U.S. Senator, Presidential Cabinet Secretary. He was the third son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and the brother of both U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. Known as 'Bobby,' he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II (WWII) as a Seaman Apprentice on the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. from 1944 to 1946. He started his career as an attorney in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in 1951. While there, he served in several legal capacities, culminating as the chief counsel of Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field from 1957 to 1960. It was here that he made a national name for himself as he waged war on racketeering in the labor movement, and had several public confrontations with Teamsters Leader Jimmy Hoffa. He left that position to serve as Campaign Manager for the Presidential election of his brother in 1960. Upon John F. Kennedy's election (and after much personal and family debating) Bobby, only 36, accepted the position of Attorney General in his brother's administration, making him the youngest person ever to hold that office. He stayed on as Attorney General after the assassination of John F. Kennedy until September 3rd, 1964 when he finally resigned. Later that year he moved his family to New York. He ran a successful campaign and was elected as a Democratic Senator from New York to the United States Senate, taking office in early 1965. In 1968 he was a late entry into the Presidential campaign. However, he was gaining momentum and on June 4th, 1968, he won the California Primary and seemed posed to win the Democratic Presidential nomination. While at a victory party that evening at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, he was shot by assassin Sirhan Sirhan, and later died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.
U.S. Senator, Presidential Cabinet Secretary. He was the third son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and the brother of both U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. Known as 'Bobby,' he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II (WWII) as a Seaman Apprentice on the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. from 1944 to 1946. He started his career as an attorney in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in 1951. While there, he served in several legal capacities, culminating as the chief counsel of Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field from 1957 to 1960. It was here that he made a national name for himself as he waged war on racketeering in the labor movement, and had several public confrontations with Teamsters Leader Jimmy Hoffa. He left that position to serve as Campaign Manager for the Presidential election of his brother in 1960. Upon John F. Kennedy's election (and after much personal and family debating) Bobby, only 36, accepted the position of Attorney General in his brother's administration, making him the youngest person ever to hold that office. He stayed on as Attorney General after the assassination of John F. Kennedy until September 3rd, 1964 when he finally resigned. Later that year he moved his family to New York. He ran a successful campaign and was elected as a Democratic Senator from New York to the United States Senate, taking office in early 1965. In 1968 he was a late entry into the Presidential campaign. However, he was gaining momentum and on June 4th, 1968, he won the California Primary and seemed posed to win the Democratic Presidential nomination. While at a victory party that evening at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, he was shot by assassin Sirhan Sirhan, and later died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.
Bio by: John Sheets
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