Jerry Pettis

Jerry Pettis

Jerry Lyle Pettis (born July 18, 1916 in Phoenix , Arizona , †  February 14, 1975 in Banning , California ) was an American politician . Between 1967 and 1975 he represented the state of California in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Jerry Pettis attended public schools in Arizona and California and until 1938 the Pacific Union College in Angwin . He then studied at the University of Southern California and the University of Denver in Colorado . He then worked as a private businessman in California. Among other things, he founded a consultancy for the radio, TV and film industry. After completing his training, he was a flight instructor as well as a flight and rescue pilot for the company Colorado Wing CAP . During the Second World War he was a pilot in the US Army Air Corps between 1942 and 1946 . He was used for transport flights in the Pacific region. After the war, Pettis worked for Loma Linda University, among others . He was also an executive assistant at United Airlines . In Pauma Valley he also ran a ranch. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Republican Party .

In the 1966 congressional election , Pettis was elected to the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the 33rd  constituency of California , where he succeeded Kenneth W. Dyal on January 3, 1967 . After four re-elections, he could remain in Congress until his death on February 14, 1975 . Since January 3, 1975 he represented there as the successor of Yvonne Brathwaite Burke the 37th district of his state. During his time as a congressman, the Vietnam War , the Watergate affair and the end of the civil rights movement took place . Jerry Pettis died in a plane crash near Banning. His mandate fell to his widow Shirley Neil Pettis after a special election .

Web links

• Jerry Pettis in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Jerry Pettis in the database of Find a Grave (English)