time. A gunman shot Kennedy dead when he was visiting the city of Dallas. Eroni remembers:
Voice 4
“We heard that Kennedy died. I would never meet him again. I mourned for a whole week when I heard about my friend’s death.”
Voice 1
For many years, the United States navy believed that Eroni and Biuku were dead. But in 2002, a team of American scientists came to the Solomon Islands. They wanted to find the wreck of Kennedy’s boat. Also, they discovered that Biuku was still alive! The US Navy wanted to thank him. So they presented Biuku with a special statue of John F. Kennedy. They also gave him money for a new house.
Voice 2
The US Navy did not manage to find Eroni until 2007. They then gave him his award – a statue of Kennedy and enough money to put a new roof on top of his house. But Eroni and Biuku never asked for any award for saving the future president of the United States. For them, John Kennedy was a friend. The war had brought them together for only a short time. But danger, suffering and courage had connected them for ever. Their love was stronger than death.
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