It is not often that I pick up a book that I cannot put down but this was the case with Five Presidents.  I believe I finished the book within day.

Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford is a memoir by former secret service agent Clint Hill. Agent Hill began his career with secret service after serving in the Army.   One of his first assignments was the mother in law of President Eisenhower.  He quickly move up and because part of the Eisenhower’s detail.

After Eisenhower he was appointment to protect Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy and her children. The assignment to Kennedy family was very different than his assignment with President Eisenhower.   Agent Hill quickly developed a bond with the Kennedy Family; unlike President Eisenhower members of the Kennedy family addressed the agents by their names.   As discussed in the book, Agent Hill was with the Kennedy’s during good and bad times, including holiday gathers the loss of the their third child and the day President Kennedy was shot in Dallas.

Agent Hill provides an insightful first hand account about the trip that brought the President and Mrs. Kennedy to Dallas and ultimately ended with the assassination of President Kennedy.  Hill’s retellings of the events show just how the events of the trip affected him for the rest of his life.  The section on President Kennedy is well balanced as for it did not let the events in Dallas overtake the book.  Hill discusses first hand details about the funeral that I do not recall hearing before in other books.  While Hill was emotionally affected by assassination just as members of the Kennedy family and others’ close to the President he was not allow to show it; I found it surprising how he got little to no time to collect himself after the events but was expected to be there for the continued protection of Mrs. Kennedy and the children.

Of the five presidents Agent Hill protected I found his section on President Johnson the most insightful.  Known for issues with the Vietnam War, President Johnson had a bold personality and was very personable with the agents who protected him. Agent Hill provides a insight into how the events during the Johnson’s presidency affect the man not the President.  While Agent Hill was worried that President Johnson would have him removed from his detail after his first day of service; it turned out the Agent Hill was one of the most trusted and depended agents of Presidents Johnson.  This is illustrated through the various accounts given by Hill, but my favorite is when President Johnson gave him his own set of “ranch” clothes.

The outstanding service, Agent Hill provided to the Kennedy and Johnson’s lead to his advance with the secrete service organization.   So much so, that when Hill worked with Presidents Nixon and Ford he was in an administrative role.   With Nixon he describes how request presented to him were foreshadowing of what was to come with the events of the Watergate sandal and impeachment of President Nixon.

Aside from discussing the service he provided to all the presidents he served, Agent Hill discusses how he was able to help make improvements in the protection to the those who would serve or run for public office for years to come.

Another strength of Agent Hill’s book is how he discusses how the job affected his family.  His discussion of the hardships of jobs including being away from his family and the long hours helps an outsider sees how members of the secret service put their own lives on hold to protect the lives of the leaders of our country.  As illustrated by Hill there were few presidents who included or did things to thank the wives and children of the secrete service agents which protected them.

This book was and enjoyable and easy read.   This is a must ready for those who love presidential history, modern United States or the history of the secret service.