US Congressman, Author. A member of the Democratic Party, he served the 4th Congressional District of the State of West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives from 1959 until 1977. His father worked as an estate manager, his mother was of German descent, Kenneth received his Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and later attained a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University. He served on the faculties at Columbia, Princeton, Barnard and Marshall Universities, prior to holding such governmental positions within the Bureau of Census and Office for Emergency Management. He served with the 9th Armored Division with the United States Army during World War II and with who he was tasked to capture the Ludendorff Bridge. He was a tank commander and rose to the rank of colonel. This became the inspiration for Hechler's book "The Bridge at Remagen" (1957), which was made into a 1969 motion picture adaptation starring George Segal. Following the war, he served as a special assistant to President Truman and was a member of the interrogation team who questioned Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg Trials. He was later an adviser to Adlai Stevenson during his unsuccessful bid for president in 1956. During his tenure in Congress, he was a strong supporter of civil rights and played a major role in providing safety and health measures for coal miners. He had an unsuccessful bid for Governor of West Virginia in 1976. After leaving office, he returned to teaching and went on to serve as Secretary of State of West Virginia from 1985 until 2001.
US Congressman, Author. A member of the Democratic Party, he served the 4th Congressional District of the State of West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives from 1959 until 1977. His father worked as an estate manager, his mother was of German descent, Kenneth received his Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and later attained a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University. He served on the faculties at Columbia, Princeton, Barnard and Marshall Universities, prior to holding such governmental positions within the Bureau of Census and Office for Emergency Management. He served with the 9th Armored Division with the United States Army during World War II and with who he was tasked to capture the Ludendorff Bridge. He was a tank commander and rose to the rank of colonel. This became the inspiration for Hechler's book "The Bridge at Remagen" (1957), which was made into a 1969 motion picture adaptation starring George Segal. Following the war, he served as a special assistant to President Truman and was a member of the interrogation team who questioned Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg Trials. He was later an adviser to Adlai Stevenson during his unsuccessful bid for president in 1956. During his tenure in Congress, he was a strong supporter of civil rights and played a major role in providing safety and health measures for coal miners. He had an unsuccessful bid for Governor of West Virginia in 1976. After leaving office, he returned to teaching and went on to serve as Secretary of State of West Virginia from 1985 until 2001.
Bio by: C.S.
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