Preceded by Ralph R. Roberts Allegiance United States Party Democratic Party Preceded by William C. Wampler Succeeded by William C. Wampler | Political party Democratic Name W. Jennings Battles and wars World War II Alma mater Virginia Tech (B.S.) Education Virginia Tech Resigned January 3, 1967 | |
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Full Name William Pat Jennings Born August 20, 1919
Smyth, Virginia, U.S. ( 1919-08-20 ) Died August 2, 1994, Marion, Virginia, United States | ||
Service/branch United States Army | ||
William Pat Jennings (August 20, 1919 – August 2, 1994) was a United States Representative from Virginia.
Biography
Jennings was born on a farm in Camp in Smyth County, Virginia. He earned a B.S. degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, 1941. He entered the United States Army in July 1941 during World War II. He served in the United States for two years and in the European Theater of Operations for two and a half years with the Twenty-ninth Infantry as platoon leader, company commander, and operations officer. He was also an instructor in ROTC at the University of Illinois. He was discharged as a major in May 1946.
Jennings owned an automobile and farm implement business in Marion, Virginia, from 1946 until his death. He also participated in politics and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1952, 1956, 1960, and 1968. He was elected sheriff of Smyth County, Virginia in 1947, reelected in 1951, and served until 1954. He was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-fourth Congress and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1967). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1966 to the Ninetieth Congress. In 1966, journalist Drew Pearson reported that Jennings was one of a group of Congressman who had received the "Statesman of the Republic" award from Liberty Lobby for his "right-wing activities". He was elected Clerk of the House of Representatives for the Ninetieth Congress, and reelected to the four succeeding Congresses, and served from January 10, 1967, until his resignation November 15, 1975. He died in Marion, Virginia in 1994.