While on patrol one dark, moonless night in August 1943, the "109" encounters a Japanese destroyer that appears suddenly out of the darkness, rams and slices her in two, killing two of the 13 crewmen (Marney and Kirksey). Kennedy leads the survivors to Plum Pudding Island, towing a badly burned crewman. The wreckage is spotted by a reconnaissance plane, and Kennedy and his men are presumed dead. After dark, Kennedy swims out into the channel, staying out all night in the hope of signaling a passing Allied vessel, but without success. The next night, he sends out his friend, Ensign George Ross. After several days, morale drops and several of the men are ready to surrender. However, two natives show up in a canoe. They do not understand English, so Kennedy carves a message on a coconut and gives it to them. They take it to Australian coastwatcher Lieutenant Reginald Evans. Evans notifies the U.S. Navy, and the men are picked up. According to standard policy, Kennedy and his men are eligible to transfer back to the U.S., but he elects to stay.