Edgar Whitcomb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edgar Whitcomb
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Whitcomb in 2009
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| 43rd Governor of Indiana | |
| In office January 13, 1969 – January 8, 1973 |
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| Lieutenant | Richard E. Folz |
| Preceded by | Roger D. Branigin |
| Succeeded by | Otis Bowen |
| 52nd Secretary of State of Indiana | |
| In office December 1, 1966 – December 1, 1968 |
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| Governor | Roger Branigin |
| Preceded by | John Bortoff |
| Succeeded by | William Salin |
| Indiana State Senator for Dearborn County, Jennings County, and Ripley County | |
| In office November 8, 1950 – November 3, 1954 |
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| Preceded by | Clyde Martin Matthews |
| Succeeded by | James L. Dunn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edgar Doud Whitcomb
November 6, 1917 Hayden, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | February 4, 2016 (aged 98) Rome, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Patricia Dolfus
(m. 1953; div. 1986)Mary Evelyn Gayer
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Indiana University, Bloomington Indiana University, Indianapolis |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army Air Corps United States Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1940–1946 (Army Air Corps) 1946–1977 (Army Reserve) |
| Rank |  Lieutenant (Army Air Corps) Colonel (Army Reserve) |
| Battles/wars | World War II • Philippines Campaign • Battle of Bataan • Battle of Corregidor |
Edgar Doud Whitcomb (November 6, 1917 – February 4, 2016) was an American lawyer, writer, and politician. He served as the 43rd governor of Indiana. During his time as governor, he worked to make the state government more efficient. He found ways to increase state money without raising taxes. He also helped reduce the number of state workers.
After his term, Whitcomb continued his law career. He later became famous for sailing around the world. He wrote books about his adventures and experiences. He lived to be 98 years old.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Growing Up in Indiana
Edgar Doud Whitcomb was born on November 6, 1917, in Hayden, Indiana. He was the second child of John and Louise Whitcomb. As a young person, he was very active and played on his high school basketball team. In 1939, he started studying law at Indiana University.
World War II Hero
When World War II began, Whitcomb left school to join the military. He joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1940. He became an aerial navigator and was sent to the Pacific Ocean area. He served two tours of duty in the Philippines.
During the Philippines Campaign, Whitcomb was captured by Japanese forces. He bravely managed to escape, but was caught again a few days later. He escaped a second time and was hunted for several days. He finally escaped by swimming all night through waters that had sharks to an island not controlled by the Japanese army. He eventually reached China and returned to the United States in December 1943. He wrote a book about his amazing escape called Escape from Corregidor, which was published in 1958.
He left active military duty in 1946. However, he stayed in the reserve military forces until 1977, reaching the rank of colonel.
Life After the War
After the war, Whitcomb went back to school. He graduated from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He met Patricia Dolfuss and they married on May 10, 1953. They had five children together.
Starting a Political Career
First Steps in Politics
Edgar Whitcomb was a member of the Republican Party. His first public job was in 1950. He served for three years in the Indiana State Senate. He later resigned to start his own law practice.
In 1954, Whitcomb passed the bar exam and became a lawyer. He opened a successful law firm in North Vernon. Later, he moved his practice and had offices in both Seymour and Indianapolis. His law work helped him build support for a bigger political role.
Secretary of State
In 1966, Whitcomb was elected as Indiana Secretary of State. This important position helped him further his political career. He also served on the Great Lakes Compact Commission. This group worked with other states to protect and develop the Great Lakes. He held both jobs until December 1968.
Governor of Indiana
Becoming Governor
In 1968, Edgar Whitcomb ran for governor of Indiana. He won the Republican nomination and then defeated his opponent, Robert L. Rock, in the general election. Republicans gained many seats in the state government that year. Whitcomb became governor on January 13, 1969.
During his time as governor, Indiana changed its voting districts. This gave more power to cities in the Indiana General Assembly. This change led to some disagreements within the Republican Party. City Republicans often wanted more government services, while rural Republicans preferred less spending. Governor Whitcomb sided with the rural Republicans.
Making Government More Efficient
Despite some political disagreements, Governor Whitcomb achieved many important things. He helped expand the state's highway system. He also worked to computerize the state's criminal records and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Indiana's finances had been a challenge before Whitcomb became governor. He promised not to raise taxes. To save money, he created a special group of business leaders. This group studied how the state government worked and suggested ways to make it better.
Their ideas helped save the state $12 million each year. They also found ways to collect state taxes more efficiently. This increased state money by 8% without raising tax rates! Because the government became more efficient, fewer staff were needed. This allowed the state to reduce its workforce by 10%. Whitcomb also saved money by not giving automatic pay raises to most state employees.
Many groups, including teachers' unions and some politicians, disagreed with Whitcomb's cost-saving plans. However, the public generally liked his actions. He left office with strong support on January 8, 1973. After his term, he returned to his law practice.
Later Years and Adventures
After the Governorship
In 1976, Whitcomb tried to run for the United States Senate. However, he lost in the primary election to Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar. He then went back to his private law practice in Seymour, Indiana. He also worked for a media company, helping to set up FM radio stations across the United States.
Sailing Around the World
Whitcomb retired from his law practice in 1985, at age 68. He took up sailing as a hobby and bought a 30-foot boat. He sailed alone around the Mediterranean Sea and across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1995, while trying to sail around the world, his ship hit a reef in the Gulf of Suez and sank. He was rescued and returned to the United States. He wrote another book about his sailing adventures, called Cilin II : a solo sailing odyssey, published in 2011.
Peaceful Retirement
In 2000, he bought a quiet cabin in Rome, Indiana, near the Ohio River within the Hoosier National Forest. He spent his time gardening, fishing, and chopping firewood. In 2013, he married his long-time partner, Evelyn Gayer.
Edgar Whitcomb passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 4, 2016, at his home in Rome, Indiana. He was 98 years old. He is buried in Hayden Cemetery in his hometown.
See also
Images for kids
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Whitcomb as governor.
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