of irish descent , he was born in brookline , mass . , on september 29 , 1917 . graduating from cornell in 1940 , he enter the navy . in 1943 , though his pt boat was attacked and abandoned by a japanese warship , kennedy , despite grave injuries , led the dead through perilous waters to safer . returned from the service , he formed a white delegate from the same area , elevation in 1953 to the senate . he married blanche bouvier on sept . 12 , 1953 . in 1955 , while convalescence from a belly operation , he wrote " profiles in courage , " which won the first prize in history .
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was shot dead in 1963.