Figure 1.--his photograph of the entire Kennedy family (except for the oldest son, Joe Jr.) was taken at the Vatican in Rome on the occasion of the coronation of Pope Pius XII in 1939 just before World War II broke out . Joe senior, then U.S. Ambassador to the Court of Saint James in London, was representing the United States. The extreme formality of the event required everyone to be very formally and correctly dressed.

President Roosevelt appointed Jack's father Ambassador to Great Britain in 1938??. It was the most prestigious post in American diplomacy. Kennedy's appointment was a controversial appointment given Kennedy's Irish background. (Irish-Americans because of English policies in Ireland were ravidly anti-English.) Ambassador Kennedy proceed to oppose Ameruican support for Britain after the NAZI's launched World War II at the same time President Roosevelt was attempting to marshall support for Britain. Jack and his brother disagreed with their father. While Ambassador, Kennedy and his children traved to Rome or an audience with the Pope. Jack had toured Germany while his father was in London and got a little personal taste of what the NAZIs were like. He went on to enter the Navy after Pearl Harbor and distinguish himself when his PT boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Kennedy, despite grave injuries, led the survivors through perilous waters to safety. His brother Patrick was tragically killed in a bomber mission over the English Channel.

Ambassador to Britain (1937-40)

President Roosevelt appointed Jack's father Ambassador to Great Britain (December 1937). [Dallek, p. 34.] It was the most prestigious post in American diplomacy. Kennedy's appointment was a controversial appointment given Kennedy's Irish background. (Irish-Americans because of English policies in Ireland were ravidly anti-English.) Roosevelt apparently decided on the appointment to return a snub to Prime-Minister Chamberlain. Surprisingly the two got on well, because they agreed on Chamberlain's efforts at appeasement. The relationship changed once the World War II began. Ambassador Kennedy opposed American support for Britain after the NAZIs launched World War II. At the same time President Roosevelt was attempting to marshall support for Britain. Jack and his brother disagreed with their father.

Audience with the Pope

While Ambassador, Kennedy and his children traved to Rome or an audience with the Pope. A portrait taken at theVatican with the Swiss Guards documents the visit. This photograph of the entire Kennedy family (except for the oldest son, Joe Jr.) was taken at the Vatican in Rome on the occasion of the coronation of Pope Pius XII in 1939 just before World War II broke out (figure 1). Joe senior, then U.S. Ambassador to the Court of Saint James in London, was representing the United States. The extreme formality of the event required everyone to be very formally and correctly dressed. Note that Joe Kennedy Sr. and his son Jack Kennedy (the future president, then only 22 years old) both wear white tie and tails even though it is daylight. Rose Kennedy, the future president's mother, wears a floor-length black gown with the mandatory black veil or mantilla since Catholic women at this time were expected to have their heads covered in church, especially in the presence of the Holy Father. Bobby Kennedy (14 years old in 1939) wears a dark three-piece suit with long trousers with a grown-up white shirt and long tie. Teddy (the youngest boy, only 7 years old at the time) is dressed in a dark short-pants Etpn suit with an Eton collar and a "four-in-hand tie." He wears low-cut Oxford black shoes with long black stockings, undoubtedly held up by hose supporters (see the Sears advertisement for boys' garter waists published the same year, 1939). The long stockings were worn as a part of formal dress. Jean, the youngest daughter (11 years of age) wears a white dress and veil as though for her First Communion. Teddy received Communion personally from His Holiness, This was the thefirst tme that a Pope had ever done this in the last couple of hundred years". To quote the words of Teddy's older brother Jack, who was writing to a boyhood friend. "The Pope then gave the Sacrament to Joe, Jack, and his sister Eunice `at a private mass and all in all it was very impressive'" [Dallek, p. 56.] The Swiss Guards in their traditional uniforms (designed according to some reports by Michelangelo in the Renaissance) flank the family gathering. HBC refers to this photograph on the page entitled "Long Stockings Worn with Short Pants" under the heading of "Formality" .

Tour of Europr

Jack had toured Germany while his father was in London and got a little personal taste of what the NAZIs were like.

Naval Service

He went on to enter the Navy after Pearl Harbor and distinguish himself when his PT boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Kennedy, despite grave injuries, led the survivors through perilous waters to safety. His brother Patrick was tragically killed in a bomber mission over the English Channel.

Sources

Dallek,Robert. An Unfinished Life (Boston: Little Brown, 2003).