James E. Van Zandt
Encyclopedia
James Edward Van Zandt was a Republican
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
.
. In 1917 he enlisted as an apprentice seaman
in the United States Navy
and served two years. He was a member of the United States Naval Reserve from 1919 to 1943, rising to the rank of Lieutenant
. He was the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
from 1934 to 1936.
He was elected in 1938
as a Republican to the 76th
, 77th
, and 78th United States Congress
es, and served from January 3, 1939, until his resignation September 24, 1943, when he re-entered the service. While a Member of Congress was called to active duty in September 1941 and served until January 1942 with the Pacific Fleet
and in escort convoy
duty in the North Atlantic. He reentered the service in September 1943 as a lieutenant commander and was assigned to the Pacific area until discharged as a captain in 1946, and retired as rear admiral in United States Naval Reserve in 1959. He was elected to the 80th
and to the seven succeeding Congresses. In the 1954 attack on the House of Representatives by Puerto Rican nationalists, he tackled and disarmed one of the shooters. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1962
, but was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senator against incumbent Democrat Joseph S. Clark
, who won by a 51% to 49% margin. He was a Special Representative of the Governor of Pennsylvania until 1971. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
Rep. Van Zandt, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, made an impassioned speech on the House floor leveling charges against Secretary of Defense Johnson and Air Force Secretary Symington in regards to the procurement of the B-36 bomber. This speech brought into public view the "Revolt of the Admirals
". The basis of these charges was a bogus document from Cedric Worth who was the special assistant to the Under Secretary of the Navy Dan Kimball. On June 9, 1948, the HASC voted to investigate the charges.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Biography
James Van Zandt was born in Altoona, PennsylvaniaAltoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. In 1917 he enlisted as an apprentice seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and served two years. He was a member of the United States Naval Reserve from 1919 to 1943, rising to the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He was the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
from 1934 to 1936.
He was elected in 1938
United States House election, 1938
The U.S. House election, 1938 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1938 which occurred in the middle of President Franklin Roosevelt's second term...
as a Republican to the 76th
76th United States Congress
The Seventy-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and...
, 77th
77th United States Congress
-Major events:* December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor* December 8, 1941: Joint Session of Congress met to hear President Roosevelt deliver his "Day of Infamy" speech...
, and 78th United States Congress
78th United States Congress
The Seventy-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1943 to January 3, 1945, during the last two years...
es, and served from January 3, 1939, until his resignation September 24, 1943, when he re-entered the service. While a Member of Congress was called to active duty in September 1941 and served until January 1942 with the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
and in escort convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
duty in the North Atlantic. He reentered the service in September 1943 as a lieutenant commander and was assigned to the Pacific area until discharged as a captain in 1946, and retired as rear admiral in United States Naval Reserve in 1959. He was elected to the 80th
80th United States Congress
The Eightieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, during the third and fourth...
and to the seven succeeding Congresses. In the 1954 attack on the House of Representatives by Puerto Rican nationalists, he tackled and disarmed one of the shooters. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1962
United States House election, 1962
The U.S. House election, 1962 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1962, which occurred in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term...
, but was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senator against incumbent Democrat Joseph S. Clark
Joseph S. Clark
Joseph Sill Clark, Jr. was a U.S. lawyer and Democratic Party politician in the mid-20th century. He served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1952 until 1956, and as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1957 until 1969...
, who won by a 51% to 49% margin. He was a Special Representative of the Governor of Pennsylvania until 1971. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Rep. Van Zandt, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, made an impassioned speech on the House floor leveling charges against Secretary of Defense Johnson and Air Force Secretary Symington in regards to the procurement of the B-36 bomber. This speech brought into public view the "Revolt of the Admirals
Revolt of the Admirals
The Revolt of the Admirals is a name given to an episode that took place in the late 1940s in which several United States Navy admirals and high-ranking civilian officials publicly disagreed with the President and the Secretary of Defense's strategy and plans for the military forces in the early...
". The basis of these charges was a bogus document from Cedric Worth who was the special assistant to the Under Secretary of the Navy Dan Kimball. On June 9, 1948, the HASC voted to investigate the charges.