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I remember reading somewhere that Joe Kennedy Sr. gained his wealth prior to the stock market crash of ’29. According to the story, a shoe shine boy gave him the tip about the market crashing – or something to that effect – and because of that he pulled his money out, only to scoop up shares for nickels and dimes after the crash came about. Later on, I believe the Kennedys had a fortune in the hundreds of millions.
While watching a documentary on the Kennedy family on the History Channel this evening, I heard that Jack Kennedy said he only learned about the Great Depression while studying at Harvard. An interesting insight into this wealthy family, yet unfortunate family.
Patrick Kennedy sailed from Ireland in 1849 on the Ship The Washington Irving bound for Boston. He had a son they called PJ,Who after his father died when he was ten months old grew up in Boston and worked odd jobs until he saved enough money to buy a saloon in Haymarket square. He became partner in two more saloons and finally became a wholesale liquor distributor. In 1886 he was elected to the Massachusetts house of representitives and later to the senate. P.J.'s son Joseph got his start much the same way. He made a fortune on the stock market and also bootlegging whiskey during prohibition.
Wasn't it the oldest Kennedy Child (John's brother) who was the one killed in WWII? He went on a mission to fly an plane/bomber that I believe was loaded with explosives. He was supposed to jump out during the flight and parachute to safety while the plane would then be controlled automatically to crash into some enemy position (a crude and early version of a smart bomb). Something happened in-flight and he did not survive.
The eldest of the Kennedy brothers(Jack, Bobby and Teddy) was named Joesph(Joe). He was piloting an old wornout bomber that was loaded with explosives. It was rigged to be flown by radio control from another following plane. Joe and the co-pilot were supposed to jump before they left Allied territory. The plane would then have been guided onto a target by the following plane. Something went wrong and the plane exploded in mid-air before they could jump.
