Cevdet Sunay

Erzurum 1899 - Istanbul 1982

Cevdet SunayCevdet Sunay was the 5th President of the Republic of Turkey who served between 28th of March 1966 and 28th of March 1973. He was born on 10th of February 1899, some sources say in Trabzon but others say in Erzurum. He concluded his elementary and secondary education in various cities such as Erzurum, Kirkuk, Edirne, and finally graduated from Kuleli Military College in Istanbul and became a Turkish Ottoman army officer.

During the First World War, in 1917 he fought at Palestine front and then in 1918 in Egypt where he was taken as a war prisoner by the English forces. After his release, he joined resistance forces during the War of Independence and served in Southern and Western fronts. After the Republic he completed his military education in the War Academy between 1927-1930. He was assigned to several posts in Turkish Army and became one-star General in 1949, then four-star General in 1959, and finally he was appointed as Army Chief and then served as Chief of General Staff in 1960 until his retirement in 1966.

In 1966 he was appointed as a Senate member by President Cemal Gursel. When Gursel's presidency was terminated due to his bad health conditions in accordance with the Constitution, Cevdet Sunay was elected as the 5th President of the Republic by the Grand National Assembly on 28th of March 1966. He concluded his 7-year term of Office in 1973 and then became a permanent senator until the Military Coup of 1980.

Cevdet Sunay died on 22nd of May 1982 in Istanbul and buried there. In 1988 his tomb was transfered to the Turkish State Cemetery in Ankara. He was married to Mrs. Atifet in 1929 and they had 3 children.