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John F. Kennedy was changing the shape of the political systems in the United States when his life was taken from him. It was a very depressing November day when the life of this young president was ended. It was a very memorable day in the hearts of the American’s. Kennedy made huge contributions to society as a young man, a congressman, a senator and finally a president. The impact that his life made is still being remembered to this day. John F. Kennedy started out with a “normal” life. His mother and father had high aspirations for their child, but what parent wouldn’t. John F. Kennedy (JFK) was born on May 29, 1917. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was a combative businessman who became a multimillionaire, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and ambassador to Great Britain. Kennedy was one of nine children. He grew up in the shadow of his older brother Joseph. Joseph was everything that John wanted to be. Joseph was the smart and athletic one, when John wasn’t blessed with the same talents. John graduated from Choate School in Wallingford, Conn., and he briefly attended Princeton University. His stay at Princeton was short lived due to an illness. He then entered Harvard University in 1936. At Harvard he wrote an honors thesis on British foreign policies in the 1930s; it was published in 1940, the year he graduated, under the title Why England Slept. (http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/jfk.html, pg 1) World War II really impacted Kennedy’s life, when he first volunteered to fight in the Army he was declined because he had a weak back, but through dedication and perseverance, he was able to fight in the fall of 1941. He worked really hard during the summer of 1941 to strength his back so that he would be able to go and fight for his country. In March 1943, as lieutenant he took command of a PT (torpedo) boat in the Solomon Islands. His boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. This was a very remarkable time for Kennedy because he rallied up all the survivors and brought them to shore. For several days repeatedly he went out in the water and risked his life looking for a rescue ship. This act of courage and heroism earned him the Purple Heart, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. Due to aggravating his back injury again, he was discharged from the Army in the early 1945. (Encyclopedia Americana, pg 2) World War II not only proved Kennedy’s dedication and courage, but it was also a very tragic time; JFK’s older brother Joseph was killed trying to fight for his country.
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