Jim Webb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Webb
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Official Senate portrait
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| United States Senator from Virginia |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | George Allen |
| Succeeded by | Tim Kaine |
| 66th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office May 1, 1987 – February 23, 1988 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | John Lehman |
| Succeeded by | William Ball |
| 1st Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs | |
| In office May 3, 1984 – April 10, 1987 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Duncan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Henry Webb Jr.
February 9, 1946 St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (since 2006) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (before 2006) |
| Spouses |
Barbara Samorajczyk
(m. 1968; div. 1979)Jo Ann Krukar
(m. 1981; div. 2004)Hong Le Webb
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 6 (1 stepchild) |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1968–1972 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | Delta Company, 1st Battalion 5th Marines |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War (WIA) |
| Awards |
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James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has held important roles in the U.S. government. These include serving as a United States senator for Virginia and as the Secretary of the Navy. He was also an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. Before his political career, he was a brave officer in the Marine Corps.
Besides his government work, Webb has been a journalist, filmmaker, and has written ten books. He also taught literature at the United States Naval Academy. He was a member of the Democratic Party. In 2015, he ran for the President of the United States. However, he later decided to stop his campaign.
In 2020, Webb became the first special fellow at the University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jim Webb was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was the second of four children. His father was in the United States Air Force, so his family moved often. They lived in many states like Missouri, Texas, and Virginia. They even lived in England for a time. His father flew planes in World War II and during the Berlin airlift. Webb's parents are buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Webb's family came from Scots-Irish immigrants who moved to America in the 1700s. His 2004 book, Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America, talks about his family's history. He notes that his ancestors fought in every major American war. A TV show on the Smithsonian Channel was also made from his book.
Webb went to many different schools as a child. He graduated from high school in Bellevue, Nebraska. He then attended the University of Southern California for a year. In 1964, he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He was a strong leader there. After serving in the Marine Corps, he studied law at Georgetown University. He earned a law degree there.
Military Service and Awards
After graduating from the Naval Academy, Webb became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was the top student in his officer training class. He served as a platoon commander in Vietnam. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery, which is the second-highest award in the Navy and Marine Corps.
Webb also received the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. The Purple Heart is given to soldiers wounded in battle. After Vietnam, he became an instructor for new officers. He later worked in the Secretary of the Navy's office. He had shrapnel injuries from the war, which led to his medical retirement from the Marines.
Military Awards and Decorations
Here are some of the awards Jim Webb received:
| Navy Cross | Silver Star | Bronze Star | Purple Heart | ||||||||
| Achievement Medal | Combat Action Ribbon | National Defense Service Medal | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Webb received the Navy Cross for his actions on July 10, 1969. He once said that he could still explain why the U.S. went into Vietnam, even though the war's strategy became difficult.
Life After the Military
Webb studied law at Georgetown University Law Center from 1972 to 1975. During this time, he wrote his first book.
From 1977 to 1981, Webb worked for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. He also helped veterans for free. He taught at the Naval Academy.
During the Reagan Administration, Webb became the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. He held this job from 1984 to 1987. In 1987, he became Secretary of the Navy. He was the first graduate of the United States Naval Academy to lead the Navy as a civilian. Webb resigned in 1988 because he disagreed with plans to reduce the Navy's size. He wanted to make the Navy larger.
In 1990, Webb wrote an article for New York Times. He spoke against sending more U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield. He said there was no clear plan and Congress had not agreed. He also warned against keeping a permanent military presence in the Middle East.
During the 2004 presidential campaign, Webb wrote an article for USA Today. He shared his thoughts as a veteran on the candidates. He said that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a big mistake.
United States Senate
Running for Senate in 2006
In late 2005, people online started a movement to encourage Webb to run for the Senate. On February 7, 2006, he announced he would seek the Democratic nomination. He would run against the current Virginia Senator George Allen.
Webb won the Democratic primary election on June 13, 2006. He received 53.5% of the votes.
During the campaign, an incident happened where Senator Allen used a word that many found offensive. This event helped Webb gain more support. The election became very close. Political experts said that Jim Webb was a tough opponent for Allen.
On November 9, 2006, news agencies announced that Webb had won the election. Allen accepted the results, even though the difference in votes was very small.
Starting as a Senator
On November 15, 2006, Webb was assigned to three important committees. These were the committees on Foreign Relations, Veterans' Affairs, and Armed Services.
Webb also wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal. It was called 'Class Struggle: American workers have a chance to be heard'. The article talked about economic inequality in the U.S. He wrote about how some people had much more money than others.
Meeting with President George W. Bush
On November 28, 2006, Webb met with President George W. Bush at a White House event. Webb had often criticized the President during his campaign. The President asked Webb about his son, who was a Marine serving in Iraq. Webb replied that he wanted to bring the troops home from Iraq. The President asked again about his son. Webb said, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President."
Some people criticized Webb for this exchange. Others criticized President Bush. After his son returned from Iraq, Webb and his son met privately with the President.
Time as Senator
On January 3, 2007, Webb officially became a U.S. Senator. On his first day, Webb introduced a new law called the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This law aimed to give better education benefits to military families. Webb said that soldiers serving multiple times in Iraq and Afghanistan deserved a new education program. This law became official on June 30, 2008.
On January 23, 2007, Webb gave the Democratic response to the President's State of the Union address. He focused on the economy and the war in Iraq. Many people thought his speech was very good.
On March 5, 2007, Webb introduced another law. It was meant to stop military actions in Iran without Congress's approval. Webb said this law would prevent the government from starting a war without permission.
Visit to Southeast Asia in 2009
On August 14, 2009, Webb visited Myanmar (Burma). He met with the country's leader and also with Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader who was under house arrest. During his visit, Webb helped get an American prisoner released. When he returned to the U.S., Webb wrote an article for The New York Times. He suggested easing sanctions on Myanmar. He believed sanctions made the country turn to China, which increased China's power in the region.
Webb also visited Vietnam during his trip. He can speak Vietnamese. He has been involved in Asian and Pacific affairs for almost 40 years. He has worked as a Marine officer, a journalist, and a government official in the region.
Leaving the Senate
On February 9, 2011, Webb announced that he would not run for re-election in 2012.
Senate Committee Work
During his time as a Senator, Jim Webb was part of several important committees:
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Personnel (Chairman)
- Committee on Foreign Relations
- Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Chairman)
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Joint Economic Committee
Presidential Campaign in 2016
On November 19, 2014, Webb announced he was thinking about running for President. He formed a special committee to explore this idea.
On July 2, 2015, Webb officially announced that he would seek the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
However, on October 20, 2015, Webb announced he was leaving the Democratic presidential race. He said he was not comfortable with some of the party's leadership positions. On February 11, 2016, he decided not to run as an independent candidate either.
On March 4, 2016, Webb stated he would not vote for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. He did not say if he would vote for Donald Trump.
As an Author and Filmmaker
Books Written by Jim Webb
Webb's first successful novel was Fields of Fire (1978). It was based on his own experiences as a Marine in Vietnam. Reviewers praised his descriptions of military life and combat.
After writing five more novels, he wrote Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America (2004). This book shares his personal views on the history and culture of Scots-Irish people in America.
List of Works
- Micronesia and United States Pacific Strategy: Blueprint for the 1980s (1975)
- Fields of Fire (1978) ISBN: 0-553-58385-9
- A Sense of Honor (1981) ISBN: 1-55750-917-4
- A Country Such as This (1983) ISBN: 1-55750-964-6
- Something to Die For (1992) ISBN: 0-380-71322-5
- The Emperor's General (1999) ISBN: 0-553-57854-5
- Lost Soldiers (2002) ISBN: 0-440-24091-3
- Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America (2004) ISBN: 0-7679-1688-3
- A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America (2008) ISBN: 0-7679-2835-0
- I Heard My Country Calling: A Memoir (2015) ISBN: 9781476741154
Movies and Articles
Webb wrote the story and was an executive producer for the 2000 film Rules of Engagement. This movie starred Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson.
Warner Brothers bought Webb's script for a movie called Whiskey River. The story is about an American soldier who is hurt in Iraq and then called back to duty. His father tries to protect him by taking him away.
Webb is a frequent writer for many national journals. These include the Marine Corps Gazette, USA Today, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Personal Life
Jim Webb has been married three times. His first marriage was to Barbara Samorajczyk. They have one daughter, Amy, and three grandchildren.
His second marriage was to Jo Ann Krukar. They have three children: Sarah, Jimmy, and Julia. Webb's son, Jimmy, was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. He served in Iraq. To honor his son and all service members, Jim Webb wore his son's old combat boots during his 2006 Senate campaign.
Webb is currently married to Hong Le Webb. She is a Vietnamese-American lawyer. Hong Le came to the United States from South Vietnam when she was seven. They married in 2005 and have one child together, Georgia LeAnh. Webb is also a stepfather to Hong Le's daughter from a previous marriage. Jim Webb can speak Vietnamese.
Electoral History
| 2006 United States Senate election in Virginia | |||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Jim Webb | 1,175,606 | 49.6 | +1.91% | |
| Republican | George Allen (incumbent) | 1,166,277 | 49.2 | −3.05% | |
| Independent Greens | Gail Parker | 26,102 | 1.1 | ||
| Write-ins | 2,460 | 0.1 | |||
| Majority | 9,329 | 0.39% | −4.18% | ||
| Turnout | 2,370,445 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
Webb won the election for senator in 2006. He defeated the person who was already in office, George Allen.
See also
In Spanish: Jim Webb para niños
- Democratic Party presidential candidates, 2016
