John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
John F. Kennedy, Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr. (November 25,
1960 – July 16, 1999), often referred to as
John F. Kennedy, Jr., JFK Jr., John Jr.,
John Kennedy or John-John, was a
journalist, lawyer, pilot, and socialite. He was
the first son of President John F. Kennedy and
Jacqueline Kennedy, and the younger brother
of Caroline Kennedy and the older brother of
the deceased Patrick Bouvier Kennedy;
another child had been stillborn before
Caroline. He was known as "America's Son"
for he was one of the few presidential children
to actually be raised in the White House. He
died in a plane crash along with his wife and
sister-in-law at the age of 38.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Education
3 Career
4 Personal life
5 Death
6 References
7 See also
8 External links
Early life
Born at Georgetown University Hospital
sixteen days after his father was elected to the
presidency, John F. Kennedy, Jr., was in the
public spotlight from infancy in early 1961
until his death in mid-1999. He lived for most
of the first three years of his life in the White
House, and in the eye of the media and public
1 of 7
John F. Kennedy Jr. greets invited guests at the HBO and Imagine
Entertainment premiere held at Kennedy Space Center
Born
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr.
November 25, 1960
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Died
July 16, 1999 (aged 38)
Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of
Martha's Vineyard
Occupation
lawyer and journalist
Political party
Democratic
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
who adored his antics. His nickname
"John-John" came from a reporter mishearing
JFK calling him ("John" spoken twice in quick
succession). Even as a boy, he was often
photographed and still referred to publicly as
"John-John", although members of the
Kennedy family themselves did not use the
nickname. [1] They found it rather annoying,
as did he. When he got to go to school, he got
in a fight on his first day when his classmate
insisted on calling him John-John.
His father was assassinated on November 22,
1963, and the funeral procession took place on
his third birthday three days later. In a moment
that became an emotional and iconic image of
the 1960s, young JFK, Jr. stepped forward and
rendered a final salute as the flag-draped
casket was carried out from St. Matthew's
Cathedral.[2] Following his father's
assassination, he grew up on the Upper East
Side of Manhattan in New York City, and his
mother re-married in 1968 to Greek shipping
tycoon Aristotle Onassis (whom she met in the
early 1960s while still married to President
Kennedy), and the marriage lasted for eight
years until the latter's death in 1975, when
John, Jr. was fourteen years old.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
Spouse(s)
Carolyn Jeanne Bessette
(1996–1999)
Children
none
Parents
John F. Kennedy (May 29,
1917–November 22, 1963)
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (July
28, 1929–May 19, 1994)
John F. Kennedy, Jr. with his
father, John F. Kennedy, at the
White House in 1963.
Generally considered exceptionally handsome
and athletic, People Magazine named
Kennedy its "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1988 at
the age of 27 (the youngest "sexiest man" to
date). He is, so far, the only person named
such who was not a working actor and is the
only one who is now deceased.
Education
He attended the Collegiate School in New
York City for the third through tenth grades,
and later graduated from the Phillips Academy
(also known as Andover). Foregoing his
family legacy of attending Harvard University,
Kennedy opted to attend another Ivy League
2 of 7
John F. Kennedy, Jr. under the
Resolute Desk while his father
was working.
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
school, and graduated from Brown University in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in History. While at
Brown, Kennedy was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
After Brown he took a working break, traveling to India and spending some time at the University of
Delhi where he met Mother Teresa. He also worked with some of the Kennedy special interest projects,
including the East Harlem School at Exodus House and Reaching Up. From 1984-1986 he worked for
the New York City Office of Business Development. He served as deputy director of the 42nd Street
Development Corporation in 1986. He also did a bit of acting during that time, which had been one of
his passions, having appeared in many plays while at Brown.
In 1989, he earned a J.D. degree from the New York University School of Law. He failed the New York
bar exam twice before passing on the third try. According to Robert Littell's book after the second failing
he drove his GMC Typhoon to a motel in Lake George and spent the weekend drinking and listening to
self help tapes[3]. He hired a tutor and arranged for special accommodation for his third try, wherein he
took the examination alone (as the sole examinee) in a private room, accompanied by a proctor and time
restrictions were looser.
Career
He interned for the Reagan admnistration's Justice Department in Washington D.C in the summer of
1987. He spoke at the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. He worked as a paralegal for
Charles Manatt at Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg & Phillips in LA the summer of 1988. Not long after
joining the DA's office he was offered work in the Justice Department during Clinton's administration
but declined. He was an assistant district attorney in Manhattan from 1989 to 1993 and was good at his
job, he won all 6 of his cases but later confided that he had 2 big problems working for the DA's; the
media circus that surrounded him and the defendents he prosecuted seemed to want to confess to him.
He didn't seem to have the passion for law and later abandoned it.
After the end of his law career he set up Random Ventures. Being an avid outdoorsman he even
considered setting up a kayak business before settling on George. In 1995, he founded George, a glossy
politics-as-lifestyle monthly which sometimes took editorial aim even at members of his own family. He
controlled 50 per cent shares in the company. After Kennedy's death, the magazine was bought out by
Hachette Filipacchi Magazines[4] his partners in George and continued for over a year. With falling
advertising sales,[4] the magazine folded in early 2001.[5] Before Kennedy died however he had
conceded that he "might have to wind it up by the end of the year"[6] When he died the magazine had
been in negotiations. His backers at Hachette had threatened to pull out and he was having trouble
raising funding for the magazine. He had planned on turning George into an internet project and was set
to have a meeting in Hyannis Port the night he died.
Personal life
Through the 1980s until his death, Kennedy was an often-seen and much-photographed personality in
Manhattan. He lived at 309 West Eighty-Sixth Street (between Brown and NYU Law), a hotel apartment
when he attended NYU and later famously at 20-26 N. Moore Street Apartment 9E in Tribeca[7]. He
3 of 7
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
could usually be seen around Manhatten riding his bike (his bikes were constantly stolen so he had to get
a new one every few months) and was famous for wearing his wallet clipped to a chain on his belt (he
would absentmindly lose it quite often).
His ex-girlfriends include Jennifer Christian (his high school sweetheart at Andover), Sally Munro (his
girlfriend at Brown, they dated for 6 years), Julie Baker (a model he dated in the late 80's on and off for
a few years), Christina Haag (a Brown alumna and actress he'd had a crush on while there, they started
dating in 1985 for a few years), Ashley Richardson (a model and actress), Sarah Jessica Parker (they
dated in 1988), Daryl Hannah (they dated on and off from 1989-1994 and lived together briefly at
Hannah's Upper West Side apartment) and had a brief fling with Madonna during an on and off point in
his relationship with Hannah. Soon after his mother's death he met Carolyn Jeanne Bessette in late 1994.
She had apparently resisted John's proposal for a year before finally accepting. When speaking of her to
a friend, Kennedy was quoted as saying "she's the best shot I got" and they married on September 21,
1996 on Cumberland Island in Georgia. His sister Caroline acted as the matron of honor and his cousin
Anthony Stanislas Radziwill acted as best man.
Death
On July 16, 1999, at the age of 38, Kennedy was killed along with his wife and his sister-in-law Lauren
Bessette when the aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. He was flying a Piper
Saratoga II HP from Essex County Airport in New Jersey to Martha's Vineyard. He and his wife were
traveling to the wedding of his cousin Rory Kennedy in Hyannis, Massachusetts, which was then
postponed. Lauren was to have been dropped off at Martha's Vineyard en route.
Kennedy's aircraft hit the water inverted and at high speed, a result typical of spatial disorientation and
loss of control. This type of mishap often occurs when visibility is poor and it is not uncommon for
inexperienced pilots to succumb to such disorientation over water at night due to the lack of a clearly
visible horizon line and visually confusing ship lights which can appear to move (autokinesis) or create
the impression of a false horizon.
However, the conditions were almost certainly above the minimums required for visual flight rules, the
only type of operation Kennedy was certified for. While certain pilots gave conflicting versions of the
visibility en route, the manager of the air traffic control tower at Martha's Vineyard stated that "The
visibility, present weather, and sky condition at the approximate time of the accident was probably a
little better than what was being reported. I say this because I remember aircraft on visual approaches
saying they had the airport in sight between 10 and 12 miles out. I do recall being able to see those
aircraft and I do remember seeing the stars out that night." [1] (http://www.ntsb.gov
/NTSB/brief2.asp?ev_id=20001212X19354&ntsbno=NYC99MA178&akey=1)
If a pilot becomes spatially disoriented and fails to control the aircraft properly through reference to
mechanical indicators, the airplane can enter a diving spiral from which recovery is difficult. If the spiral
is not observed and corrected or is over-corrected, the airplane may break apart in the air or strike the
surface at high speed. This type of mishap has been called the "graveyard spiral," a term reflecting the
seriousness of spatial disorientation, loss of control, and the path followed by the aircraft. [see: Federal
Aviation Regulations, Airmans Information Manual AIM/FAR 8-1-5 Illusions In Flight][2]
(http://books.google.com/books?id=cHKevTrbjCEC&pg=PA322&lpg=PA322&
4 of 7
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
dq=federal+aviation+regulations+graveyard+spiral&source=web&ots=D-1Nna9EFW&
sig=BFsv_R9jfvYkgTp7JLqxW2XyVIY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result)
Aircraft such as the Saratoga II can be controlled with reference to instruments (mechanical indicators)
in reduced visibility or night overwater operation. To obtain their initial Private Pilot certification, pilots
must demonstrate basic skills in aircraft control by instruments. However, operation in meteorological
conditions where visual flight rules do not apply is restricted to pilots with an instrument certification.
At the time of the mishap, Kennedy was working on, but had not completed, this certification.
In addition, Kennedy's aircraft was equipped with an autopilot that could have maintained control and
prevented a spiral dive. Radar tracking data indicate that he most likely used the autopilot during the
majority of his flight. The NTSB determined that the autopilot was not operating at the time of the crash.
There is no requirement to operate an autopilot during flight, and all pilots must demonstrate
competence in controlling the aircraft without use of an autopilot.
Kennedy had injured his ankle and had the cast immobilizing it removed the previous day. The rudder
pedals, the only foot operated controls, are required for safe operation during takeoff and landing and are
especially important for spin recovery. Spin recovery takes full rudder authority, as such the rudder
pedal must be pushed firmly all the way to the floor in the opposite direction of the aircraft's rotation in
order to recover from a "spiral" or spin. Kennedy was a relatively inexperienced pilot, however he had
flown the same route in the past, often at night, and had landed several times at Martha's Vineyard
Airport. No flight instructor was with Kennedy on the fatal flight, nor was one required, although
Kennedy had often flown with an instructor before the mishap, a normal training practice.
Memorial tributes and services
During the memorial service on July 23, 1999, Kennedy's uncle, Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ted
Kennedy, stated, "We dared to think, in that other Irish phrase, that this John Kennedy would live to
comb gray hair, with his beloved Carolyn by his side. But, like his father, he had every gift but length of
years." And of his nephew's marriage, he invoked what had been said of his brother's Presidency: both
lasted 1,000 days. Then-U.S. President Bill Clinton attended the funeral and ordered that the flag at the
White House be lowered to half-staff in honor of JFK, Jr.
At President Clinton's orders, warships of the United States Navy assisted in the search for the downed
plane. With the permission of Secretary of Defense William Cohen, a memorial service for the three
victims was held aboard the Navy ship USS Briscoe. The cremated remains of Kennedy, his wife and
sister-in-law were later scattered from the ship off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.
Wrongful-death lawsuit
A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the Bessette family against the Kennedy estate concluded with an
undisclosed out of court settlement.[8] The settlement avoided the publicity of a public trial, as the
accident facts pointed to pilot error.
References
5 of 7
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
1. ^ Kennedy (http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9912/yearinreview.passages/content/politics
/kennedy.html) , Year in Review, CNN.
2. ^ Lucas, Dean (2007-07-22). "Famous Pictures Magazine - JFK jr salutes JFK" (HTML). Famous Pictures
Magazine. http://www.famouspictures.org/mag/index.php?title=JFK_jr_salutes_JFK. Retrieved on
2007-07-21.
3. ^ "The Men We Became: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. by Littell, Robert
4. ^ a b Bercovici, Jeff. Hachette delivers death ax to George. (http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2001
/jan01/jan02/5_fri/news1friday.html) Media Life Magazine. 2001.
5. ^ CNN Transcript: Reliable Sources: 'George' Folds. (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0101/06
/rs.00.html) January 6, 2001.
6. ^ "The Men We Became", Robert Littell
7. ^ http://livingtrustnetwork.com/last-wills-and-testaments/john-f.-kennedy-jr.-last-will-and-testament.html
8. ^ "Biography of Carolyn Bessette". http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/614:0
/1/Carolyn_Bessette.htm.
See also
Kennedy Curse
Kennedy family
John F. Kennedy assassination
Robert F. Kennedy assassination
Sensory illusions in aviation
Spatial disorientation
Bárány chair
The Day the Music Died, and Roger Peterson (pilot)
Flash Airlines Flight 604
Air India Flight 855
External links
John F. Kennedy, Jr. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0447882/) at the Internet Movie Database
National Transportation Safety Board investigation final report (http://www.ntsb.gov
/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X19354&key=1)
Web of conspiracy surrounds JFK Jr.'s death (http://www.guardian.co.uk/kennedy/story
/0,2763,206565,00.html)
JFK Jr's political donations (http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations
/John_F_Kennedy_Jr.php)
CNN.com In-depth coverage of JFK Jr's death (http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/kennedy)
Kennedy's body, airplane wreckage found (http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/21/kennedy.plane.04)
John F. Kennedy, Jr. at the (http://www.nndb.com/people/647/000030557/) Notable Names
Database
Regarding JFK Jr.'s burial at sea (http://www.usatoday.com/news/index/jfk/jfk091.htm)
JFK II & The Assassination of JFK, Jr. (http://www.jfkii.com/)
If William Shakespear was still alive, we all know what he would call this tragedy:
(http://www.geocities.com/mellstewart/fortunate.htm) Unfortunate Son
6 of 7
12/27/08 12:54 PM
John F. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr.
People magazine's
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Sexiest Man Alive
Harry Hamlin
Sean Connery
1988
Child of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy
Preceded by
Caroline Kennedy
Kennedy child
(by order of birth)
November 25, 1960 – July 16, 1999
Succeeded by
Patrick Bouvier
Kennedy
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy,_Jr."
Categories: 1960 births | 1999 deaths | Accidental human deaths in Massachusetts | American aviators |
American businesspeople | American magazine publishers (people) | American Roman Catholics |
English Americans | French Americans | Irish-Americans | Scottish-Americans | American socialites |
Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States | Bouvier family | Brown
University alumni | Children of Presidents of the United States | Irish-American writers | John F.
Kennedy | Kennedy family | New York lawyers | New York University School of Law alumni | People
from Manhattan | People from Washington, D.C. | Phillips Academy alumni | The Collegiate School
alumni
Hidden categories: Articles needing additional references from December 2008 | Wikipedia articles
needing rewrite | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since
December 2008
This page was last modified on 26 December 2008, at 18:51.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights
for details.)
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered
501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity.
7 of 7
12/27/08 12:54 PM