President Johnson almost died during the Second World War while taking part in a bombing mission in the South Pacific. He was supposed to board a plane named the Wabash Cannonball but decided to take a quick bathroom break before setting out.
He came back and discovered that his flight had taken off without him. Only later did he find out that the bomber crashed and none of the passengers survived.
Wilson’s Love of Golf
Wilson cared deeply about democracy and peace around the world, but there was something that he loved almost as much – the sport of golf.
Wilson was so passionate about the game that not even snow on the ground could keep him from teeing off. In winter, he would paint his golf balls black in order to see and retrieve them even when the course was completely covered in snow.
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson, more commonly known as LBJ, was America’s 36th president, in office from 1963 to 1969. He was John F. Kennedy’s vice president and stepped in after Kennedy was assassinated. LBJ left behind a strong legacy of social reform. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Voting Rights Act of 1965, passed laws for gun control and welfare. He also signed the Social Security Act of 1965, which established Medicaid and Medicare.
Johnson’s public appeal took a hit when he committed hundreds of thousands of troops to the war in Vietnam and his decision divided the nation.
Ronald Reagan
The 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, was in office from 1981 to 1989. Many people remember him as the man who instituted a new economic policy nicknamed Reaganomics. The plan prescribed allocating more funds to the military, less for social programs, extensive tax cuts and deregulation of domestic markets.
He is also known as the president who helped bring about the end of the Cold War and for the Iran-Contra scandal which took place on his watch. One of the most iconic moments of his presidency took place at the Berlin Wall, where he famously told Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall!”
Reagan’s Assassination Attempt
John Hinckley Jr. made an attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life on March 30th, 1981. He took several shots at the president and tried to end his life. Strangely enough, Hinckley thought the act would impress young actress Jodie Foster.
One of the bullets hit Reagan in the chest but luckily, he survived. Hinckley made no attempt to flee and was arrested immediately.