Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

If I pose this question How many US Presidents served in the Unites States Navy and then asked you to name them, I would hope to have this response.

John F Kennedy. President: 1961-1963. Served as a Lieutenant USNR. Sunk in PT Boat 109.

Lieutenant John. F. Kennedy USNR.

Lyndon B. Johnson. President: 1967-1969. Became a Commander USNR.

Lyndon. B. Johnson as a Lieutenant Commander USNR.
He was later promoted a Commandser in the Naval Reserve.

August 26, 2011 8:07 pm

Greetings.  I saw your web page about U.S. presidential military service.

You should know that Pres. Lyndon Johnson's military service was basically so exaggerated, so artificial, as to essentially be completely fabricated.  He wanted to be able to run for Congress as a war veteran, and he was willing to do whatever he could to get a courtesy or temporary commission and get himself photographed in uniform.  This is all extensively documented in Robert Caro's biography of Johnson, and Caro's multi-volume set is THE reference source on Johnson's life.

The other U.S. presidents really did have legitimate military service.

Cheers, Dr. Dane S. Claussen

 
TK,

At our URL:
"Six US Presidents who served in the United States Navy" 

Could you please add this message after Lyndon Johnson.

Thanks,

Mac.

back to letters index

Richard M. Nixon. President: 1969-1964. Went on to make Commander USNR.

Richard M Nixon as a Lieutenant Commander USNR.
He too was later promoted Commander in the Naval Reserve.

Gerald R. Ford. President: 1974 - 1977. Served in the light aircraft Carrier Monterey in the Pacific war. Later promoted Lieutenant Commander USNR.

Jimmy Carter. President: 1977- 1981. Lieutenant. USN. The only President to enter the US Naval Academy in the Class of 1947. Served in both surface ships and Submarines Pomfret and K1, qualified to command a Submarine. When his father died in 1953, resigned so that he could take control of family interests. This is the only photograph of Jimmy Carter in uniform that I could unearth, here he is as a midshipman at Annapolis.

Jimmy Carter as a Midshipman at Annapolis

George H. W. Bush. President: 1989 -1993. Enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor as an 18 year old, and undertook flight training, was commissioned as an Ensign, to become the youngest Naval Aviator to then. Served in USS San Jucinto, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

George Bush as a young naval pilot. Promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade USNR.

The President's Room Navy Memorial, Washington DC.
In the President's room at the US Navy Memorial in Washington DC, are 8 oil paintings, 6 of them depict the Presidents who served in the USN, Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Ford, N ixon and Bush. The remaining two paintings depict Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt who both served as Assistant Secretary for the Navy.

CV 67 USS John F Kennedy in front of the Twin Towers,
destroyed in the Terrorist attack 11th, September 2001.

USS Jimmy Carter SSN 23

New CVN 77 Carrier to be named USS George H. W. Bush.
The former President inspects a model of his namesake.