John "Jack" Vincent Brennan was born on August 16, 1937 in Fall River, Massachusetts to John and Olympia (Malgieri) Brennan. The grandson of Irish (paternal) and Italian (maternal) immigrants, Brennan attended what was then Coyle High School in Taunton, Massachusetts. Upon entering college in 1955 at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island Brennan majored in economics. He also enlisted in the United States Marine Corps reserve at Newport, R.I. in February of 1956.
After graduating from Providence College in 1959, Brennan was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and entered Officer's Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. In 1960 Brennan was stationed at Twenty Nine Palms in California and subsequently was promoted to First Lieutenant in December of that year. He was then transferred to the island of Okinawa, Japan and there served for thirteen months.
In 1962, Brennan found himself in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for 6 months during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Brennan's next assignment was as a gunnery instructor at the US Army Artillery and Missile School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. His assignment to Vietnam in 1966 allowed him to display his artillery skills as the Operations Officer of the 3rd Battalion of the 10th Marines.
Later assigned command (now a Captain) of an artillery unit that was stationed outside Danang, the unit was moved en mass to provide fire support to the Marine infantry units who were engaged in fierce battle at Khe Sahn. His reinforced battery came under attack in June of 1967. In the opening engagement Brennan was wounded by shrapnel in the right arm, left hand, and left arm, for which he received the Purple Heart. In addition, Brennan was awarded the Bronze Star for his role in that day's action. While wounded, Brennan remained with his unit, encouraging his men and directing return fire, which completely destroyed the opposing forces. He then ensured that his fellow wounded soldiers received medical attention before allowing himself to be treated. After completing his one year tour in Vietnam, Brennan was selected for Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia, which he attended and was subsequently promoted to Major in November of 1967.
In 1968, Richard M. Nixon was elected President of the United Stares. John Brennan was nominated by the Marine Corps and selected for the position of Marine Corps Aide to the President. Becoming the first Marine to hold that title, he began his work during the transition period from President Johnson to President Nixon.
As the Military Marine Corps Aide to President Nixon, Brennan answered to the Military Assistant to the President and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Among his duties, one was "carrying the football" or nuclear codes to initiate the launch of nuclear missiles in the event of a war. Other duties included being responsible for the Presidential Helicopter fleet, the management of the Western White House at San Clemente, CA and all ceremonies. Additional, duties included taking advance trips to arrange for domestic or foreign Presidential visits.
Most notably, Brennan accompanied the President on visits to Saudi Arabia, the Soviet Union, China, and more than 60 countries. He also accompanied the First Lady on all of her trips abroad, including trips to Ghana, Liberia, Brazil, and Peru.
Brennan was responsible for coordinating the emergency evacuation plan for the President and those who were in the line of succession, and he was a liaison with the Department of Defense regarding decisions not related to policy. As a result of his excellent service in this position, Nixon promoted Brennan to Lieutenant Colonel in September of 1973.
Later when President Nixon left the office of the President in August of 1974, Brennan accompanied the President on the helicopter and airplane that flew the Nixon family to California. Brennan continued to act as Nixon's aide and in July of 1975 Brennan resigned from active duty in the United States Marine Corps to become the former President's Chief of Staff.
As Chief of Staff, Brennan oversaw the everyday activities of the Office of Richard Nixon in San Clemente. He planned the two trips to China in 1976 and 1979 as well as helped plan Nixon's trips to France, England, Spain, and the Ivory Coast. He also negotiated the terms for the interviews that President Nixon did with Sir David Frost in the late 1970s.
On August 1, 1979 Brennan received his final promotion to Colonel in the USMC Reserves. The following year in 1980, Brennan resigned from his position as Nixon's Chief of Staff and moved to Washington, D.C. to start his own consulting business with the former Attorney General, John Mitchell.
Remaining active at a national level, Brennan, under President Reagan, served on the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He was also an Honorary Delegate from California at the 1988 Republican National Convention, and was on the Bush/Quayle Campaign staff. Colonel Brennan culminated his career of government service by serving in the civilian capacity as Director of Administrative Operations Division of the Executive Office of the President in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton.
He served as commissioner of the California Veteran Memorial Commission, was a member of the advisory board of the California Angels baseball Team from 1977 to 1993 under owner Gene Autry, and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks and Rotary Clubs. Colonel "Jack" Brennan passed away in California in 2023.
Collection is open for research by appointment. Materials do not circulate. Some materials may be restricted, for further information contact the Archives and Special Collections, Phillips Memorial Library, Providence College.
Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the Phillips Memorial Library. Although Providence College has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. Title or description of material. Day month year. John V. Brennan collection. SC032, Box number, Folder number. Providence College Archives and Special Collections. [URL if applicable].
This collection primarily documents the activities of Marine Colonel John V. Brennan in his role as the Marine Corps Military Aide for President Richard M. Nixon and as his Chief of Staff during President Nixon's post-presidency years.
The collection contains a wide variety of materials, including personal materials, certificates, correspondence, memorandums, newsletters, news articles, oral histories, photographs, programs, publications, and realia, along with sound and video recordings.
The collection is arranged into fifteen series.
The collection was donated to Providence College by John V. Brennan in 2004.
This series pertains to ceremonies attended by Col. John V. Brennan, beginning with his graduation from Providence College and continuing onward to the present day. As President Nixon's Marine Corps Aide, Col. Brennan was responsible for the management of all presidential and political ceremonies, particularly those in honor of foreign dignitaries.
In addition, there are also invitations to the Inaugurations of Presidents Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and William Clinton. The series also contains more current events that sought the presence of Col. Brennan, including the funerals of Presidents Nixon and Reagan.
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This series contains letters to and from President Richard Nixon and Col. John V. Brennan in regards to political and military matters of both a foreign and domestic nature, as well as their personal notes.
Additional correspondents include Presidents George H.W. Bush and William Clinton, and Julie Eisenhower, among a wide number of other noteworthy figures. The series also includes correspondence generated by President Nixon to individuals other than Col. Brennan.
This series contains correspondence, notes, and periodicals, pertaining to the famous Frost/Nixon interviews. As President Nixon's chief of staff, Col. John V. Brennan was responsible for negotiating the terms of the interviews with David Frost. The interviews were aired in four 90 minute segments and reportedly drew in 50 million viewers.
The Nixon camp hoped the interview would give the President an opportunity to express regret for the Watergate scandal and help to repair his national image. Brennan oversaw the tapings to ensure Nixon's remarks were not edited or misconstrued to the President's detriment. However, Nixon eventually admitted to Frost that he was involved in the Watergate cover-up and had let the American people down.
Also included in this series is a playbill from the 2006 Tony Award winning play, "Frost/Nixon."
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This series records the official memorandums passed to and from Col. John V. Brennan while on official White House duty, as well as his time as President Nixon's post-resignation chief of staff. Included are a number of memorandums regarding specific matters with those close to President Nixon, as well as numerous notes and letters that detail Col. Brennan's daily tasks and responsibilities.
Featured most prominently are the correspondence between the Colonel and the Brigadier Generals of the Air Force James D. Hughes, Brent Scowcroft and Richard L. Lawson. Some of these memos were branded secret at the time. Also included are memos of a personal nature for Col. Brennan.
This is an assortment of visual media pertaining to Colonel Brennan and/or President Nixon. There are video cassettes and DVDs from documentaries made on President Nixon, as well as news programs (e.g. Good Morning America) that featured Col. Brennan and President Nixon, and various 8mm films.
This is a series of commemorative objects collected by Col. John V. Brennan during the Presidencies of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Included are Presidential tie-clasps and pins, pins and stamps from the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, decorative pins and cuff links, official White House key chains, and an assortment of commemorative coins.
This series also contains the annual commemorative White House Christmas ornaments collected by Col. John V. Brennan from 1982 to 2006.
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This series is an assortment of published news clippings from major periodicals such as the L.A. Herald Examiner, the Daily Sun Times and the Washington Post, in addition to smaller news publications, specifically the Fall River Herald. These clippings highlight Colonel John V. Brennan's time with President Nixon. Many of the clippings report on events that occurred during Nixon's presidency, his post-presidency, and on his death.
This series contains a compilation of interviews with Colonel John V. Brennan. Included are the transcripts of the interviews with Col. Brennan's handwritten notes, as well as the original audiocassette tapes, and CD copies of the tapes.
This is an abundant collection of photographs from the personal archives of Colonel John V. Brennan. These include official White House photographs, photos from trips abroad taken of the Colonel with both President and Mrs. Nixon, as well as personal photographs of Col. Brennan and his family.
Also included are both 35mm and Sub-Miniature slides, mainly regarding President Nixon's post-presidential time spent at La Casa Pacifica with his friends and family.
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These are the Presidential Schedules detailing the daily activities and appointments for President Richard Nixon, dating from his inauguration until after his resignation, ending in 1977 with the David Frost tapings.
This series is a collection of published materials regarding President Nixon and his administration, beginning with his inauguration and ending after his death. This includes inaugural addresses, State of the Union addresses, interviews, and biographies.
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This series begins with the resignation of President Richard Nixon, after he moves to San Clemente, California. These files are varied and numerous, and range from notes taken by Col. Brennan, to memorandums and financial statements.
This series contains Col. John V. Brennan's personal collection of memorabilia, predominantly from his time serving under President Nixon. Many of the materials pertain to daily activities, such as notes and schedules. Other materials include memorabilia from special events. Several items are specifically attributed to the White House staff, as well as the "Western White House" of San Clemente.
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This series contains the notes, schedules, informational booklets and event guides to many of the foreign trips taken by President and Mrs. Nixon, as planned by John V. Brennan. As the Marine Aide to the President, Brennan's job was to oversee the coordination and safe planning of the President's trips to France, England, Spain, the Ivory Coast, and most notably, China. He also accompanied the President to Saudi Arabia, the Soviet Union and more than 60 other countries. Brennan also accompanied the First Lady to Ghana, Liberia, Brazil and Peru.
This series contains memorabilia, souvenirs, notes, detailed schedules, and official White House documents pertaining to the People's Republic of China. John V. Brennan was instrumental in planning the historic first trip of an American President to China in 1972; the same trip that opened trade relations between the United States and China. Brennan also planned two trips for President Nixon after he had left office, one in 1975 and the other in 1978.
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