List of legislators educated at the United States Naval Academy
Table:
Name

Class year

Notability

References

John Buchanan Robinson

1868

Representative from Pennsylvania (1897–1897)

[a][4][5]

Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont

1880

Representative from New York (1901–1903)

[a][6][7]

John W. Weeks

1881

Representative from Massachusetts (1905–1913); Senator from Massachusetts (1913–1919)

[a][8][9]

Ovington Weller

1881

Senator from Maryland (1921–1927)

[a][10][11]

Robert B. Howell

1885

Senator from Nebraska (1922–1933)

[a][12][13]

Richmond Pearson Hobson

1889

Admiral; Representative from Alabama (1907–1915); recipient of the Medal of Honor for attempting to block a channel during the Spanish–American War, was taken prisoner

[a][14][15][16][17]

Thomas C. Hart

1897

Admiral; Senator from Connecticut (1945–1946); veteran on the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II; commander of United States Asiatic Fleet at the outbreak of World War II; instructor at the Academy

[a][18][19]

Victor S. K. Houston

1897

Representative from Hawaii (1927–1933)

[a][20][21]

Willis W. Bradley

1907

Captain; Governor of Guam (1929–1931); Representative from California (1947–1949); Medal of Honor recipient for actions during an ammunition explosion on board USS Pittsburgh (CA-4) in 1917

[a][22][23]

Samuel Wilder King

1910

Representative from Hawaii (1935–1943); 11th Territorial Governor of Hawai'i (1953–1957)

[a][24][25]

Edouard Izac

1915

Representative from California (1937–1947); World War I Medal of Honor recipient; held as a prisoner of war onboard a German submarine and in Germany, but escaped

[a][c][26][27]

George W. Grider

1936

Captain; Representative from Tennessee (1965–1967); World War II submariner, commanding officer of USS Flasher (SS-249) and USS Cubera (SS-347)

[a][28][29]

William Anderson

1943

Representative from Tennessee (1965–1973); World War II submariner; second commanding officer of the Navy's first operating nuclear submarine USS Nautilus (SSN-571)

[a][30][31]

Jeremiah Denton

1947

Rear Admiral; Senator from Alabama (1981–1987); naval aviator who spent almost 8 years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam

[a][32][33][34]

Peter N. Kyros

1947

Representative from Maine (1967–1975)

[a][35][36]

Thomas C. McGrath, Jr.

1950

Representative from New Jersey (1965–1967)

[a][37][38]

Charles Wilson

1956

Representative from Texas (1973–1996); convinced Congress to support the largest ever CIA covert operation to supply the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War; profiled in the book and film Charlie Wilson's War

[a][39][40]

John McCain

1958

Captain; U.S. Senator from Arizona (1987–2018); Republican Presidential Nominee in 2008; Vietnam-era Naval Aviator and POW

[a][41][42][43]

James H. Webb, Jr.

1968

Senator from Virginia (2006–2013); Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran; United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (1984–1987); Secretary of the Navy (1987–88); noted American novelist for books such as Fields of Fire

[a][41][44][45]

By analysing the following table along with the passages listed at the end.

Give the answer to the question: From whom did the country that took a Naval Aviator captive during the Vietnam War in 1965 declare its independence ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

John Buchanan Robinson ( May 23 , 1846 - January 28 , 1933 ) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for Delaware County from 1884 to 1888 , the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 9th district from 1889 to 1892 and the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania 's 6th congressional district from 1891 to 1897 .
Pennsylvania ( /ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪniə/ ( listen ) PEN-səl-VAY-nee-ə ) , officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is a state located in the Northeastern , Great Lakes , Appalachian , and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States . The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle . The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast , Maryland to the south , West Virginia to the southwest , Ohio to the west , Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest , New York to the north , and New Jersey to the east . Pennsylvania is the 33rd-largest state by area , and the 5th-most populous state according to the most recent official U.S. Census count in 2010 . It is the 9th-most densely populated of the 50 states . Pennsylvania 's two most populous cities are Philadelphia ( 1,580,863 ) , and Pittsburgh ( 302,407 ) . The state capital and its 10th-largest city is Harrisburg . Pennsylvania has 140 miles ( 225 km ) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the Delaware River . The state is one of the 13 original founding states of the United States ; it came into being in 1681 as a result of a royal land grant to William Penn , the son of the state 's namesake . Part of Pennsylvania ( along the Delaware River ) , together with the present State of Delaware , had earlier been organized as the Colony of New Sweden . It was the second state to ratify the United States Constitution , on December 12 , 1787 . Independence Hall , where the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were drafted , is located in the state 's largest city of Philadelphia .
Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont ( November 12 , 1858 - June 10 , 1908 ) was an American socialite and United States Representative from New York . Belmont was a member of the banking firm of August Belmont and Co. , New York City . He became publisher of the Verdict , a weekly paper .
New York is a state located in the Northeastern United States . New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States . With an estimated 19.45 million residents in 2019 , it is the fourth most populous state . In order to distinguish the state from its city with the same name , it is commonly referred to as New York State ( NYS ) . The state 's most populous city , New York City , makes up over 40% of the state 's population . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York metropolitan area , and nearly 40% lives on Long Island . The state and city were both named for the 17th-century Duke of York , the future King James II of England . With an estimated population of 8.39 million in 2018 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York metropolitan area is one of the most populous in the world . New York City is a global city , home to the United Nations Headquarters , and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . The 27th largest U.S. state in land area , New York has a diverse geography .
John Wingate Weeks ( April 11 , 1860 - July 12 , 1926 ) was an American politician in the Republican Party . He served as the Mayor of Newton , Massachusetts from 1902 to 1903 , a United States Representative for Massachusetts from 1905 to 1913 , as a United States Senator from 1913 to 1919 , and as Secretary of War from 1921 to 1925 .
Massachusetts ( /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/ ( listen ) , /-zɪts/ ) , officially known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It borders on the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The capital of Massachusetts is Boston , which is also the most populous city in New England . It is home to the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts 's economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade . Plymouth was the site of the second colony in New England after Popham Colony in 1607 in what is now Maine . Plymouth was founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention .
Ovington Eugene Weller ( January 23 , 1862 - January 5 , 1947 ) was a Republican member of the United States Senate , representing the State of Maryland from 1921 to 1927 . Weller was born in Reisterstown , Maryland and attended the public schools . He entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland in 1877 and graduated in 1881 . After two years of service in the United States Navy , he was honorably discharged in 1883 . Following his service in the Navy , Weller enrolled at the National Law School in 1883 . While attending school , he was employed as a clerk in the Post Office Department in Washington , D.C. from 1883 to 1887 . He graduated in 1887 and was admitted to the Bar in 1888 . After practicing law for three years , Weller engaged in banking and manufacturing , and was a member of a stock brokerage firm until retiring in 1901 . He traveled extensively following retirement . Weller became chairman of the State Roads Commission of Maryland in 1912 . He ran as Republican party candidate in the 1915 Maryland gubernatorial election , but was defeated by Democratic candidate Emerson C. Harrington . Weller was treasurer of the Republican National Senatorial Committee from 1918 to 1920 until he was elected to the United States Senate in 1920 , defeating incumbent John Walter Smith .
Maryland ( US : /ˈmɛrələnd/ ( listen ) MERR-ə-lənd ) [ a ] is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States , bordering Virginia , West Virginia , and the District of Columbia to its south and west ; Pennsylvania to its north ; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east . The state 's largest city is Baltimore , and its capital is Annapolis . Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State , the Free State , and the Chesapeake Bay State . It is named after the English queen Henrietta Maria , known in England as Queen Mary , who was the wife of King Charles I. Sixteen of Maryland 's twenty-three counties , as well as the city of Baltimore , border the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries , which combined total more than 4,000 miles of shoreline . Although one of the smallest states in the U.S. , it features a variety of climates and topographical features that have earned it the moniker of America in Miniature . In a similar vein , Maryland 's geography , culture , and history combine elements of the Mid-Atlantic , Northeastern , and South Atlantic regions of the country . Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century , Maryland was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans , mostly by the Algonquin , and to a lesser degree by the Iroquois and Sioux . As one of the original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain , Maryland was founded by George Calvert , a Catholic convert who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England . In 1632 , Charles I of England granted Calvert a colonial charter , naming the colony after his wife , Queen Mary ( Henrietta Maria of France ) . Unlike the Pilgrims and Puritans , who rejected Catholicism in their settlements , Calvert envisioned a colony where people of different religious sects would coexist under the principle of toleration . Accordingly , in 1649 the Maryland General Assembly passed an Act Concerning Religion , which enshrined this principle by penalizing anyone who reproached a fellow Marylander based on religious affiliation . Nevertheless , religious strife was common in the early years , and Catholics remained a minority , albeit in greater numbers than in any other English colony .
Robert Beecher Howell ( January 21 , 1864 - March 11 , 1933 ) was a Nebraska progressive Republican politician . He was born in Adrian , Michigan . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland in 1885 . Afterwards he went to the Detroit School of Law . He moved to Omaha , Nebraska for his health in 1888 . Howell was first a Nebraska state engineer from 1895 to 1896 and the a city engineer for the city of Omaha in 1896 to 1897 . He was a lieutenant in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War . He was elected to the state senate in 1902 to 1904 , and then served on the Omaha Water Board and its successor , the Metropolitan Utilities District from 1904 to 1923 . Of which he was the chair of from 1912 to 1923 . Was elected to the Republican National Committee in 1912 , 1916 , and 1920 . After an unsuccessful bid for Governor of Nebraska in 1914 , he served as a lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve Force from 1917 to 1923 . In 1921 , he became the chairman of the radio commission in the United States Post Office Department .
Nebraska /nəˈbræskə/ ( listen ) is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States . It is bordered by South Dakota to the north ; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast , both across the Missouri River ; Kansas to the south ; Colorado to the southwest ; and Wyoming to the west . It is the only triply landlocked U.S. state . Nebraska 's area is just over 77,220 square miles ( 200,000 km2 ) with a population of almost 1.9 million people . Its state capital is Lincoln , and its largest city is Omaha , which is on the Missouri River . Indigenous peoples , including Omaha , Missouria , Ponca , Pawnee , Otoe , and various branches of the Lakota ( Sioux ) tribes , lived in the region for thousands of years before European exploration . The state is crossed by many historic trails , including that of the Lewis and Clark Expedition . Nebraska was admitted as the 37th state of the United States in 1867 . It is the only state in the United States whose legislature is unicameral and officially nonpartisan . Nebraska is composed of two major land regions : the Dissected Till Plains and the Great Plains . The Dissected Till Plains region consist of gently rolling hills and contains the state 's largest cities , Omaha and Lincoln . The Great Plains region , occupying most of western Nebraska , is characterized by treeless prairie , suitable for cattle-grazing .
Richmond Pearson Hobson ( August 17 , 1870 - March 16 , 1937 ) was a United States Navy rear admiral who served from 1907-1915 as a U.S. Representative from Alabama . A veteran of the Spanish-American War , he received the Medal of Honor years later for his part in that conflict .
Alabama ( /ˌæləˈbæmə/ ) is a state in the southeastern region of the United States . It is bordered by Tennessee to the north , Georgia to the east , Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south , and Mississippi to the west . Alabama is the 30th largest by area and the 24th-most populous of the U.S. states . With a total of 1,500 miles ( 2,400 km ) of inland waterways , Alabama has among the most of any state . Alabama is nicknamed the Yellowhammer State , after the state bird . Alabama is also known as the Heart of Dixie and the Cotton State . The state tree is the longleaf pine , and the state flower is the camellia . Alabama 's capital is Montgomery . The largest city by population is Birmingham , which has long been the most industrialized city ; the largest city by land area is Huntsville . The oldest city is Mobile , founded by French colonists in 1702 as the capital of French Louisiana . The Greater Birmingham metropolitan area is Alabama 's most populous urban area . From the American Civil War until World War II , Alabama , like many states in the southern U.S. , suffered economic hardship , in part because of its continued dependence on agriculture .
The Spanish-American War ( Spanish : Guerra Hispano-Americana ; Filipino : Digmaang Espanyol-Amerikano ) was an armed conflict between Spain and the United States in 1898 . Hostilities began in the aftermath of the internal explosion of USS Maine in Havana Harbor in Cuba , leading to U.S. intervention in the Cuban War of Independence . The war led to emergence of U.S. predominance in the Caribbean region , and resulted in U.S. acquisition of Spain 's Pacific possessions . That led to U.S. involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately in the Philippine-American War . The main issue was Cuban independence . Revolts had been occurring for some years in Cuba against Spanish rule . The U.S. later backed these revolts upon entering the Spanish-American War . There had been war scares before , as in the Virginius Affair in 1873 , but in the late 1890s , American public opinion was agitated by reports of gruesome Spanish atrocities . The business community had just recovered from a deep depression and feared that a war would reverse the gains . It lobbied vigorously against going to war . President William McKinley ignored the exaggerated yellow press and sought a peaceful settlement . The United States Navy armored cruiser USS Maine mysteriously exploded and sank in Havana Harbor ; political pressures from the Democratic Party pushed McKinley into a war that he had wished to avoid .
Thomas Charles Hart ( June 12 , 1877 - July 4 , 1971 ) was an admiral in the United States Navy , whose service extended from the Spanish-American War through World War II . Following his retirement from the navy , he served briefly as a United States Senator from Connecticut .
Connecticut ( /kəˈnɛtɪkət/ ( listen ) ) is the southernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . As of the 2010 Census , it has the highest per-capita income , Human Development Index ( 0.962 ) , and median household income in the United States . It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east , Massachusetts to the north , New York to the west , and Long Island Sound to the south . Its capital is Hartford and its most populous city is Bridgeport . It is part of New England , although portions of it are often grouped with New York and New Jersey as the tri-state area . The state is named for the Connecticut River which approximately bisects the state . The word Connecticut is derived from various anglicized spellings of an Algonquian word for long tidal river . Connecticut 's first European settlers were Dutchmen who established a small , short-lived settlement called Fort Hoop in Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut Rivers . Half of Connecticut was initially part of the Dutch colony New Netherland , which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers , although the first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English . Thomas Hooker led a band of followers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded the Connecticut Colony ; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony and the New Haven Colony . The Connecticut and New Haven colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders , considered the first constitutions in America . In 1662 , the three colonies were merged under a royal charter , making Connecticut a crown colony .
World War I ( often abbreviated as WWI or WW1 ) , also known as the First World War or the Great War , was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918 . Contemporaneously described as the war to end all wars , it led to the mobilisation of more than 70 million military personnel , including 60 million Europeans , making it one of the largest wars in history . It is also one of the deadliest conflicts in history , with an estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilian deaths as a direct result of the war , while resulting genocides and the resulting 1918 influenza pandemic caused another 50 to 100 million deaths worldwide . On 28 June 1914 , Gavrilo Princip , a Bosnian Serb Yugoslav nationalist , assassinated the Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo , leading to the July Crisis . In response , on 23 July , Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia . Serbia 's reply failed to satisfy the Austrians , and the two moved to a war footing . A network of interlocking alliances enlarged the crisis from a bilateral issue in the Balkans to one involving most of Europe . By July 1914 , the great powers of Europe were divided into two coalitions : the Triple Entente - consisting of France , Russia , and Britain - and the Triple Alliance of Germany , Austria-Hungary , and Italy ( the Triple Alliance was only defensive in nature , allowing Italy to stay out of the war until April 1915 , when it joined the Allied Powers after its relations with Austria-Hungary deteriorated ) . Russia felt it necessary to back Serbia and , after Austria-Hungary shelled the Serbian capital of Belgrade on the 28 July , approved partial mobilisation . Full Russian mobilisation was announced on the evening of 30 July ; on the 31st , Austria-Hungary and Germany did the same , while Germany demanded Russia demobilise within twelve hours . When Russia failed to comply , Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August in support of Austria-Hungary , with Austria-Hungary following suit on 6 August ; France ordered full mobilisation in support of Russia on 2 August . German strategy for a war on two fronts against France and Russia was to rapidly concentrate the bulk of its army in the West to defeat France within six weeks , then shift forces to the East before Russia could fully mobilise ; this was later known as the Schlieffen Plan .
World War II ( often abbreviated to WWII or WW2 ) , also known as the Second World War , was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945 . The vast majority of the world 's countries - including all the great powers - eventually formed two opposing military alliances : the Allies and the Axis . A state of total war emerged , directly involving more than 100 million people from more than 30 countries . The major participants threw their entire economic , industrial , and scientific capabilities behind the war effort , blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources . World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history , marked by 70 to 85 million fatalities , most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China . It included massacres , the genocide of the Holocaust , strategic bombing , premeditated death from starvation and disease , and the only use of nuclear weapons in war . Japan , which aimed to dominate Asia and the Pacific , was at war with China by 1937 , [ b ] though neither side had declared war on the other . World War II is generally said to have begun on 1 September 1939 , with the invasion of Poland by Germany and subsequent declarations of war on Germany by France and the United Kingdom . From late 1939 to early 1941 , in a series of campaigns and treaties , Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe , and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan . Under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939 , Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours , Poland , Finland , Romania and the Baltic states . Following the onset of campaigns in North Africa and East Africa , and the Fall of France in mid 1940 , the war continued primarily between the European Axis powers and the British Empire . War in the Balkans , the aerial Battle of Britain , the Blitz , and the long Battle of the Atlantic followed .
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century . Before World War II , the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands . Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by February 1942 , after which it was dissolved and incorporated into the naval component of the South West Pacific Area command , which eventually became the Seventh Fleet . The fleet was created when its predecessor , the Asiatic Squadron , was upgraded to fleet status in 1902 . In early 1907 , the fleet was downgraded and became the First Squadron of the United States Pacific Fleet . However , on 28 January 1910 , the ships of that squadron were again organized as the Asiatic Fleet . Thus constituted , the Asiatic Fleet , based in the Philippines , was organizationally independent of the Pacific Fleet , which was based on the United States West Coast until it moved to Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii in 1940 . Although much smaller than any other U.S. Navy fleet and indeed far smaller than what any navy generally considers to be a fleet , the Asiatic Fleet from 1916 was commanded by one of only four four-star admirals authorized in the U.S. Navy at the time . This reflected the prestige of the position of Asiatic Fleet commander-in-chief , who generally was more powerful and influential with regard to the affairs of the United States in China than was the American minister , or later United States Ambassador , to China .
Victor Stewart Kaleoaloha Houston , popularly known as Victor S. K. Houston ( July 22 , 1876 - July 31 , 1959 ) , was an American politician and naval officer who served in the United States Congress representing the Territory of Hawaii .
Hawaiʻi ( /həˈwaɪi/ ( listen ) hə-WY-ee ; Hawaiian : Hawaiʻi [ həˈvɐjʔi ] ) is a state of the United States of America . It is the only state located in the Pacific Ocean and the only state composed entirely of islands . The state encompasses nearly the entire Hawaiian archipelago , 137 islands spread over 1,500 miles ( 2,400 km ) . The volcanic archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are , in order from northwest to southeast : Niʻihau , Kauaʻi , Oʻahu , Molokaʻi , Lānaʻi , Kahoʻolawe , Maui , and Hawaiʻi . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . Hawaiʻi is the 8th-smallest geographically and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the 50 states . It is the only state with an Asian American plurality . Hawaii has more than 1.4 million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . The state capital and largest city is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu . The state 's ocean coastline is about 750 miles ( 1,210 km ) long , the fourth longest in the U.S. , after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California . Hawaii is the most recent state to join the union , on August 21 , 1959 .
Willis Winter Bradley Jr. ( June 28 , 1884 - August 27 , 1954 ) was a Naval officer , a recipient of the Medal of Honor and a U.S. Representative from California .
Guam ( /ˈɡwɑːm/ ( listen ) ; Chamorro : Guåhån [ ˈɡʷɑhɑn ] ) is an organized territory of the United States in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean . It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States , along with the Northern Mariana Islands . The capital city of Guam is Hagåtña and the most populous city is Dededo . Guam has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983 . The inhabitants of Guam are called Guamanians , and they are American citizens by birth . The indigenous Guamanians are the Chamorros , who are related to other Austronesian natives of Eastern Indonesia , the Philippines , and Taiwan . In 2016 , 162,742 people resided on Guam . Guam has an area of 210 square miles ( 540 km2 ; 130,000 acres ) and a population density of 775 per square mile ( 299/km2 ) . In Oceania , it is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia . Among its municipalities , Mongmong-Toto-Maite has the highest population density at 3,691 per square mile ( 1,425/km2 ) , whereas Inarajan and Umatac have the lowest density at 119 per square mile ( 46/km2 ) . The highest point is Mount Lamlam at 1,332 feet ( 406 m ) above sea level . Since the 1960s , the economy has been supported by two industries : tourism and the United States Armed Forces .
California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States . With 39.5 million residents across a total area of about 163,696 square miles ( 423,970 km2 ) , California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area . The state capital is Sacramento . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and fifth-most populous urban regions , with 18.7 million and 9.7 million residents respectively . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second-most populous , after New York City . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County . The City and County of San Francisco is both the country 's second most densely populated major city after New York City and the fifth most densely populated county , behind only four of the five New York City boroughs . California 's economy , with a gross state product of $ 3.0 trillion , is the largest sub-national economy in the world . If it were a country , California would be the fifth-largest economy in the world ( larger than the United Kingdom , France , or India ) , and the 36th-most populous as of 2017 [ update ] . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and third-largest urban economies ( $ 1.3 trillion and $ 1.0 trillion respectively as of 2018 [ update ] ) , after the New York metropolitan area . The San Francisco Bay Area PSA had the nation 's highest gross domestic product per capita in 2018 ( $ 106,757 ) among large primary statistical areas , and is home to three of the world 's ten largest companies by market capitalization and three of the world 's ten richest people . California culture is considered a global trendsetter in popular culture , communication , information , innovation , environmentalism , economics , politics , and entertainment .
The second USS Pennsylvania ( ACR-4/CA-4 ) , also referred to as Armored Cruiser No . 4 , and later renamed Pittsburgh , was a United States Navy armored cruiser , the lead ship of her class . She was originally assigned the name Nebraska but was renamed Pennsylvania on 7 March 1901 . She was laid down on 7 August 1901 , by William Cramp & Sons of Philadelphia , launched on 22 August 1903 . Pennsylvania was sponsored by Miss Coral Quay , daughter of Senator Matthew S. Quay of Pennsylvania , and commissioned on 9 March 1905 , with Captain Thomas C. McLean in command .
Samuel Wilder King ( December 17 , 1886 - March 24 , 1959 ) was the eleventh Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1953 to 1957 . He was appointed to the office after the term of Oren E. Long . Previously , King served in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii . He was a member of the Republican Party of Hawaii and was the first of native Hawaiian descent to rise to the highest office in the territory .
The Governor of Hawaii ( Hawaiian : Ke Kiaʻaina o Hawaiʻi ) is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments , as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V , Sections 1 through 6 . It is a directly elected position , votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state . The governor is responsible for enforcing laws passed by the Hawaii State Legislature and upholding rulings of the Hawaii State Judiciary . The role includes being commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Hawaii and having the power to use those forces to execute laws , suppress insurrection and violence and repel invasion . The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii becomes acting governor upon the officeholder 's absence from the state or if the person is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office . Historically , the Governor of Hawaii has been from either the Democratic Party of Hawaii or Hawaii Republican Party . The current Governor of Hawaii is Democrat David Ige , who assumed the position on December 1 , 2014 . Hawaii was the first U.S. state to have an Asian American chief executive ; George Ariyoshi served three terms between 1974 and 1986 . The state currently has had three Asian American , one Native Hawaiian , as well as four white people holding the governorship .
Edouard Victor Michel Izac ( December 18 , 1891 - January 18 , 1990 ) was a lieutenant in the United States Navy during World War I , a Representative from California and a Medal of Honor recipient . Born in Cresco , Iowa , Izac grew up in a rural setting , graduating from United States Naval Academy in 1915 . He was posted to the troop transport USS President Lincoln in 1918 when that ship was sunk by German submarine U-90 . Taken as a prisoner of war , Izac gathered intelligence on the submarine and its crew before being transferred to prison camps in Germany , from where he escaped in October 1918 . Izac subsequently moved to San Diego and was elected as a Democrat to California 's 20th congressional district , where he chaired the House Naval Affairs Committee and had oversight of Naval activities in the Pacific during World War II . Despite initially being hesitant to enter the war and remaining cautious to expanded U.S. involvement , experiences touring Nazi concentration camps in 1945 ultimately hardened his resolve . Nonetheless , he lost his bid for a sixth term in Congress in 1946 . Izac spent much of the rest of his life writing and farming in the Washington D.C. area and was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient when he died in 1990 at 98 .
The Medal of Honor is the United States of America 's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor . The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress . Because the medal is presented in the name of Congress , it is often referred erroneously as the Congressional Medal of Honor . However , the official name of the current award is Medal of Honor . Within the United States Code the medal is referred to as the Medal of Honor , and less frequently as Congressional Medal of Honor . U.S. awards , including the Medal of Honor , do not have post-nominal titles , and while there is no official abbreviation , the most common abbreviations are MOH and MH . There are three versions of the medal , one each for the Army , Navy and Air Force . Personnel of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive the Navy version while members of the Space Force receive the Air Force version . The Medal of Honor was introduced for the Navy in 1861 , soon followed by an Army version in 1862 . The Medal of Honor is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration of the United States ' armed forces . The President typically presents the Medal at a formal ceremony intended to represent the gratitude of the U.S. people , with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin . According to the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States , there have been 3,525 Medals of Honor awarded to 3,506 individuals since the decoration 's creation , with over 40% awarded for actions during the American Civil War .
A prisoner of war ( POW ) is a non-combatant - whether a military member , an irregular military fighter , or a civilian - who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict . The earliest recorded usage of the phrase prisoner of war dates back to 1610 . Belligerents hold prisoners of war in custody for a range of legitimate and illegitimate reasons , such as isolating them from enemy combatants still in the field ( releasing and repatriating them in an orderly manner after hostilities ) , demonstrating military victory , punishing them , prosecuting them for war crimes , exploiting them for their labour , recruiting or even conscripting them as their own combatants , collecting military and political intelligence from them , or indoctrinating them in new political or religious beliefs .
George William Grider ( October 1 , 1912 - March 20 , 1991 ) was a United States Navy Captain , an attorney , and a Democratic U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1965 to 1967 .
Tennessee ( /ˌtɛnəˈsiː/ ( listen ) , locally /ˈtɛnəsi/ ; Cherokee : ᏔᎾᏏ , romanized : Tanasi ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Tennessee is bordered by eight states , with Kentucky to the north , Virginia to the northeast , North Carolina to the east , Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi to the south , Arkansas to the west , and Missouri to the northwest . The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state , and the Mississippi River forms the state 's western border . Nashville is the state 's capital and largest city , with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045 . Tennessee 's second largest city is Memphis , which had a population of 652,236 in 2017 . The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association , a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians . What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina , and later part of the Southwest Territory . Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1 , 1796 . Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 . Occupied by Union forces from 1862 , it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war . Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia , and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined .
USS Flasher ( SS-249 ) was a Gato-class submarine which served in the Pacific during World War II . She received the Presidential Unit Citation and six battle stars , and sank 21 ships for a total of 100,231 tons of Japanese shipping , making her one of the most successful American submarines of the War . She was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flasher . Her keel was laid down 30 September 1942 by Electric Boat Co. , Groton , Connecticut . She was launched on 20 June 1943 ( sponsored by Mrs. Eleanor Saunders , wife of LCDR Willard Saunders , Commanding Officer of USS Muskallunge ) and commissioned 25 September 1943 , Lieutenant Commander Reuben T. Whitaker ( Class of 1934 ) in command .
USS Cubera ( SS-347 ) , a Balao-class submarine , was a ship of the United States Navy named for the cubera , a large fish of the snapper family found in the West Indies . Cubera ( SS-347 ) was launched 17 June 1945 by Electric Boat Co. , Groton , Conn. ; sponsored by Mrs. J. Taber ; commissioned 19 December 1945 , Lieutenant Commander R. W. Paine , Jr. , in command ; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet . After shakedown training off New London , Cubera arrived at Key West , Fla. , 19 March 1946 . She tested sonar equipment , provided services to experimental antisubmarine warfare development projects in the Florida Straits , and joined in fleet exercises until 4 July 1947 when she sailed to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for an extensive GUPPY II modernization . Returning to Key West 9 March 1948 Cubera continued to operate locally out of this port , as well as taking part in fleet exercises in the Caribbean and Atlantic until 3 July 1952 when she arrived at Norfolk , her new home port . Cubera appeared in Ray Harryhausen 's It Came from Beneath the Sea ( 1955 ) , playing an atomic sub used to dispatch the film 's giant octopus . Through 1957 Cubera conducted local operations , and participated in fleet exercises in the Caribbean , as well as cruising to Sydney , Nova Scotia , in June 1955 . During 1959 and 1960 , she was assigned to Task Force Alfa , a force conducting constant experiments to improve antisubmarine warfare techniques . With this group she cruised the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Bermuda .
William Robert Anderson ( June 17 , 1921 - February 25 , 2007 ) was an officer in the United States Navy , and a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1965 to 1973 .
USS Nautilus ( SSN-571 ) was the world 's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first submarine to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole on 3 August 1958 . Her initial commanding officer was Dennis Wilkinson , a widely respected naval officer who set the stage for many of the protocols of today 's Nuclear Navy , and who had a storied career during military service and afterwards . Sharing names with Captain Nemo 's fictional submarine in Jules Verne 's classic 1870 science fiction novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , and named after another USS Nautilus ( SS-168 ) that served with distinction in World War II , [ citation needed ] the new nuclear powered Nautilus was authorized in 1951 , with laying down for construction in 1952 and launched in January 1954 , attended by Mamie Eisenhower , First Lady of the United States , wife of 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower , and commissioned the following September into the United States Navy . Final construction was completed in 1955 . Because her nuclear propulsion allowed her to remain submerged far longer than diesel-electric submarines , she broke many records in her first years of operation , and traveled to locations previously beyond the limits of submarines . In operation , she revealed a number of limitations in her design and construction . This information was used to improve subsequent submarines . Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982 . The submarine has been preserved as a museum ship at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton , Connecticut , where the vessel receives around 250,000 visitors per year .
Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr. ( July 15 , 1924 - March 28 , 2014 ) was a U.S . Senator representing Alabama from 1981 to 1987 , a United States Navy Rear Admiral , and Naval Aviator taken captive during the Vietnam War . Denton was widely known for enduring almost eight years of grueling conditions as an American prisoner of war ( POW ) in North Vietnam after the A-6 Intruder he was piloting was shot down in 1965 . He was the first of all American POWs held captive and released by Hanoi to step off an American plane during Operation Homecoming in February 1973 . As one of the earliest and highest-ranking officers to be taken prisoner in North Vietnam , Denton was forced by his captors to participate in a 1966 televised propaganda interview which was broadcast in the United States . While answering questions and feigning trouble with the blinding television lights , Denton blinked his eyes in Morse code , spelling the word TORTURE - and confirming for the first time to U.S . Naval Intelligence that American POWs were being tortured . In 1976 , Denton wrote When Hell Was in Session about his experience in captivity , which was made into the 1979 film with Hal Holbrook . Denton was also the subject of the 2015 documentary Jeremiah produced by Alabama Public Television . In 1980 , Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate , where he focused mainly on family issues and national security , helping pass the Adolescent Family Life Act ( the so-called Chastity Bill ) in 1981 and heading the Judiciary Subcommittee on Security and Terrorism .
North Vietnam , officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam ( DRV ) ( Vietnamese : Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cộng Hòa ) , was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976 . During the August Revolution following World War II , Vietnamese communist revolutionary Hồ Chí Minh , leader of the Việt Minh , declared independence from French Indochina on 2 September 1945 , announcing the creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam . The Việt Minh ( League for the Independence of Vietnam ) was a coalition of multiple Vietnamese nationalist groups , mostly led by communists who increasingly marginalized non-communists in the organisation after the reestablishment of the previously banned Communist Party of Vietnam in February 1951 . France moved in to reassert its colonial dominance over Vietnam which led to the First Indochina War in December 1946 , a bloody guerrilla war between France and the Việt Minh . The Việt Minh captured and controlled most of the rural areas in Vietnam which led to French defeat in 1954 . The negotiations in the Geneva Conference that year ended the war and recognized Vietnamese independence . The Geneva Accords provisionally divided the country into a northern and a southern zone along the 17th parallel , stipulating general elections in July 1956 to bring about the unification of Viet-Nam . The northern zone was controlled by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and became commonly called North Vietnam , while the southern zone , under control of the French-established State of Vietnam was commonly called South Vietnam . Supervision of the implementation of the Geneva Accords was the responsibility of an international commission consisting of India , Canada , and Poland . The United States did not sign the Geneva Accords and stated that it shall continue to seek to achieve unity through free elections supervised by the United Nations to insure that they are conducted fairly . In July 1955 , the prime minister of the State of Vietnam , Ngô Đình Diệm , announced that South Vietnam would not participate in elections to unify the country . He said that the State of Vietnam had not signed the Geneva Accords and was therefor not bound by it .
Peter Nicholas Kyros ( July 11 , 1925 - July 10 , 2012 ) was a U.S. Representative from Maine . Born in Portland , Maine to Greek immigrants , Kyros attended the public schools in Portland , Maine , and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1947 . He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1957 . He served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1953 and was discharged with rank of lieutenant . He was admitted to the bar in 1957 and commenced the practice of law in Portland , Maine . He served from 1957 to 1959 as counsel to the Maine Public Utilities Commission , Augusta , Maine . Kyros was elected as a Democrat to the Ninetieth and to the three succeeding Congresses ( January 3 , 1967 - January 3 , 1975 ) . He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1974 to the Ninety-fourth Congress , narrowly losing to Republican nominee David Emery , and tried unsuccessfully to regain the seat in 1976 . He served in the United States Department of State from 1980 to 1982 . Kyros resumed the practice of law in Washington , D.C. , lobbying for several firms active on Capitol Hill , advocating for scientific and medical research . Kyros died on July 10 , 2012 .
Maine ( /meɪn/ ( listen ) ) is the northernmost state in the northeastern United States . Maine is the 12th smallest by area , the 9th least populous , and the 13th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states . Located in New England , it is bordered by New Hampshire to the west , the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast , and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Québec to the northeast and northwest , respectively . Maine is the only state to border exactly one other state , is the easternmost among the contiguous United States , and is the northernmost state east of the Great Lakes . Maine is known for its jagged , rocky coastline ; low , rolling mountains ; heavily forested interior ; and picturesque waterways , as well as its seafood cuisine , especially lobster and clams . There is a humid continental climate throughout most of the state , including coastal areas . Maine 's most populous city is Portland and its capital is Augusta . For thousands of years , indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine . At the time of European arrival in what is now Maine , several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area . The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , by Pierre Dugua , Sieur de Mons . The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony , established by the Plymouth Company in 1607 . A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s , although the rugged climate , deprivations , and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years .
Thomas Charles McGrath Jr. ( April 22 , 1927 , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania - January 15 , 1994 , Delray Beach , Florida ) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey 's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1965-1967 .
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States . It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York ; on the east , southeast , and south by the Atlantic Ocean ; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania ; and on the southwest by the Delaware Bay and the State of Delaware . New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state by area but the 11th-most populous , with 9 million residents as of 2017 and an area of 8,722.58 square miles , making it the most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , with its biggest city being Newark . New Jersey lies completely within the combined statistical areas of New York City and Philadelphia . New Jersey was the second-wealthiest U.S. state by median household income as of 2017 . New Jersey was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years , with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast . In the early 17th century , the Dutch and the Swedes founded the first European settlements in the state . The English later seized control of the region , naming it the Province of New Jersey after the largest of the Channel Islands , Jersey , and granting it as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley , 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton . New Jersey was the site of several important battles during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century . In the 19th century , factories in the cities Camden , Paterson , Newark , Trenton , Jersey City , and Elizabeth ( known as the Big Six ) , helped drive the Industrial Revolution . New Jersey 's geographic location at the center of the Northeast megalopolis , between Boston and New York City to the northeast , and Philadelphia , Baltimore , and Washington , D.C. , to the southwest , fueled its rapid growth through the process of suburbanization in the second half of the 20th century . At the turn of the 21st century , this suburbanization began reverting with the consolidation of New Jersey 's culturally diverse populace toward more urban settings within the state , with towns home to commuter rail stations outpacing the population growth of more automobile-oriented suburbs since 2008 .
Charles Nesbitt Wilson ( June 1 , 1933 - February 10 , 2010 ) was a United States naval officer and former 12-term Democratic United States Representative from Texas 's 2nd congressional district . Wilson is best known for leading Congress into supporting Operation Cyclone , the largest-ever Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) covert operation , which during the Carter and Reagan administration supplied military equipment to the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War . His behind-the-scenes campaign was the subject of the non-fiction book Charlie Wilson 's War : The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History by George Crile III and the subsequent film Charlie Wilson 's War , starring Tom Hanks as Wilson .
Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ , locally /ˈtɛksɪz/ ; Spanish : Texas or Tejas , pronounced [ ˈtexas ] ( listen ) ) is the second largest state in the United States by area ( after Alaska ) and population ( after California ) . Located in the South Central region , Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second-most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second-most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State for its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The Lone Star can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word taysha , which means friends in the Caddo language . Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes common to both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10% of Texas 's land area is desert . Most of the population centers are in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend . The term six flags over Texas [ note 1 ] refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory .
The Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States , tasked with gathering , processing , and analyzing national security information from around the world , primarily through the use of human intelligence ( HUMINT ) . As one of the principal members of the United States Intelligence Community ( IC ) , the CIA reports to the Director of National Intelligence and is primarily focused on providing intelligence for the President and Cabinet of the United States . Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , which is a domestic security service , the CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering , with only limited domestic intelligence collection . Though it is not the only agency of the federal government of the United States specializing in HUMINT , the CIA serves as the national manager for coordination of HUMINT activities across the U.S. intelligence community . Moreover , the CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action at the behest of the President . It exerts foreign political influence through its tactical divisions , such as the Special Activities Center . The CIA was also instrumental in establishing intelligence services in several U.S. allied countries , such as Germany 's BND . Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 , the CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community ; today , the CIA is organized under the Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) . Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI , the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 attacks . In 2013 , The Washington Post reported that in the fiscal year 2010 , the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies , exceeding previous estimates . The CIA has increasingly expanded its role , including covert paramilitary operations . One of its largest divisions , the Information Operations Center ( IOC ) , has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations .
A covert operation is a military operation intended to conceal the identity of ( or allow plausible denial by ) the sponsor and intended to create a political effect which can have implications in the military , intelligence or law enforcement arenas - affecting either the internal population of a country or individuals outside it . Covert operations aim to secretly fulfill their mission objectives without anyone knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation , or in some cases , without anyone knowing that the operation has even occurred . Covert operations and clandestine operations are different .
Mujahideen ( Arabic : مجاهدين mujāhidīn ) is the plural form of mujahid ( Arabic : مجاهد ) , the Arabic term for one engaged in jihad ( literally , struggle ) . The English term jihadists grammatically corresponds to it . Its widespread use in English began with reference to the guerrilla-type militant groups led by the Islamist Afghan fighters in the Soviet-Afghan War and now extends to other jihadist groups in various countries .
The Soviet-Afghan War was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the mujahideen , as well as smaller Maoist groups , fought a guerrilla war against the Soviet Army and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan government . It was fought over nine years , from December 1979 to February 1989 , mostly in the Afghan countryside . The mujahideen groups were backed primarily by the United States , Saudi Arabia , and Pakistan , making it a Cold War proxy war . Between 562,000 and 2,000,000 civilians were killed and millions of Afghans fled the country as refugees , mostly to Pakistan and Iran . The war derives from a 1978 coup when Afghanistan 's communist party took power , initiating a series of radical modernization reforms throughout the country . These reforms were deeply unpopular among the more traditional rural population and established power structures . [ page needed ] The repressive nature of Soviet Afghanistan , which vigorously suppressed opposition including the execution of thousands of political prisoners , led to the rise of anti-government armed groups and by April 1979 large parts of the country were in open rebellion . The ruling party itself experienced deep rivalries , and in September 1979 the President , Nur Mohammad Taraki , was murdered under orders of the second-in-command , Hafizullah Amin , which soured relations with the Soviet Union . Eventually the Soviet government , under leader Leonid Brezhnev , decided to deploy the 40th Army on December 24 , 1979 . Arriving in the capital Kabul , they staged a coup , killing president Amin and installing Soviet loyalist Babrak Karmal from a rival faction . The deployment had been variously called an invasion ( by Western media and the rebels ) or a legitimate supporting intervention ( by the Soviet Union and the Afghan government ) on the basis of the Brezhnev Doctrine . In January 1980 , foreign ministers from 34 nations of the Islamic Conference adopted a resolution demanding the immediate , urgent and unconditional withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan .
Charlie Wilson 's War : The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History ( later titled Charlie Wilson 's War : The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times ) was a 2003 book by George Crile III . It detailed U.S. Representative Charlie Wilson 's role in providing assistance to the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War . It was adapted into the 2007 Mike Nichols film Charlie Wilson 's War , in which Wilson was portrayed by Tom Hanks .
Charlie Wilson 's War is a 2007 American biographical comedy-drama film , based on the story of U.S . Congressman Charlie Wilson and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos , whose efforts led to Operation Cyclone , a program to organize and support the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War . The film was directed by Mike Nichols ( his final film ) and written by Aaron Sorkin , who adapted George Crile III 's 2003 book Charlie Wilson 's War : The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History . Tom Hanks , Julia Roberts , and Philip Seymour Hoffman starred , with Amy Adams and Ned Beatty in supporting roles . It was nominated for five Golden Globe Awards , including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy , but did not win in any category . Hoffman was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor .
John Sidney McCain III ( August 29 , 1936 - August 25 , 2018 ) was an American politician and military officer , who served as a United States senator for Arizona from January 1987 until his death in 2018 . He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for president of the United States in the 2008 election , which he lost to Barack Obama . McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958 and received a commission in the United States Navy . He became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers . During the Vietnam War , he almost died in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire . While on a bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder over Hanoi in October 1967 , he was shot down , seriously injured , and captured by the North Vietnamese . He was a prisoner of war until 1973 . He experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early release . During the war , he sustained wounds that left him with lifelong physical disabilities . He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona , where he entered politics . In 1982 , McCain was elected to the United States House of Representatives , where he served two terms . He entered the U.S. Senate in 1987 and easily won reelection five times .
Arizona ( /ˌærɪˈzoʊnə/ ( listen ) ; Navajo : Hoozdo Hahoodzo Navajo pronunciation : [ xòːztò xɑ̀xòːtsò ] ; O'odham : Alĭ ṣonak Uto-Aztecan pronunciation : [ ˡaɺi ˡʂonak ] ) is a state in the southwestern region of the United States . It is also part of the Western and the Mountain states . It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states . Its capital and largest city is Phoenix . Arizona shares the Four Corners region with Utah , Colorado , and New Mexico ; its other neighboring states are Nevada and California to the west and the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest . Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union , achieving statehood on February 14 , 1912 , coinciding with Valentine 's Day . Historically part of the territory of Alta California in New Spain , it became part of independent Mexico in 1821 . After being defeated in the Mexican-American War , Mexico ceded much of this territory to the United States in 1848 . The southernmost portion of the state was acquired in 1853 through the Gadsden Purchase . Southern Arizona is known for its desert climate , with very hot summers and mild winters . Northern Arizona features forests of pine , Douglas fir , and spruce trees ; the Colorado Plateau ; mountain ranges ( such as the San Francisco Mountains ) ; as well as large , deep canyons , with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls . There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff , Alpine , and Tucson .
The early life and military career of John Sidney McCain III spans the first forty-five years of his life ( 1936-1981 ) . McCain 's father and grandfather were admirals in the United States Navy . McCain was born on August 29 , 1936 , in the Panama Canal Zone , and attended many schools growing up as his family moved among naval facilities . McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958 . He married the former Carol Shepp in 1965 ; he adopted two children from her previous marriage and they had another child together . As a naval aviator , McCain flew attack aircraft from carriers . During the Vietnam War , he narrowly escaped death in the 1967 Forrestal fire . On his twenty-third bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder in October 1967 , he was shot down over Hanoi and badly injured . He subsequently endured five and a half years as a prisoner of war , including periods of torture . In 1968 , he refused a North Vietnamese offer of early release , because it would have meant leaving before other prisoners who had been held longer . He was released in 1973 after the Paris Peace Accords . Upon his return , McCain studied at the National War College , commanded a large training squadron in Florida , and was appointed the Navy liaison to the U.S. Senate .
James Henry Webb Jr. ( born February 9 , 1946 ) is an American politician and author . He has served as a United States Senator from Virginia , Secretary of the Navy , Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs , Counsel for the United States House Committee on Veterans ' Affairs and is a decorated former Marine Corps officer . In the private sector he has been an Emmy Award winning journalist , a filmmaker , and the author of ten books . In addition , he taught literature at the United States Naval Academy and was a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics . As a member of the Democratic Party , Webb announced on November 19 , 2014 , that he was forming an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for President of the United States in 2016 . On July 2 , 2015 , he announced that he would be joining the race for the Democratic nomination for president , but stepped down from running in the primaries on October 20 , 2015 , stating that he was not comfortable and unhappy with many of the party 's political positions . [ citation needed ]
Virginia ( /vərˈdʒɪniə/ ( listen ) ) , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia , is a state in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States located between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population as of 2018 [ update ] is over 8.5 million . The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent English colony in the New World . Virginia 's state nickname , the Old Dominion , is a reference to this status . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution . In the American Civil War , Virginia 's Secession Convention resolved to join the Confederacy , and Virginia 's First Wheeling Convention resolved to remain in the Union ; that led to the creation of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia . The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World .
The Secretary of the Navy ( or SECNAV ) is a statutory officer ( 10 U.S.C . § 5013 ) and the head ( chief executive officer ) of the Department of the Navy , a military department ( component organization ) within the Department of Defense of the United States of America . The Secretary of the Navy must be a civilian by law , at least 5 years removed from active military service . The Secretary is appointed by the President and requires confirmation by a majority vote of the Senate . The Secretary of the Navy was , from its creation in 1798 , a member of the President 's Cabinet until 1949 , when the Secretary of the Navy ( and the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force ) was by amendments to the National Security Act of 1947 made subordinate to the Secretary of Defense . The office has been vacant since November 24 , 2019 , when Richard V. Spencer was fired . Under Secretary Thomas Modly is serving as acting secretary until a successor is confirmed by the U.S. Senate . U.S. President Trump said he would nominate Kenneth Braithwaite to become the next Secretary of the Navy .
Fields of Fire is a novel by U.S . Senator Jim Webb , first published in 1978 . It follows the lives of several Marines serving in the Vietnam War . It is told mainly from the viewpoints of three Marines : 2nd Lt Robert E. Lee Hodges , who comes from a long line of soldiers ; Snake ( no full name given ) , a squad leader in Hodges ' platoon , a tough kid from the streets ; and Senator ( Will Goodrich ) , an impressionable and sensitive Harvard student who volunteers for service . The major themes are centered on loyalty , leadership , and the brutalizing effects on people of wartime .
José Roilo Solis Gólez ( January 9 , 1947 - June 11 , 2018 ) was a Philippine politician who last served his sixth term as Member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Second District of Parañaque City , one of the most industrialized districts of the Philippines . A veteran legislator , he was elected in 1992 , 1995 , 1998 , 2004 , 2007 , and 2010 all by landslide victories and had served as Congressman for six terms : in the 9th , 10th , 11th , 13th , 14th , and 15th Congress of the Philippines .
The Philippines ( /ˈfɪləpiːnz/ ( listen ) ; Filipino : Pilipinas [ ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs ] or Filipinas [ ˌfɪlɪˈpinɐs ] ) , officially the Republic of the Philippines ( Filipino : Republika ng Pilipinas ) , [ a ] is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia . Situated in the western Pacific Ocean , it consists of about 7,641 islands that are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from north to south : Luzon , Visayas and Mindanao . The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City , both part of Metro Manila . Bounded by the South China Sea on the west , the Philippine Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea on the southwest , the Philippines shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north , Japan to the northeast , Vietnam to the west , Palau to the east , and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south . The Philippines ' location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons , but also endows it with abundant natural resources and some of the world 's greatest biodiversity . The Philippines is the world 's 5th largest island country with an area of 300,000 km2 ( 120,000 sq mi ) . As of 2015 , it had a population of at least 100 million . As of January 2018 [ update ] , it is the eighth-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the world . Approximately 10 million additional Filipinos lived overseas , comprising one of the world 's largest diasporas . Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands . In prehistoric times , Negritos were some of the archipelago 's earliest inhabitants . They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples .