If John F. Kennedy was alive he would be 100 years old today.
He was born on May 29, 1917, in a multi millionaire’s family. The Kennedys were considered America’s “royalty”.
He graduated from Harvard University. He was also a member of the University Swimming Team.
During World War 2, he volunteered to serve in the United States Navy. As a VVIP’s son (his millionaire dad was US Ambassador to England), he could have had many other opportunities but he chose to serve the country by joining the US Navy during World War 2.
He was a commander of a Patrol Torpedo Board in the Pacific Ocean. His boat was destroyed by the Japanese Navy. He and his team were in the middle of the ocean for 2 days and they finally swam many miles to come ashore. He saved all his men and personally carried 2 of the wounded along with him to the shore. Here is a quote:
On June 12, 1944, while he was in the hospital recuperating from back surgery, Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps medal for courage, endurance and excellent leadership [that] contributed to the saving of several lives and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
And then, he was elected as President of the United States in 1961, at the age of 43. He was the youngest to be elected as President at that time. His inaugural speech is still considered one of the best speeches of all time in the world. The sentence I liked most from that speech was:
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Another of his speech before I finish. His speech about life is unfair.
“There is always inequity in life. Some men are killed in a war and some men are wounded, and some men never leave the country, and some men are stationed in the Antarctic and some are stationed in San Francisco. It’s very hard in military or in personal life to assure complete equality. Life is unfair.”
He was assassinated and died on November 22, 1963, at the age of 46.
Not just USA but the whole world mourned.
PS: During the Chinese aggression against India in 1962, India was losing and China was gaining. At the request of Indian Government, Kennedy sent the America troops to India. Immediately, China stopped the aggression and withdrew.
PPS: There is a movie about his World War 2 Navy heroics. The name of the movie is PT109.
PPPS: I also acknowledge he had many weak points. But today is his 100th Birthday.
