Charles E. Potter
Template:Short description Template:Other people Template:Infobox officeholder
Charles Edward Potter (October 30, 1916Template:Spaced ndashNovember 23, 1979) was a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.
Early life
Potter was born in Lapeer, Michigan, and attended the public schools there. He received an AB degree from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1938. He worked as an administrator of Bureau of Social Aid in Cheboygan County, Michigan, 1938–1942. In 1942, he enlisted as a private in the United States Army with combat service in the European Theater of Operations with the US 28th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded at Colmar, Alsace, France, in 1945, resulting in the loss of both legs. He was discharged from the service as a major in 1946.
He was awarded the Silver Star twice, the French Croix de Guerre, and the U.S. Purple Heart. After the war, he was engaged as a vocational rehabilitation representative for the Retraining and Reemployment Administration with the United States Labor Department until his resignation in 1947.
Congress
File:Longines Chronicles with Charles E. Potter 1954 ARC-96012.ogv Potter was elected on August 26, 1947, as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th congressional district for the 80th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Fred Bradley. He was reelected to the two succeeding Congresses and served from August 26, 1947, until his resignation November 4, 1952.
He was elected to the United States Senate in 1952 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Arthur H. Vandenberg, replacing Blair Moody, who had been appointed to the post. He served the remainder of Vandenberg's term, from November 5, 1952, to January 3, 1953. He was also elected in 1952 for the term commencing January 3, 1953, defeating Moody in both elections. He served until January 3, 1959, having been defeated for reelection to a second term in 1958 by Philip Hart.
Potter voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During his tenure, he served as the only member of the Subcommittee on Korean War Atrocities, investigating war crimes committed during the Korean War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Later career
After leaving Congress, Potter engaged as an industrial consultant and international securities executive. In his 1965 memoir, Days of Shame, he outlined the battle between moderate Republicans and Democrats to contend with Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy. Potter was a close confidante of President Dwight D. Eisenhower on this and other issues.
Potter was a Methodist and a member of American Legion, Amvets, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Eagles, Elks, Kiwanis, and the American Battle Monuments Commission. He resided in Queenstown, Maryland, until his death at Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, D.C. at the age of sixty-three.
Charles E. Potter is interred in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery, Fort Myer, Virginia.
Bibliography
- Potter, Charles E. Days of Shame. New York: Coward-McCann, 1965.
See also
Notes
References
Template:CongBio Retrieved on 2008-02-05
External links
Template:S-start Template:S-ppo Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-par Template:Succession box Template:S-par Template:Succession box Template:S-end
Template:USSenMI Template:U.S. Michigan Representatives Template:Authority control
- 1916 births
- 1979 deaths
- United States Army officers
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- Eastern Michigan University alumni
- American amputees
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
- American politicians with disabilities
- Republican Party United States senators from Michigan
- Methodists from Michigan
- 20th-century American writers
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
- Articles containing video clips
- People from Lapeer, Michigan
- Maryland Republicans
- 20th-century United States senators
- 20th-century United States representatives
- Members of the House Un-American Activities Committee