Wesley Bucknell

Wesley "Jack" Bucknell (b. February 3, 1937) is an American politician, Navy veteran, and Republican who has been serving as the 117th governor of South Carolina since January 24th, 2017.

Born in poverty in Beaufort, South Carolina, Bucknell graduated from The Citadel with a bachelor's degree in business in 1961. Commissioned in the United States Navy, he fought in the Vietnam War until he was captured by North Vietnamese forces in 1968, becoming the most senior naval officer held captive in Hanoi, North Vietnam. Upon his return to the United States in 1973, Bucknell continued to serve in the naval administration, rising to command the Seventh Fleet during the Gulf War. In 1992, amid the controversy of the Tailhook scandal, Bucknell retired from the Navy and accepted the post of President of his alma mater, The Citadel.

After resigning in 2000, Bucknell was appointed administrator of Beaufort County in 2004. In 2010, he was elected the 88th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina under [not-Nikki Haley]. Re-elected in 2014, Bucknell succeeded the governorship when [not-Haley] accepted an ambassadorial post in 2016, and won his first full gubernatorial term in 2018.

Classified as an ultra-conservative, Bucknell is known for his Twitter presence and vehement aversion to the press.

Early Life
Wesley John Bucknell was born on February 3, 1937, in Beaufort, South Carolina. He was the second of five children born to Hiram and Leanne (née Harvey) Bucknell. Of English and Irish descent, the family lived on a remote farmstead with no plumbing or electricity, raising tomatoes. As a child, Bucknell, nicknamed Jack, forwent most of his formal schooling in order to assist his parents on the farm. He played football in high school and was granted a full-ride athletic scholarship to The Citadel upon graduating.