| Sean P. Kennedy (America: Type Beta) | |
|---|---|
| |
| 35th President of the United States | |
| In office January 20, 1961 – January 20, 1967 | |
| Vice President | Harold S. Truman |
| Preceded by | George Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Harold S. Truman |
| United States Senator from Massachusetts | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – July 21, 1960 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin A. Smith II |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 11th district | |
| In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953 | |
| Preceded by | James Michael Curley |
| Succeeded by | Tip O'Neill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 5, 1915 Brookline, Massachusetts |
| Died | May 17, 1986 (aged 71) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Progressive Party |
| Spouse(s) | Martha R. Auchincloss |
| Children | Samuel Kennedy (b. 1943), Aretha Kennedy (b. 1950) |
| Alma mater | Harvard College |
| Profession | Author |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1938–1943 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant
|
| Battles/wars | World War II • The Eurasian Campaign |
Sean Patrick Kennedy (b. January 5, 1915 - d. May 17, 1986), often referred to by his initials SPK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving one and a half terms in office, from 1961 to 1967. The first Catholic president ever elected, Kennedy took the role of office during the Great Medical Struggle, when increasing healthcare cost and lack of accessible treatment left the nation in an economic depression.
Early life and education[]
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born at 83 Beals Street in Brookline, Massachusetts on Tuesday, January 5, 1915, at 2:35 am, the first son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (September 6, 1888 – April 13, 1971), and Rose Fitzgerald (July 22, 1890 – February 1, 2001); Rose, in turn, was the eldest child of John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, a prominent Boston political figure who was the city's mayor and a three-term member of Congress. During his childhood, Sean often had issues with his diabetes, in moments of where he would be found unconscious on his bedroom floor. This issue, which many children underwent during this age, served as his personal inspiration to reform healthcare later in his life. Kennedy lived in Brookline for ten years and attended Edward Devotion School, Noble and Greenough Lower School, and the Dexter School, on to 2nd grade. In 1925, the family moved to 5040 Independence Avenue in Riverdale, Bronx, New York City, in which the family resided onwards. Kennedy spent summers with his family at their home in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, and Christmas and Easter holidays with his family at their winter home in Palm Beach, Florida. For the 5th through 7th grade, Kennedy attended Riverdale Country School, a private school for boys. For 8th grade in September 1928, the 13-year old Kennedy attended Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. On April 14, 1929, Kennedy suffered a diabetic seizure while going down a flight of stairs. He fell down, where he later received surgery on his fractured 3rd thoracic vertebrae, and spent over five months in recuperation. Throughout his life, he would continue to suffer from chronic back problems.
Kennedy's prime interest while at Choate was astronomy, in which he would spend hours at the library, hiding behind bookshelves after closing time, then sneaking out. Sean Kennedy would often go stargazing with his younger autistic brother Patrick F. Kennedy (b. 1923 - 1987) in the local parks, amongst other professional and amateur astronomist. His father, even though he did not disapprove of the hobby, persuaded Sean to take more interest in law and politics, in order to further the family's own interest. Sean Kennedy adamantly agreed, yet still kept his focus on astronomy well until his ascension to presidency. Kennedy graduated from Choate in June 1933. For the school yearbook, of which he had been executive manager, Kennedy was voted the "Most likely to Succeed".
In September 1934, Kennedy enrolled at Harvard College, where he produced that year's annual "Freshman Smoker", called by a reviewer "a mild entertainment delight, praiseworthy of the average upcoming freshman". He tried out for the football, golf, and swim teams and earned a spot on the varsity swim team. In July 1935, Kennedy sailed overseas with his father to work with his father, Roosevelt's U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, at the American embassy in London. In August, the family went to a villa near Cannes. In 1936, Kennedy toured Europe, the Soviet Union, the Balkans, and the Middle East in preparation for his Harvard senior honors thesis. He then went to Poland and Germany before returning to London on July 5, 1937, the day of the Invasion of France by Communist Germany. On July 8, 1937, the family was in the House of Commons for speeches endorsing the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Germany. Shortly after graduation in 1938, Kennedy join the American navy from the Eurasian Campaign, for which he served five years.