John Chafee

ABOUT JOHN CHAFEE

Politician from Rhode Island who served the tiniest state as its Governor from 1963 to 1969. He was also the state's Senator from 1976 to 1999.

He interrupted his studies at Yale to join the Marines after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1942.

In 1976, he became the first Republican to win a Rhode Island Senate election since 1930.

His son Lincoln Chafee succeeded him as Senator of Rhode Island when he died in office.

He was the US Secretary of the Navy under President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1972.