The men and women who served in World War II belonged to a generation that kept its faith even when liberty's ultimate triumph was far from clear. It is men and women who keep us free. When America was attacked at Pearl Harbor, our country was just emerging from a depression. More than half a dozen nations had larger armies than we did. In Asia and Europe, country after country had fallen before the disciplined armies of the militaristic regimes. These events led many to conclude that freedom had seen its day, and that the future belonged to the hard men in Berlin and Tokyo. Within four years, America would recover from the devastation of Pearl Harbor. Within four years, we would fight and win a world war on two fronts.
Bob Dole
In 1942, he joined the Army's Enlisted Reserve Corps to fight in World War II. He became a second lieutenant in the Army's 10th Mountain Division. By April of 1945, he was fighting the Nazis in the hills of Italy where the action was fast paced. One of the platoon's radio men was hit. Bob Dole crawled out of his foxhole to help him, but it was too late.
Suddenly, while trying to assist the downed radio man, Dole was hit by Nazi machine gun fire in the upper right back and his right arm was so damaged that it was unrecognizable. Dole was immediately given morphine by an Army field medic to alleviate the pain, and his forehead was marked with an "M" in his own blood to alert medics. He was not expected to live.
Dole waited nine long hours on the Italian battlefield before he was finally taken to the Fifteenth Evacuation Hospital. After a brief stay in a field Army hospital in Italy, he was transported back to the United States and to Topeka's Winter General Army Hospital, where he continued his painful recovery and endured a kidney operation. Then, he was transferred to Percy Jones Army Medical Center in Michigan, where he survived his second brush with death - blood clotting. He was a patient in that hospital along with Phillip A. Hart, whose name graces one of the U.S. Senate office buildings, where Bob Dole occupied an office.
Eventually, he returned to Percy Jones Army Medical Hospital for extensive therapy on his rebuilt arm. It took about three years and nine operations for Bob Dole to rehabilitate. He learned to strengthen his injured arm, and also had to learn how to write with his left hand, as the doctors could not rebuild the excessive damage done by the Nazi machine gun fire.
Bob Dole was twice decorated for heroic achievement, receiving two Purple Hearts for his injuries, and the Bronze Star Medal for his attempt to assist the downed radio man.
Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss
After being designated a Naval Aviator and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Foss served as an instructor at Pensacola, Florida and later attended the Navy School of Photography, at which time he was assigned to Marine Photographic Squadron 1 (VMO-1) which was stationed at NAS North Island in San Diego, California. Eager for combat, he qualified in Grumman F4F Wildcats while still assigned to VMO-1 and was eventually transferred to Marine Fighting Squadron 121 VMF-121 as the executive officer. In October 1942, VMF-121 was deployed to the South Pacific and became part of the Cactus Air Force in the Battle of Guadalcanal with Foss serving as the executive officer. On combat missions he led a flight of eight Wildcats that became known as Foss's Flying Circus. He shot down a Japanese Zero in his first combat on October 13, but his own plane was hit and with a dead engine and three more Zeros on his tail, he landed at full speed, no flaps and minimal control on the American runway at Guadalcanal, barely missing a grove of palm trees.
By the time Foss left Guadalcanal in January 1943, his Flying Circus had shot down 72 Japanese aircraft, including 26 credited to him. As America's "ace of aces" he received the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony in 1943, and appeared on the cover of Life magazine.
Foss served two elected terms in the South Dakota legislature and, beginning in 1955, as his state's Republican governor.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Joseph, Jr. graduated from the prestigious Choate School in Connecticut in 1933 (his brother John F. Kennedy also attended) and entered Harvard University in 1934 and graduated in 1938 (political historian Theodore White was a classmate). There he played football, rugby, and crew, and served on the student council. He spent a year studying under the tutelage of Harold Laski at the London School of Economics, before enrolling in Harvard Law School. In 1940, he made his first step in what would have been his political life, as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He left Harvard Law before his final year to enlist in the United States Navy as an aviator. He earned his wings in May 1942 and was sent to England in September 1943. He piloted the PB4Y Liberator on anti-submarine and other missions on two tours of duty throughout the winter of 1943-44. Although Kennedy had completed his 25 combat missions and was eligible to return home, he volunteered for an Operation Aphrodite mission in which he died on August 12, 1944. Kennedy was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial.
Spiro T. Agnew, US Army
U.S. Vice-President under Richard Nixon. During World War II Agnew was a company commander in the 10th Armored Division in Europe, winning a Bronze Star.
Howard Baker, USN
U.S. politician and Senator from Tennessee. He served during World War II on PT boats in the Pacific. Baker was discharged in 1946 as a lieutenant (j.g.).
Lloyd Bentsen, USAAF
When America entered World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. After brief service as a private in intelligence work in Brazil, he became a pilot and in early 1944 began flying combat missions in B-24s from southern Italy with the 449th Bomb Group. At age 23 he was promoted to the rank of Major and given command of a squadron of 600 men.
Edward Brooke, US Army
U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. During World War II, he served as an officer with the all-black 366th Combat Infantry Regiment and rose to the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.
George H. Bush, USN
After graduating from Phillips Academy in June, 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday to become an aviator. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on June 9, 1943, several days before his 19th birthday, which made him the youngest naval aviator to that date. Bush served in the Pacific and flew Avengers from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. San Jacinto. In 1944, while attacking a Japanese radio site in Iwo Jima, he was shot down, landed in the ocean, and was rescued by the submarine U.S.S. Finback, a feat photographed by an amateur cameraman on board. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for continuing his attack on the radio site and later three air medals for other missions.
John Connally, USN
U.S. congressman and governor of Texas. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he helped plan the invasion of Italy in 1943 as part of General Dwight Eisenhower's staff. Connally also served in the Pacific as fighter aircraft director (CIC) on board the aircraft carriers U.S.S. Essex and U.S.S. Bennington. He was awarded a Bronze Star for controlling fighters from the Essex, which shot down sixty-nine Japanese planes, on April 6, 1945. Connally was discharged in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant commander and a Legion of Merit medal.
Richardson C. Dilworth, USMC
Mayor of Philadelphia. As a U.S. Marine Corps major in World War II, he was wounded in the fighting for Guadalcanal in 1942. Dilworth was later a passenger on board the Andrea Doria when it was rammed and sunk by the liner Stockholm in 1956.
Robert J. Dole, US Army
In 1942, Dole joined the Army's Enlisted Reserve Corps to fight in World War II. He became a second lieutenant in the Army's 10th Mountain Division.
Paul H. Douglas, USMC
U.S. politician who was a pacifist in World War I. In the spring of 1942, at 50 years old, he enlisted as a private in the U.S. Marine Corps and joined the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific. Douglas rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant colonel and fought at Pelilieu and Okinawa, being wounded in both battles. After spending eighteen months in hospitals, he was discharged in November 1946.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, US Army
Eisenhower enrolled at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, in June, 1911. Eisenhower was offered the Medal of Honor for his leadership in the European Theater but refused it, saying that it should be reserved for bravery and valor.
Gerald Ford, USN
In April 1942 Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserve receiving a commission as an ensign. In the spring of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS Monterey (CVL-26). He was first assigned as athletic director and gunnery division officer, then as assistant navigator with the Monterey, which took part in most of the major operations in the South Pacific, including Truk, Saipan, and the Philippines.
Joe Foss, USMC
Upon graduation he enlisted in the Marine Corps reserves as an aviation cadet. Seven months later, he earned his Marine wings at Pensacola and was commissioned a second lieutenant. In May, 1943, President Roosevelt presented him with the Congressional Medal of Honor for outstanding heroism above and beyond the call of duty.
John Glenn, USMC
He enrolled in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1942 and was assigned to the Marines VMO-155 group in 1944. Glenn flew Corsairs over the Marshall Islands, specifically Maloelap, where he attacked anti-aircraft gunnery and dropped bombs.
Barry Goldwater, USAAF
The Arizona senator and unsuccessful 1964 presidential candidate was a fighter gunnery instructor and ferry pilot during World War II. He became a major general in the Air Force Reserve.
Daniel Inouye, US Army
In 1943 he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which became one of the most highly-decorated units in the history of the U.S. Army. During the World War II campaign in Europe he received the Bronze Star and also the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Lyndon B. Johnson, USN
During World War II he served briefly in the Navy as a lieutenant commander, winning a Silver Star in the South Pacific.
John F. Kennedy, USN
In the spring of 1941, Kennedy volunteered for the U.S. Army, but was rejected, mainly because of his troublesome back. However, the U.S. Navy accepted him in September of that year with the influence of the director of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), a former naval attaché to Ambassador Joseph Kennedy. On August 2, 1943, Kennedy's boat, the PT-109, was taking part in a night-time military raid near New Georgia (near the Solomon Islands) when it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer.
Robert Kennedy, USN
He attended Harvard University, but took a leave of absence in the middle of his studies to join the United States Navy during World War II.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., USN
He left Harvard Law School to join the Navy and served as a bomber pilot in World War II. He died when his plane, loaded with explosives for an attack on German V-2 rocket site, exploded shortly after takeoff.
George McGovern, USAAF
He volunteered for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and served as a B-24 Liberator bomber pilot in the Fifteenth Air Force, flying 35 missions over enemy territory from bases in North Africa and later Italy, often against heavy anti-aircraft artillery.
Richard M. Nixon, USN
During World War II, Nixon served as an officer in the Navy. He received his training at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and Ottumwa, Iowa, before serving in the supply corps in the South Pacific. There he was known as "Nick" and for his prowess in poker, banking a large sum that helped finance his first campaign for Congress.
Alan Shepard, USN
Shepard began his naval career after graduation from Annapolis on the destroyer Cogswell, deployed in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. He subsequently entered flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas and Pensacola, Florida, and received his wings in 1947.
Donald K. Slayton, USAAF
He entered the United States Army Air Force as a cadet in 1942. He trained as a B-25 pilot and flew 56 combat missions over Europe during World War II.
Harry S. Truman, US Army (WWI)
With the onset of American participation in World War I, Truman enlisted in the National Guard, was chosen to be an officer, and then commanded a regimental battery in France. His unit was Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery, 60th Brigade, 35th Division. In France, Captain Truman's battery performed very well under fire in the Vosges Mountains. Truman later rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard and always remained proud of his military background. Under his command the artillery battery, Battery D, did not lose a single man.
George Wallace, USAAF
After receiving his law degree in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, flying combat missions over Japan during World War II. Wallace rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the 58th Bomb Wing of the Twentieth Air Force. He served under General Curtis LeMay, who would be his running mate in the 1968 presidential race.
