William Hathaway
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| William Hathaway | |
|---|---|
| Name | William Hathaway |
| State | Maine |
| Jr/sr | United States Senator |
| Term start | January 3, 1973 |
| Term end | January 3, 1979 |
| Predecessor | Margaret Chase Smith |
| Successor | William Cohen |
| Office1 | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd congressional district |
| Term start1 | January 3, 1965 |
| Term end1 | January 3, 1973 |
| Predecessor1 | Clifford McIntire |
| Successor1 | William Cohen |
| Party | Democratic |
| Birth date | 21 February 1924 |
| Birth place | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Death date | 24 June 2013 |
| Death place | McLean, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Harvard College, Harvard Law School |
| Spouse | Mary Lee "Bunny" Lodge |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Serviceyears | 1943–1946 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Battles | World War II |
| Unit | Eighth Air Force |
William Hathaway was an American politician and attorney who served as a United States Senator and a U.S. Representative from the state of Maine. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best known for his 1972 upset victory over legendary incumbent Margaret Chase Smith. His single Senate term was marked by advocacy for consumer protection, environmental law, and government reform before he was defeated by William Cohen in the 1978 election.
Early life and education
William Dodd Hathaway was born on February 21, 1924, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard College, but his education was interrupted by service in World War II. After the war, he returned to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree at Harvard College in 1949 and subsequently earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1953. Following his graduation, he moved to Maine, establishing a legal practice in the city of Auburn and becoming involved in local civic and political organizations.
Military service
During World War II, Hathaway served as a bombardier in the United States Army Air Forces. He was assigned to the Eighth Air Force and flew combat missions over Germany aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress. His aircraft was shot down on his thirteenth mission, and he was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I, a Luftwaffe-run camp for Allied airmen in Germany. He was liberated by the Soviet Red Army in 1945 and was honorably discharged with the rank of First Lieutenant.
Political career
Hathaway began his political career by winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd congressional district in 1964, defeating Republican incumbent Clifford McIntire. In the House, he served on the Education and Labor Committee and was an early supporter of Medicare and federal aid to education. In 1972, he achieved a major political upset by defeating the revered Republican incumbent Margaret Chase Smith for a seat in the United States Senate. In the Senate, he served on the Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Select Committee on Nutrition. He was a proponent of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, campaign finance reform, and was a key figure in the movement to grant Panama Canal sovereignty to Panama, supporting the Torrijos–Carter Treaties.
Later life and death
After his defeat in the 1978 Senate election by William Cohen, Hathaway remained in Washington, D.C.. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to a six-year term as a commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission. Following his government service, he practiced law with the firm of Hathaway, Speicher & Kunz and later worked as a senior counsel at the firm of Perkins Coie. William Hathaway died of complications from pulmonary fibrosis on June 24, 2013, at his home in McLean, Virginia. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Electoral history
* 1964 election for Maine's 2nd congressional district: Defeated incumbent Clifford McIntire (R). * 1966 election for Maine's 2nd congressional district: Re-elected, defeating H. James B. Appleby (R). * 1968 election for Maine's 2nd congressional district: Re-elected, defeating John E. L. G. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H.