Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1940. His service in World War II was marked with bravery.  In August 1943 he rescued several crewmen after the Navy torpedo boat he commanded was rammed by a Japanese destroyer.

He married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953 and the couple had two children that survived infancy.

During his 1960 presidential campaign he was pitched against Richard Nixon in four televised debates. Kennedy capably addressed the issues of economics and defence and gained wide support. Kennedy won the election by a narrow margin and became the youngest president ever elected and the first Roman Catholic. 

He was the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until November 22, 1963 when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. His short presidency saw the Bay of Pigs invasion, Cold War tensions, the Cuban missile crisis, racial riots and the promise of Man walking on the moon. He will also be remember for his immortal quote: 'ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.'

Last updated: June 01, 2003

Sixties Central, Copyright 1998-2003 by Mandy Hoeymakers.
Information may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes if attribution is given.