US Presidents & active military service

Pangur

Donor
I am not 100% sure about this however I think it would be true to say that if you compare the list of US presidents with the large wars that US fought then you get the following

WW1 - Truman
WW2 - Eisenhower.JFK, LBJ Nixon and Bush senior

I amy have missed a few however I am curious as to why there was none from the Korean or Vietnam war?.


As for candiates some fid fight in Vietnam however ASAIK none that fought in Korea. Am suggestions on why that is?
 
Well, the veterans of WWII lasted until 1992, largely due to the average age of Presidents increasing quite a bit with Reagan and Bush Sr, as compared to Kennedy/Johnson/Nixon. Clinton in 1992 was very young for a President, and he, like Bush Jr., had managed to avoid serving in Vietnam. After those two, Obama is too young to have served in any war prior to the first Gulf, really, and the draft was gone by that point.

Basically, as time went on, presidents would have had to have been older and older to have served, and we're well past that point now.
 
Also, note that Korean War veterans were largely born in a period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s, so there are fewer of them to start with.
 

Pangur

Donor
Also, note that Korean War veterans were largely born in a period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s, so there are fewer of them to start with.

I did wonder if there was number of service men/length of war/birth rate factor in the mix.

ASRI said:
Basically, as time went on, presidents would have had to have been older and older to have served, and we're well past that point now.

That crossed my mind as well with a big however which is that it may not be to late for some one who served towards the end. maybe in Operation Frequent Wind
 
IIRC Gerald Ford fought in WWII as well.

Vietnam War-veterans for president... well, there are a few presidential candidate/hopefuls that fits the profile: John Kerry (US Navy Swift Boats), Colin Powell (US Army), John S. McCain III (Naval aviator), Al Gore (US Army)

Marc A
 
I am not 100% sure about this however I think it would be true to say that if you compare the list of US presidents with the large wars that US fought then you get the following

WW1 - Truman
WW2 - Eisenhower.JFK, LBJ Nixon and Bush senior

I amy have missed a few however I am curious as to why there was none from the Korean or Vietnam war?.


As for candiates some fid fight in Vietnam however ASAIK none that fought in Korea. Am suggestions on why that is?

Why no Korea vet candidates- The closeness in age to the much more numerous World War II vets would probably be the answer there.

As for why there hasn't been a Vietnam vet president, there are probably a couple of reasons: the divisiveness of the conflict itself compared to WWII, the fact that WWII vet politicos took a long time to step aside for their younger counterparts (from 1952-1996, the GOP nominated a WWII vet for president) and the fact that presidents who could have been sent to fight avoided service (Clinton) or service overseas (Bush II) and nominees who actually did fight there lost for whatever reason (Gore, McCain, Kerry).

The current age of Vietnam vets & the fact that the current president wasn't even an adult when the conflict ended (which means his opponents & successor probably won't be too much older than him) means that it is pretty much a given that we won't have a president who served in Vietnam.

Granted, it is still possible (the youngest Vietnam veteran would be about 57 now), but it is very, very unlikely.

Also, note that Korean War veterans were largely born in a period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s, so there are fewer of them to start with.

The Korean War ended in 1953, so the latest a soldier could have been born to fight in there would have been 1935 (age 18).
 
I predict there'll be an Iraq Vet president (not necessarily soon but down the road) there are a few in congress/running for it already
 
The usual definition of the silent generation runs '29 to '44. IIRC, the average age of the soldiers was 19, so the bulk were of that generation.

As for Vietnam War veterans, 2016 is entierly possible and 2020, while a longshot, is the outside possibility.
 
I predict there'll be an Iraq Vet president (not necessarily soon but down the road) there are a few in congress/running for it already

Quite a few are eligible to run already. And by 2016, even more will be so.

One consideration is the actual ages of elected presidents when elected, which ranges vrom 43 to 69.
 
American Presidents Military service

Hitting the high points only:
Washington American Revolution
James Madison American Revolution did not see combat
James Monroe American Revolution, wounded at Battle of Trenton
Andrew Jackson War of 1812, Creek War, 1st Seminole War
William Henry Harrison Northwest Indian wars, War of 1812
Zachery Taylor War of 1812, Blackhawk War, 2nd Seminole War, Mexican War
Franklin Pierce Mexican War, wounded at Battle of Contreras
Lincoln Black Hawk war, served 3 months
Andrew Johnson Military Governor of Tennessee
Following Presidents were American Civil war:
U.S. Grant Mexican War
Rutherford B. Hayes Wounded at battle of South Mountain
James Garfield Battles of Shiloh, Corinth, and Chickamauga
Chester A. Arthur Quatermasters Corp.
Benjamin Harrison Battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Marrietta, Peachtree Creek, and Atlanta
William McKinley Battle of South Mountain, Antietam, and the Valley campaign of 1864
End Civil War
Theodore Roosevelt Spanish American War
William Taft Secretary of War under Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover Civilian in Boxer Rebellion with USMC at Siege of Tientsin
Harry Truman WWI, in combat
Eisenhower WWII
John F. Kennedy WWII, PT 109
Lyndon Johnson WWII, airplane he was on was attacked
Richard Nixon WWII
Gerald Ford WWII in combat on USS Monterey
Jimmy Carter WWII, Naval Academy; Korean war Sea duty and shore.
Ronald Reagan WWII, First Motion Picture unit
George H.W. Bush WWII, shot down awarded Distinguished Flying Cross
 
Last edited:
The usual definition of the silent generation runs '29 to '44. IIRC, the average age of the soldiers was 19, so the bulk were of that generation.

You didn't even mention the Silent Generation. You said that Korean War vets were "largely born in a period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s". While that's true, no American born in the late 1930s to early 1940s would have fought in Korea.
 

Pangur

Donor
Hitting the high points only:
Washington American Revolution
James Madison American Revolution did not see combat
James Monroe American Revolution, wounded at Battle of Trenton
Andrew Jackson War of 1812, Creek War, 1st Seminole War
William Henry Harrison Northwest Indian wars, War of 1812
Zachery Taylor War of 1812, Blackhawk War, 2nd Seminole War, Mexican War
Franklin Pierce Mexican War, wounded at Battle of Contreras
Lincoln Black Hawk war, served 3 months
Andrew Johnson Military Governor of Tennessee
Following Presidents were American Civil war:
U.S. Grant Mexican War
Rutherford B. Hayes Wounded at battle of South Mountain
James Garfield Battles of Shiloh, Corinth, and Chickamauga
Chester A. Arthur Quatermasters Corp.
Benjamin Harrison Battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Marrietta, Peachtree Creek, and Atlanta
William McKinley Battle of South Mountain, Antietam, and the Valley campaign of 1864
End Civil War
Theodore Roosevelt Spanish American War
William Taft Secretary of War under Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover Civilian in Boxer Rebellion with USMC at Siege of Tientsin
Harry Truman WWI, in combat
Eisenhower WWII
John F. Kennedy WWII, PT 109
Lyndon Johnson WWII, airplane he was on was attacked
Richard Nixon WWII
Gerald Ford WWII in combat on USS Monterey
Jimmy Carter WWII, Naval Academy; Korean war Sea duty and shore.
Ronald Reagan WWII, First Motion Picture unit
George H.W. Bush WWII, shot down awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

Mnay thanks for a far more complete list. When I started the thread I dd consider raising the question of Iraq or Afganistan. Having some vets in congress is a good start and quite possible that one of them will be at least a candidate by 2020 Many thanks one and all for your posts
 
Just like jlckansas' list, here's the major-party candidates who didn't get elected who were war veterans. In order of their candidacy:

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney- American Revolution, prisoner of war
Rufus King- American Revolution
William H. Crawford- Secretary of War under James Madison
Lewis Cass- War of 1812
Winfield Scott- War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Black Hawk War, Mexican-American War, American Civil War*. Taken prisoner of war during the War of 1812. Leader of the Union Army during the initial stages of the Civil War.
John Frémont- Mexican-American War, American Civil War*. Military Governor of California.
John Breckinridge- Mexican-American War, Civil War*. Confederate Secretary of War.
John C. Bell- Secretary of War under William H. Harrison & John Tyler.
George McClellan- Mexican-American War, American Civil War. Witnessed Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War as military attache to Great Britain. Commanding general of the Union Army during the Peninsula campaign & Battle of Antietam.
William Scott Hancock- Mexican-American War, Seminole War (did not see action), American Civil War. Military commander for the Fifth Military District during Reconstruction. Wounded in action at the Battles of Churubusco (Mexican-American War), Fredericksburg & Gettysburg.
James Weaver- American Civil War.
Alf Landon- World War I. Chemical warfare division.
Wendell Willkie- World War I. Did not see action.
Strom Thurmond- World War II. Fought in the Normandy Campaign
Adlai Stevenson- World War I. In training when the war ended.
Barry Goldwater- World War II.
George Wallace- World War II. Bomber pilot in the Pacific theater.
George McGovern- World War II. Bomber pilot in the European theater.
John Anderson- World War II. Army field artilleryman.
Walter Mondale- Korean War. Served stateside.
Bob Dole- World War II. Wounded in action while in the Italian theater.
Al Gore- Vietnam War. Journalist. Did not see combat.
John Kerry- Vietnam War. Wounded three times.
John McCain- Vietnam War. Prisoner of war for seven years and tortured by his North Vietnamese captors.

*-service occurred after nomination for president
 

Pangur

Donor
Just like jlckansas' list, here's the major-party candidates who didn't get elected who were war veterans. In order of their candidacy:

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney- American Revolution, prisoner of war
Rufus King- American Revolution
William H. Crawford- Secretary of War under James Madison
Lewis Cass- War of 1812
Winfield Scott- War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Black Hawk War, Mexican-American War, American Civil War*. Taken prisoner of war during the War of 1812. Leader of the Union Army during the initial stages of the Civil War.
John Frémont- Mexican-American War, American Civil War*. Military Governor of California.
John Breckinridge- Mexican-American War, Civil War*. Confederate Secretary of War.
John C. Bell- Secretary of War under William H. Harrison & John Tyler.
George McClellan- Mexican-American War, American Civil War. Witnessed Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War as military attache to Great Britain. Commanding general of the Union Army during the Peninsula campaign & Battle of Antietam.
William Scott Hancock- Mexican-American War, Seminole War (did not see action), American Civil War. Military commander for the Fifth Military District during Reconstruction. Wounded in action at the Battles of Churubusco (Mexican-American War), Fredericksburg & Gettysburg.
James Weaver- American Civil War.
Alf Landon- World War I. Chemical warfare division.
Wendell Willkie- World War I. Did not see action.
Strom Thurmond- World War II. Fought in the Normandy Campaign
Adlai Stevenson- World War I. In training when the war ended.
Barry Goldwater- World War II.
George Wallace- World War II. Bomber pilot in the Pacific theater.
George McGovern- World War II. Bomber pilot in the European theater.
John Anderson- World War II. Army field artilleryman.
Walter Mondale- Korean War. Served stateside.
Bob Dole- World War II. Wounded in action while in the Italian theater.
Al Gore- Vietnam War. Journalist. Did not see combat.
John Kerry- Vietnam War. Wounded three times.
John McCain- Vietnam War. Prisoner of war for seven years and tortured by his North Vietnamese captors.

*-service occurred after nomination for president

Once again many thanks for this. Ye gods a Korean war vet even if state side !! I did realise that McGovern flew a bomber. Did a Google search on that- he was a brave guy
 
You didn't even mention the Silent Generation. You said that Korean War vets were "largely born in a period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s". While that's true, no American born in the late 1930s to early 1940s would have fought in Korea.

That the generation I was speaking of was the Silent Generation ought to have been obvious. Furthermore, if the years 1930 to 1935 fall outside said period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s on your calender, I suggest a new calender is in order. :p

I think Grant was involved in more than the Mexican war;)

I don't know. Do the trouble with Maximilian and the Fenians really qualify as wars? :p
 
That the generation I was speaking of was the Silent Generation ought to have been obvious. Furthermore, if the years 1930 to 1935 fall outside said period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s on your calender, I suggest a new calender is in order. :p

...right, but what I was saying was that you didn't specify the generation in your original comment about when most Korean War vets were born. You just said that they were born during the 1930s-1940s, which is only half-accurate, since any man born after 1936 would not have been legally allowed to be in the military and fight in Korea, meaning no Korean War veterans were born in the 1940s.
 
That the generation I was speaking of was the Silent Generation ought to have been obvious. Furthermore, if the years 1930 to 1935 fall outside said period of lower birthrates in the 30s and early 40s on your calender, I suggest a new calender is in order. :p


I don't know. Do the trouble with Maximilian and the Fenians really qualify as wars? :p

Think Civil War.:p
 
Hitting the high points only:
Washington American Revolution
James Madison American Revolution did not see combat
James Monroe American Revolution, wounded at Battle of Trenton
Andrew Jackson War of 1812, Creek War, 1st Seminole War
William Henry Harrison Northwest Indian wars, War of 1812
Zachery Taylor War of 1812, Blackhawk War, 2nd Seminole War, Mexican War
Franklin Pierce Mexican War, wounded at Battle of Contreras
Lincoln Black Hawk war, served 3 months
Andrew Johnson Military Governor of Tennessee
Following Presidents were American Civil war:
U.S. Grant Mexican War
Rutherford B. Hayes Wounded at battle of South Mountain
James Garfield Battles of Shiloh, Corinth, and Chickamauga
Chester A. Arthur Quatermasters Corp.
Benjamin Harrison Battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Marrietta, Peachtree Creek, and Atlanta
William McKinley Battle of South Mountain, Antietam, and the Valley campaign of 1864
End Civil War
Theodore Roosevelt Spanish American War
William Taft Secretary of War under Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover Civilian in Boxer Rebellion with USMC at Siege of Tientsin
Harry Truman WWI, in combat
Eisenhower WWII
John F. Kennedy WWII, PT 109
Lyndon Johnson WWII, airplane he was on was attacked
Richard Nixon WWII
Gerald Ford WWII in combat on USS Monterey
Jimmy Carter WWII, Naval Academy; Korean war Sea duty and shore.
Ronald Reagan WWII, First Motion Picture unit
George H.W. Bush WWII, shot down awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

Well, then we do have a Korean War vet in Jimmy Carter. Being on a sub he saw no actual combat but he was still a vet.
 
Top