George McGovern
McGovern tolitere na Mitchell, South Dakota, ebe ọ ghọrọ onye arụmụka ama ama.  O wepụtara onwe ya maka ndị agha ikuku nke U.S. mgbe mba ahụ banyere na Agha Ụwa nke Abụọ.  Dịka onye ọkwọ ụgbọ elu nke nnwere onwe B-24, o si n'ọdụ ụgbọ mmiri dị n'Ịtali fefe njem 35 gafere Europe ndị Germany ji.  Otu n'ime ihe nrite ndị ọ nwetara bụ Distinguished Flying Cross maka ịme ụgbọ elu ya mebiri emebi na mberede dị ize ndụ ma zọpụta ndị ọrụ ya.  Mgbe agha ahụ gasịrị, ọ nwetara akara ugo mmụta na Mahadum Dakota Wesleyan na Northwestern University, na-ejedebe na PhD, ma jee ozi dị ka prọfesọ akụkọ ihe mere eme.  A họpụtara ya ịbụ Ụlọ Ndị Nnọchiteanya U.S. na 1956 wee họpụtakwa ya ọzọ na 1958. Mgbe ọ gbasasịrị nhọpụta maka ụlọ ọgbakọ omebe iwu U.S.                  bụ ọ bụ onye ga-eme nke ọma na 1962.

Dị ka onye omebe iwu, McGovern bụ ihe atụ nke liberalism America nke oge a.  Ọ bịara bụrụ onye amara nke ọma maka mmegide nkwuwa okwu ya megide ntinye aka US na-eto eto na Agha Vietnam.  O mere nhọpụta dị nkenke na ntuli aka onye isi ala nke 1968 dịka nguzo maka onye e gburu Robert F. Kennedy.  Kọmịshọna McGovern-Fraser sochirinụ gbanwere usoro nhọpụta onye isi ala, site n'ịba ụba nke caucuses na primaries yana ibelata mmetụta nke ndị nọ n'ime otu.  Ndezigharị McGovern–Hatfield chọrọ ịkwụsị agha Vietnam site n'ụzọ ndị omebe iwu mana e meriri ya na 1970 na 1971. Mkpesa ogologo oge McGovern, mkpọsa onye isi ala nke 1972 nwetara mmeri n'inweta nhọpụta Democratic mana hapụrụ pati ahụ kewara n'echiche, na ọdịda dara ada.  osote onye isi ala Thomas Eagleton mebiri ntụkwasị obi McGovern.  Na ntuli aka izugbe McGovern meriri Richard Nixon n'otu n'ime oke ala n'ime akụkọ ntuli aka US.  Ọ bụ ezie na a họpụtara ya na Senate na 1968 na 1974, McGovern meriri na nchọ ya maka okwu nke anọ na 1980.

McGovern was born in the 600‑person farming community of Avon, South Dakota. His father, the Rev. Joseph C. McGovern, born in 1868, was pastor of the local Wesleyan Methodist Church there. Joseph – the son of an alcoholic who had immigrated from Ireland – had grown up in several states, working in coal mines from the age of nine and parentless from the age of thirteen. He had been a professional baseball player in the minor leagues,[nb 2] but had given it up due to his teammates' heavy drinking, gambling, and womanizing, and entered the seminary instead. George's mother was the former Frances McLean, born c. 1890 and initially raised in Ontario, Canada; her family had later moved to Calgary, Alberta, and then she came to South Dakota looking for work as a secretary. George was the second oldest of four children. Joseph McGovern's salary never reached $100 per month, and he often received compensation in the form of potatoes, cabbages, or other food items. Joseph and Frances McGovern were both firm Republicans, but were not politically active or doctrinaire.

McGovern attended Mitchell High School, where he was a solid but unspectacular member of the track team. A turning point came when his tenth-grade English teacher recommended him to the debate team, where he became quite active. His high-school debate coach, a history teacher who capitalized on McGovern's interest in that subject, proved to be a great influence in his life, and McGovern spent many hours honing his meticulous, if colorless, forensic style. McGovern and his debating partner won events in his area and gained renown in a state where debating was passionately followed by the general public. Debate changed McGovern's life, giving him a chance to explore ideas to their logical end, broadening his perspective, and instilling a sense of personal and social confidence. He graduated in 1940 in the top ten percent of his class.

After three months in Muskogee, McGovern went to Coffeyville Army Airfield in Kansas for a further three months of training on the BT‑13.  Around April 1944, McGovern went on to advanced flying school at Pampa Army Airfield in Texas for twin-engine training on the AT‑17 and AT‑9. Throughout, Air Cadet McGovern showed skill as a pilot, with his exceptionally good depth perception aiding him.  Eleanor McGovern followed him to these duty stations, and was present when he received his wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant.

Training in the B-24