LONG, Gillis William (1923-1985)

Democrat of Louisiana

8th congressional district

Served in House 1963-1965 , 1973-1985

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Biography

Representative from Louisiana; born in Winnfield, Winn Parish, La., May 4, 1923; attended the public schools of Winnfield and Alexandria, La.; Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, B.A., 1949 and from the law school of the same university, J.D., 1951; was admitted to practice before the State supreme court in 1951 and before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1954; during the Second World War served in the Infantry as a private and rose through the ranks to captain; awarded the Purple Heart; was with the Internal Security Detachment at the Nuremberg war trials; served as legal counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Small Business, 1951-1952; chief counsel to the House of Representatives Special Committee on Campaign Expenditures, 1952-1954, and 1956; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-eighth Congress (January 3, 1963-January 3, 1965); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1964 to the Eighty-ninth Congress; unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Louisiana in 1963; assistant director, Office of Economic Opportunity, 1965-1966; resumed the practice of law 1970-1972; president, board of commissioners, Louisiana Deep Draft Harbor and Terminal Authority, 1972; investment banker; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-third and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1973-January 20, 1985); died on January 20, 1985, in Washington, D.C.; interment in Alexandria National Cemetery, Pineville, Rapides Parish, La.
Courtesy of Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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