Naval Academy Remembers Jimmy Carter, Former Midshipmen, President

Jimmy Carter passed away on Sunday at 100 years old, making him the longest-living U.S. president in history.
But, before he was a president, or even the governor of Georgia, he was a midshipmen at the Naval Academy and played on the school’s sprint football team.
The academy was one of many that offered its remembrances and condolences on Carter’s passing.
Along with a social media post, the Naval Academy updated his bio page on its web site, which resides with five other U.S. presidents that served in the Navy — John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of President Jimmy Carter '47, one of our institution's most distinguished graduates. His lifetime of service is the example to all midshipmen and citizens who desire to serve our nation. @USNavy @CarterLibrary @DeptofDefense pic.twitter.com/AlVnetVwN6
— U.S. Naval Academy (@NavalAcademy) December 30, 2024
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of President Jimmy Carter '47, one of our institution's most distinguished graduates. His lifetime of service is the example to all midshipmen and citizens who desire to serve our nation.”
After he graduated from the Naval Academy, Carter was assigned to the USS Wyoming as an ensign and served two years before he applied for submarine duty. With the SSK-1, he served as the executive officer, engineering officer, and electronics repair officer.
When the U.S. began its nuclear submarine program, Carter joined and was promoted to lieutenant and served on temporary duty before deployment with the naval reactors branch of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to assist in the fleet’s propulsion development.
Before Carter was able to serve on the USS Seawolf, one of the atomic fleet’s first ships, his father died and he resigned from the Navy in 1953 to return to Plains, Ga., and manage the family’s peanut farming business. He remained in the inactive Navy reserves until 1961.
The U.S. Navy later named a Seawolf-class submarine for him, the USS Jimmy Carter.
Carter was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the China Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
Carter went into politics in 1963 as he served in the Georgia State Senate’s 14th district for four years. He ran for governor twice, losing in a democratic primary in 1966 and winning the office in 1970. He served one term.
Carter ran for president in 1976 and beat the incumbent, Ford, and served from 1977-1981. He served one term and lost to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election.
Carter had one of the most distinguished post-presidential lives in history. He served the country on several peace missions, worked with foreign countries to help ensure free elections and built houses with Habitat for Humanity. The Carter Center, his Atlanta-based presidential library, also became a launching pad for him to help promote human rights globally and he was awarded the 2002 Nobel peace prize for his efforts.
Born Oct. 1, 1924, Carter was married to Rosalynn Smith for 77 years before she passed away in 2023.