John F. Kennedy once said “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” John was a hero because he put people and country before himself, even if it meant putting himself on the line. “John F. Kennedy was the youngest man ever to be elected president of the United States of America. He entered in January 1961 at the age of forty-three. With good looks and two beautiful young children, the nation watched the family with adoration, pride and curiosity, despite John's well-publicized adulterous behavior. Amazingly, after just 1,000 days in office, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, becoming the youngest president ever to die in office; it was also marked as the “end of innocence” in American culture. John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts to Joseph and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. His father was a multimillionaire, who made money in banks and the stock market, as well as dabbled in the film industry and liquor bootlegging. His family later moved to New York, where John attended Connecticut for high school and graduated in the spring of 1935. John planned to pursue an academic or journalism career, so the following year he entered Harvard University and graduated in 1940. then worked for his father who worked in the American ambassador to Britain. So this gave John the material to write “Why England Slept” and it became the best-selling book.” (Petersen 1-3) He was a war hero for saving wounded crew members. “After his training with the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron, Kennedy was shipped to the South Pacific to fight against Japan. In March 1943 he received command of a PT ship. That August, when his boat... in the center of the card... a great leader or an effective president. Perhaps the mystique surrounding Kennedy is linked to his early death, his charismatic personality, or the image of Camelot that he and his family represented. This war veteran sacrificed many things for this country that most political leaders today wouldn't care about. It takes a true hero to change the world for the better. John F. Kennedy is a bittersweet reminder of an innocent era that has long passed. (Petersen 24). Works Cited"Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1917-1963)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Academic OneFile. Network. May 22, 2014.Petersen, Jennifer B. “John F. Kennedy.” John F. Kennedy (2005): 1-2. Historical reference center. Network. May 22, 2014. “Kennedy, John Fitzgerald, Jr. (1960-1999).” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Academic OneFile. Network. May 22 2014.