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Congressman John P. Murtha
June 17, 1932 - February 8, 2010
Congressman John P. Murtha dedicated his life to serving his country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. He had a long and distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990.
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974, the first Vietnam War combat Veteran elected to Congress. In February 2010, he became the longest serving Member of Congress from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Congressman Murtha worked hard to bring tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs to western Pennsylvania. With the wide-spread loss of coal and steel jobs that were the lifeblood of the area, he pushed the region in a new direction, intent on diversifying the economy by attracting health care, defense, medical research, tourism and high-tech jobs that would insulate the region from future shocks. This success transformed our communities and brought needed jobs to the district he represented.
As the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Congressman Murtha was highly respected for his first-hand knowledge of military and national security issues. He was a trusted adviser to Presidents of both parties and was one of the most effective advocates for our national defense.
Congressman John P. Murtha dedicated his life to serving his country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. He had a long and distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990.
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974, the first Vietnam War combat Veteran elected to Congress. In February 2010, he became the longest serving Member of Congress from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Congressman Murtha worked hard to bring tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs to western Pennsylvania. With the wide-spread loss of coal and steel jobs that were the lifeblood of the area, he pushed the region in a new direction, intent on diversifying the economy by attracting health care, defense, medical research, tourism and high-tech jobs that would insulate the region from future shocks. This success transformed our communities and brought needed jobs to the district he represented.
As the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Congressman Murtha was highly respected for his first-hand knowledge of military and national security issues. He was a trusted adviser to Presidents of both parties and was one of the most effective advocates for our national defense.