SmithAntics

I’m reading Robert Dallek’s excellent biography of John F. Kennedy, which goes into extensive detail about the medical difficulties that plagued Kennedy throughout his life. This passage regarding Kennedy’s entry into military service just floored me:

When, in 1941, Jack failed the physical exams for admission to the army’s and then the navy’s officer candidate schools, he turned to his father to pull strings on his behalf. …. One month later, the board of medical examiners miraculously gave Jack a clean bill of health.

As is well known, Kennedy bucked a series of cushy desk assignments and was eventually granted his wish for extremely hazardous duty as a PT boat captain in the Pacific, where he became a genuine war hero.

Powerful fathers can be very helpful when it comes to military service.