Cevdet Sunay

His Excellency Cevdet Sunay
File:Cevdet sunay.jpg
5th President of Turkey
In office 28 March 1966 – 28 March 1973
Prime Minister	Süleyman Demirel Nihat Erim Ferit Melen
Preceded by	Cemal Gürsel
Succeeded by	Fahri Korutürk
Chief of the General Staff of Turkey
In office 4 August 1960 – 16 March 1966
Preceded by	Ragıp Gümüşpala
Succeeded by	Cemal Tural
Commander of the Turkish Army
In office 3 June 1960 – 2 August 1960
Preceded by	Cemal Gürsel
Succeeded by	Mehmet Muzaffer Alankuş
Personal details
Born	10 February 1899 Çaykara, Trebizond Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died	22 May 1982(1982-05-22) (aged 83) Istanbul, Turkey
Resting place	Turkish State Cemetery
Nationality	Turkish
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Atıfet Sunay
Children	3
Signature

Cevdet Sunay (Turkish: [ˈdʒevdet ˈsunaj]; 10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish army officer, political leader and the fifth President of Turkey.

Biography

Sunay was born in 1899 in Trabzon, in the Ottoman Empire. After attending elementary school and middle school in Erzurum and Edirne, he graduated from Kuleli Military High School in Istanbul. During World War I, he fought in 1917 at the Palestine front and became a prisoner of war of the British in Egypt in 1918. After his release, he fought first on the southern front, then on the western front during the Turkish War of Independence.

Sunay completed his military education in 1927, and graduated from the staff college in 1930 as a staff officer. Rising through the ranks to become a general in 1949 and then a four-star general in 1959, he held important military posts. In 1960, he was appointed army chief and later joint chief of staff. On 14 March 1966, he was appointed to the senate by Cemal Gürsel under his presidential contingency.

When Gürsel's presidency was terminated due to ill health in accordance with the constitution, Cevdet Sunay was elected 5th president by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 28 March 1966. He maintained his office despite increasing terrorist activity, student riots, and threatened coups. He served the constitutional term of seven years until 28 March 1973 and became then a permanent senator.

He was married to Atıfet in 1929. They had three children.

Cevdet Sunay died on 22 May 1982 in Istanbul. His body was moved in August 1988 to a permanent burial place in the newly built Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara.

Honours

• Empire of Iran : Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14/10/1971).

External links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkey
• Presidency of Turkey