13. The natives arrived at Rendova on August 7
On the morning of August 7, Gasa and Kumana were escorted south the final three miles from Roviana to Rendova. Gasa still carried the coconut on which Kennedy had scratched his message. Navy Commander Thomas Warfield, the commanding officer at the Rendova base, received the two Solomon Islanders with disbelief. Warfield did not know either of the natives and in general, was distrustful of the islanders. Kennedy’s scratched message did not name the island where the men were, nor give a reference to a position other than “NATIVE KNOWS PO’SIT…HE CAN PILOT”. Warfield considered the possibility the natives were an attempt by the Japanese to lure PT boats into a trap.
The message from Evans arrived that same day, after Kennedy was delivered to the Australian on Gomu Island. Warfield ordered two boats prepared to rescue the crew, after first picking up Kennedy from Gomu Island, where he waited with Evans. Kennedy was informed by radio. When the boat arrived to pick him up Kennedy was to signal his position by firing four shots into the air. Kennedy had but three bullets, and the final signal was fired from a Japanese rifle, given to him by Evans. PT 157 escorted by PT 171, arrived to extract Kennedy after dark on August 7. With Kennedy aboard, the boat then went to Olasana Island.
