Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.

Joe was only 29 at the time of his death. He never got married and never had any children.

Even though, he died without fulfilling his father’s dream to become the president of the US, his younger brother, John F. Kennedy fulfilled that dream. However, John also served the Navy for a brief amount of time.

In 1943, his courage was celebrated when he led his crew to safe shores after their PT boat was hit hard by a Japanese destroyer in Solomon Islands. In 1945, he was honourably discharged by the Navy as he then wanted to focus on politics.

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was born on July 25, 1915, in Hull, Massachusetts to Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy was a businessman and staunch supporter of the Democratic Party.

Joe attended ‘Dexter School’ in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his brother. Joe was the eldest of nine children born to Kennedy and Rose.

Joe graduated from ‘Choate School,’ a boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut. He was a quite popular student and skilled athlete during his time in the boarding school.

He, then, attended ‘Harvard College’ and graduated in 1938, keeping his grip in sports such as football and rugby well intact. He also served as student’s council in Harvard.

After graduating, he went to ‘London School of Economics’ and became a protégé of Harold Laski for a year. Thereafter, he enrolled in ‘Harvard Law School.’

After dropping out from law school, Kennedy started as a volunteer for Navy flier. In 1941, he started his training to be a Naval Aviator and received his wings a year after.

On May 5, 1942, he was commissioned an ensign. He was assigned to ‘Patrol Squadron 203’ and then ‘Bombing Squadron 110.’

He flew patrols in the Caribbean before he was sent to Europe in 1943 to fly with the ‘British Naval Command.’ He joined ‘B-24 Squadron’ in September, 1943.

He was one of the first pilots to fly ‘B-24s,’ the large bombers. His hard work led him to become one of the most experienced combat fighters in the Navy.

He also became a part of a lot of missions while serving in the England, so many that he finally got the chance to return to US. He had completed 25 missions in total when he was in Britain.

Joe, along with Willy was posthumously awarded the ‘Navy Cross’ and also the ‘Air Medal.’ They were also honoured with the ‘Purple Heart Medal.’

He was also awarded with ‘Distinguished Flying Cross,’ ‘American Defence Service Medal,’ ‘American Campaign Medal’ with one 3⁄16" bronze star, ‘European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal’ with one 3⁄16" bronze star, and ‘World War II Victory Medal.’ In 1946, a destroyer was named ‘USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.’ by the Navy to honour his heroism.

His younger brother, John F. Kennedy served the destroyer as an apprentice seaman on the ship for a brief period of time. The ship remained in 27 years of service.

During that time, the vessel took part in the Korean War (1950-53). The ‘US Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. DD850’ served in the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

It also participated in the 1960s recovery of various U.S space missions. The destroyer was decommissioned in 1973 and is now a vessel in Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts.