Diplomat. He began working for the U.S. State Department in 1949, serving much of his career in Latin America. Jack served as U.S. Ambassador to Panama in 1964 and 1965 during the Johnson administration. He is credited with smoothing the way for the eventual negotiation of a new Panama Canal treaty. He later served as U.S. Ambassador to Columbia in 1969 and 1970 during the Nixon administration. In 1965 he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Latin America).
Jack served as the second director of the United States Peace Corps from 1966 to 1969, suceeding Sargent Shriver. He had formerly served as regional director of the Peace Corps in Latin America in 1961. Jack later served as president of Planned Parenthood in 1974 and 1975, was president of the National Urban Coalition in 1970, and was also the director of international programs for the TV program "Sesame Street" from 1972 to 1975.
His parents were Lige H. and Blair Vaughn. His family moved from Montana where they owned a ranch, to Albion, Michigan in 1931 where his father owned a clothing store. Jack attended the Albion Public Schools and graduated in 1939 from Albion High School. He was also a 1943 graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor's degree in Romance languages, and a master's in Romance Languages in 1947.
Jack was an avid boxer and won the 1937 Michigan Golden Gloves championship in the featherweight class. He fought professionally for a brief period afer the War under the name of Johnny Hood in the U.S. and Mexico. He was the head boxing coach at the University of Michigan in 1942-43.
During World War II, Jack was a rifle company commander and a combat intelligence officer in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1946. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, and later attained the rank of Captain. He earned two Purple Hearts.
Jack made national news in 1988 at age 67 when a mugger attempted to rob him of his wallet while in New York City. Jack's boxing skills and U.S. Marine experience resulted in the mugger receiving an elbow to the throat, several punches to the jaw, and a place-kick in the groin, leaving the mugger face-down in the street and thus ending the mugging attempt. His memoir, "Kill the Gringo" was published posthumously in 2017.
Cremains interred December 19, 2013.
Jack served as the second director of the United States Peace Corps from 1966 to 1969, suceeding Sargent Shriver. He had formerly served as regional director of the Peace Corps in Latin America in 1961. Jack later served as president of Planned Parenthood in 1974 and 1975, was president of the National Urban Coalition in 1970, and was also the director of international programs for the TV program "Sesame Street" from 1972 to 1975.
His parents were Lige H. and Blair Vaughn. His family moved from Montana where they owned a ranch, to Albion, Michigan in 1931 where his father owned a clothing store. Jack attended the Albion Public Schools and graduated in 1939 from Albion High School. He was also a 1943 graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor's degree in Romance languages, and a master's in Romance Languages in 1947.
Jack was an avid boxer and won the 1937 Michigan Golden Gloves championship in the featherweight class. He fought professionally for a brief period afer the War under the name of Johnny Hood in the U.S. and Mexico. He was the head boxing coach at the University of Michigan in 1942-43.
During World War II, Jack was a rifle company commander and a combat intelligence officer in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1946. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, and later attained the rank of Captain. He earned two Purple Hearts.
Jack made national news in 1988 at age 67 when a mugger attempted to rob him of his wallet while in New York City. Jack's boxing skills and U.S. Marine experience resulted in the mugger receiving an elbow to the throat, several punches to the jaw, and a place-kick in the groin, leaving the mugger face-down in the street and thus ending the mugging attempt. His memoir, "Kill the Gringo" was published posthumously in 2017.
Cremains interred December 19, 2013.
Diplomat. He began working for the U.S. State Department in 1949, serving much of his career in Latin America. Jack served as U.S. Ambassador to Panama in 1964 and 1965 during the Johnson administration. He is credited with smoothing the way for the eventual negotiation of a new Panama Canal treaty. He later served as U.S. Ambassador to Columbia in 1969 and 1970 during the Nixon administration. In 1965 he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Latin America).
Jack served as the second director of the United States Peace Corps from 1966 to 1969, suceeding Sargent Shriver. He had formerly served as regional director of the Peace Corps in Latin America in 1961. Jack later served as president of Planned Parenthood in 1974 and 1975, was president of the National Urban Coalition in 1970, and was also the director of international programs for the TV program "Sesame Street" from 1972 to 1975.
His parents were Lige H. and Blair Vaughn. His family moved from Montana where they owned a ranch, to Albion, Michigan in 1931 where his father owned a clothing store. Jack attended the Albion Public Schools and graduated in 1939 from Albion High School. He was also a 1943 graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor's degree in Romance languages, and a master's in Romance Languages in 1947.
Jack was an avid boxer and won the 1937 Michigan Golden Gloves championship in the featherweight class. He fought professionally for a brief period afer the War under the name of Johnny Hood in the U.S. and Mexico. He was the head boxing coach at the University of Michigan in 1942-43.
During World War II, Jack was a rifle company commander and a combat intelligence officer in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1946. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, and later attained the rank of Captain. He earned two Purple Hearts.
Jack made national news in 1988 at age 67 when a mugger attempted to rob him of his wallet while in New York City. Jack's boxing skills and U.S. Marine experience resulted in the mugger receiving an elbow to the throat, several punches to the jaw, and a place-kick in the groin, leaving the mugger face-down in the street and thus ending the mugging attempt. His memoir, "Kill the Gringo" was published posthumously in 2017.
Cremains interred December 19, 2013.
Jack served as the second director of the United States Peace Corps from 1966 to 1969, suceeding Sargent Shriver. He had formerly served as regional director of the Peace Corps in Latin America in 1961. Jack later served as president of Planned Parenthood in 1974 and 1975, was president of the National Urban Coalition in 1970, and was also the director of international programs for the TV program "Sesame Street" from 1972 to 1975.
His parents were Lige H. and Blair Vaughn. His family moved from Montana where they owned a ranch, to Albion, Michigan in 1931 where his father owned a clothing store. Jack attended the Albion Public Schools and graduated in 1939 from Albion High School. He was also a 1943 graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor's degree in Romance languages, and a master's in Romance Languages in 1947.
Jack was an avid boxer and won the 1937 Michigan Golden Gloves championship in the featherweight class. He fought professionally for a brief period afer the War under the name of Johnny Hood in the U.S. and Mexico. He was the head boxing coach at the University of Michigan in 1942-43.
During World War II, Jack was a rifle company commander and a combat intelligence officer in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1946. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, and later attained the rank of Captain. He earned two Purple Hearts.
Jack made national news in 1988 at age 67 when a mugger attempted to rob him of his wallet while in New York City. Jack's boxing skills and U.S. Marine experience resulted in the mugger receiving an elbow to the throat, several punches to the jaw, and a place-kick in the groin, leaving the mugger face-down in the street and thus ending the mugging attempt. His memoir, "Kill the Gringo" was published posthumously in 2017.
Cremains interred December 19, 2013.
Inscription
Captain U.S. Marine Corps
Gravesite Details
Interred December 19, 2013.
