Senator Edward Kennedy presents Senator John Kerry with a bronze bust of President Kennedy in recognition of Kerry's lifelong commitment to public service, a career that includes service in the United States Navy (1966-1969) during which he was decorated for combat in Vietnam War; assistant district attorney for Middlesex County, MA (1977-1982); lieutenant governor of Massachusetts (1982-1984); US senator representing Massachusetts since 1984; and Democratic candidate for US president in 2004. The Kennedy Library Foundation's Distinguished American series invites men and women who have played significant roles in American public affairs to share their insights and experiences with the public and to be recognized for honoring President Kennedy's call for public service and his belief that one person can make a difference and every person should try. Past recipients of the Distinguished American Award include President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Harry Belafonte, James Farmer, Helen Thomas, Congressman John Lewis, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State James Baker, Daniel Schorr, John Kenneth Galbraith, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Douglas Dillon, Mary McGrory, Betty Freidan, Tom Wicker, Ben Bradlee, Dorothy Height, George Reedy, Liz Carpenter, Myer Feldman, Nicholas Katzenbach, McGeorge Bundy, David Broder, Stewart Udall, Archibald Cox, Marian Wright Edelman, Congressman Joe Moakley, Diane Nash, Sargent Shriver, and Kenneth Feinberg.
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