Robert Joseph Dole

Robert Joseph Dole was born in Russell, Kansas, and served as a lieutenant in the United States Army's 10th Mountain Division in Italy during World War II. In April 1945, he was gravely wounded by German fire while trying to rescue a fellow soldier, suffering catastrophic nerve damage that paralyzed his right arm and required thirty-nine months of hospitalization. Returning to Kansas, he earned a law degree and entered politics.

Dole represented Kansas in the US Congress for thirty-six years, serving as Senate Majority Leader and earning a reputation as a pragmatic legislative craftsman capable of bipartisan dealmaking. A passionate advocate for disability rights, he co-authored and shepherded the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 into law. Winning the 1996 Republican presidential nomination against Bill Clinton, he dedicated his retirement to building the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall, receiving the Congressional Gold Medal in 2018.