Fletcher Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fletcher Thompson
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th district |
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| In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Weltner |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Young |
| Member of the Georgia Senate from the 34th district |
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| In office January 1965 – January 1967 |
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| Preceded by | Charlie Brown |
| Succeeded by | W. Armstrong Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Standish Fletcher Thompson
February 5, 1925 College Park, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | September 13, 2022 (aged 97) Marietta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Emory University (AB) Woodrow Wilson College of Law (LLB) |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1953 |
| Unit | U.S. Army Air Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Standish Fletcher Thompson (born February 5, 1925 – died September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a brave veteran of World War II. As a member of the Republican Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia from 1967 to 1973. He represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District.
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Early Life and School
Fletcher Thompson was born in College Park, Georgia. This town is near Atlanta. He went to Russell High School in East Point, Georgia. While in high school, he was the president of the Model Airplane Club.
Military Service
Thompson joined the military and completed basic training. He then joined the Aviation Cadet Training Program. He learned to be both a pilot and a navigator. He became a navigator in the 6th Emergency Air-sea Rescue Squadron.
During his service, Thompson earned seven service stars. He also received an Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal. After the war, he went to Emory University in Atlanta and graduated in 1949. Later, during the Korean War, Thompson rejoined the United States Air Force as a pilot.
Professional Career
After returning from South Korea, Thompson studied law. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta in 1957. The next year, he became a lawyer in Georgia. He started his own law firm in East Point. He also led a company that sold aviation insurance.
Political Career
Serving in the Georgia State Senate
In 1964, Fletcher Thompson ran for the Georgia State Senate. He won against the senior Democratic State Senator Charlie Brown. Thompson was one of only four Republican members in that part of the state government. He helped create the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority Act.
Joining the U.S. House of Representatives
Two years later, Thompson ran for Congress. He became the first Republican to represent Atlanta and the 5th Congressional District since the Reconstruction era. He won the election with 60.1 percent of the votes. Thompson was re-elected in 1968 and 1970. He voted to support the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
Running for the U.S. Senate
In 1972, Thompson decided to run for the United States Senate. He ran against Sam Nunn. Thompson lost this election, getting 46.5 percent of the votes.
Life After Politics
After leaving the U.S. House, Thompson went back to his law firm in Atlanta. In 1985, he became a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission. From 2009 to 2011, Thompson led the Atlanta World War II Roundtable. This group was created to hear and record stories from World War II veterans. They wanted to share the knowledge of the war and the sacrifices made for freedom.
Fletcher Thompson passed away on September 13, 2022, at 97 years old.
See also
- List of members of the House Un-American Activities Committee
