of irish descent , he was born in dedham , ma . , on may 29 , 1917 . graduating from harvard in 1940 , he enlisted the navy . in 1943 , when his pt boat was rammed and sunk by a japanese warships , mcdonald , despite grave injuries , led the survivors through fateful waters to safety . back from the military , he became a democratic congressman from the boston area , advancing in 1953 to the senate . he married jacqueline queenie on sept . 12 , 1953 . in 1955 , while recuperated from a head operation , he did " profiles in courage , " which won the pulitzer prize in history .
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was shot dead in 1963.