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John D. Dingell was born July 8, 1926 in Colorado Springs, CO. He split much of his childhood between Detroit and Washington DC., while his father...also named John...served as Congressman from Michigan's 15th District.
In 1944, at the age of 18, John joined the U.S. Army and prepared to fight the Axis powers in WWII. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and received orders to take part in the first wave of a planned invasion of Japan in November of 1945. Dingell has always said that President Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb to end the war also saved his life. Dingell finished his military service in the fall of 1946.
He then attended Georgetown University in Washington DC, where he studied Chemistry. He continued his studies at Georgetown Law School, graduating in 1952. Then he worked as a forest ranger, a prosecuting attorney for Wayne County and ran his own private law office. His father passed away while he was still a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1955. The younger Dingell stepped up to fill the void, beginning his career on Capitol Hill at the age of 29.
At the beginning of every session of Congress, Congressman Dingell introduces the national health insurance bill his father sponsored when he was a member.
December 13, 2005 marked Congressman Dingell's 50th anniversary in the U.S. House. Only two other House members have served as long. Representatives Carl Vinson (GA) and Jamie Whitten (MS)
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