John Murtha

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John Murtha in 2008
Signature of John Murtha

John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. (born June 18, 1932 in New Martinsville , Wetzel County , West Virginia , †  February 8, 2010 in Arlington , Virginia ) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ). He represented the 12th constituency of Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death .

Career

Training and military career

Murtha completed the high school in Mount Pleasant ( Virginia ) and began studying at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington ( Pennsylvania ). This was interrupted in 1952 by his military service , which he did in the Korean War with the US Marine Corps . He was awarded the American Spirit Honor Medal for his conduct in Korea . Murtha stayed with the Marines, where he was initially promoted to Drill Sergeant on Parris Island . He proved himself and then went through officer training . In 1959 he retired from active military service as a captain and became head of a reserve company . In 1966/67 he served as a volunteer in the Vietnam War and received several awards. In 1990 he retired with the rank of colonel .

After retiring from active service in 1959, Murtha studied at the University of Pittsburgh and Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned a degree in economics . He used a grant under the GI Bill of Rights .

Professional and political career

In the 1960s, Murtha ran a car wash . He was active in the Democratic Party and was a member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1968 to 1974 . In 1974 he was elected to the US House of Representatives as the first participant in the Vietnam War. After the election victory of the Democrats in 2006 , in which they regained a majority in the House of Representatives after twelve years of Republican majority, Murtha ran for the office of House Majority Leader (leader of the majority faction), but was defeated by his rival candidate Steny Hoyer from Maryland .

Orders and decorations

The US Navy decided two months after Murtha's death, an amphibious assault ship of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock for him to call, the USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) .

death

Murtha was treated in a hospital in December 2009 for gallbladder problems. At the end of January 2010, he went to a hospital again for a planned surgical gallbladder removal , but had to be readmitted again about a week after the operation due to complications and treated in intensive care. He died on February 8, 2010.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hoyer beats out Murtha
  2. ↑ CNN.com, December 14, 2009: Murtha hospitalized with gallbladder problem , accessed February 8, 2010
  3. ↑ The New York Times, February 2, 2010: Murtha Hospitalized in ICU , accessed on February 8, 2010
  4. ↑ Boston Herald, February 8, 2010: Rep. John Murtha, Iraq war critic, dies at 77 , accessed February 8, 2010

Web links

Commons : John Murtha  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Murtha, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Murtha, John Patrick Jr. (full name); Murtha, Jack
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH June 18, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH New Martinsville , Wetzel County , West Virginia
DATE OF DEATH February 8, 2010
Place of death Arlington , Virginia