Joe Foss

Joe Foss (1942)

Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss (born April 17, 1915 in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , † January 1, 2003 in Scottsdale , Arizona ) was an American politician and from 1955 to 1959 the 20th governor of the state of South Dakota.

Early years and military career

Joe Foss attended Sioux Falls College and Augustana College . He then studied until 1940 at the University of South Dakota . During the Second World War he was a naval aviator in the VMF-121 squadron . He served in the Pacific, where he distinguished himself several times and received many medals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor , which he was personally awarded in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . He also received the Bronze Star , the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. With a total of 26 kills, he was the most successful pilot in the Marine Corps during World War II. Later Foss also took as an instructor at the new Air Force US on Korean War in part. He then served as a Brigadier General in the National Guard and the Air Force Reserve.

MP and Governor

After the war he remained privately involved in aviation. He operated an aviation service in Sioux Falls and in 1953 founded the Foss Motor Company. Foss was politically active since 1948. That year he was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives, where he remained until 1950. As early as 1950 he applied for the nomination of the Republican Party for the office of governor. At that time, however, he failed in the primaries. Four years later, he not only made the nomination, but also won the actual gubernatorial election.

Foss took office on January 4, 1955. After re-election in 1956, he was able to exercise it until January 6, 1959. During this time he promoted the industrial boom of his state. He had public buildings renovated and campaigned for educational policy. In addition, the administration and tax legislation were reformed.

Another résumé

During his tenure, Foss applied for a seat in the US House of Representatives in 1958 . In the elections he lost to George McGovern . After that, Foss returned to aviation. He was also commissioner of the American Football League between 1960 and 1966 . He was also the presenter of a television program and until 1990 President of the National Rifle Association . Joe Foss died on New Years Day 2003. He was married twice and had three children.

Web links

Commons : Joe Foss - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

↑ Barrett Tillman: Wildcat Aces of World War 2 , Osprey Publishing, London 1995, ISBN 978-1-85532-486-2 , pp. 28-37.
↑ Joe Foss. Biography on acepilots.com (accessed June 4, 2009).

personal data
SURNAME	Foss, Joe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Foss, Joseph Jacob (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	April 17, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH	Sioux Falls , South Dakota
DATE OF DEATH	January 1, 2003
Place of death	Scottsdale , Arizona

[1] Barrett Tillman: Wildcat Aces of World War 2 , Osprey Publishing, London 1995, ISBN 978-1-85532-486-2 , pp. 28-37.

[2] Joe Foss. Biography on acepilots.com (accessed June 4, 2009).