Rep. John Murtha Dead at Age 77

Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.), the first Vietnam combat veteran to be elected to Congress in 1974, died Monday of complications from gall bladder surgery. A vocal critic of the Iraq War, he was 77-years-old and completed 36th year in Congress last week.

As the leading Democrat on the House panel overseeing Pentagon spending, his death leaves House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) without a key ally on defense and foreign policy issues. In addition, it adds to the difficult situation that the Democratic Party finds itself in, putting yet another Democratic seat up for grabs in a year that their party is struggling to maintain its 78-vote edge in the House.

A former car wash owner from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Murtha moved through the ranks up to becoming one of the most powerful members of Congress, serving on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Such a position gave him sweeping authority to determine how federal dollars were dispersed and who would receive them.

Murtha unabashedly used his power to benefit his constituents in hishome town and his home state. Over the years he has been subjected to on-going ethics scrutiny because of this.

To the surprise of many, Murtha called for reporters to call for a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. This was unusual because he was one of George H. W. Bush's chief ally in lining up Democratic support for the US attack on Iraq in the Persian Gulf War.

A former Marine, Murtha fought in Korea and re-enlisted to fight in Vietnam, where he won two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Over the years, he has been a tireless advocate for the US troops he once served with.

Murtha was not only a war hero, but he also served in the House longer than any other member of Congress in Pennsylvania history. Not only that, but he also remained popular in an increasingly conservative district, snagging 58 percent of the vote in 2008. In the 2008 elections, Republican John McCain narrowly beat out Democrat Barack Obama. Now Democrats are in danger of potentially losing yet another seat.

Murtha is survived by his wife, Joyce, their daughter and twin sons, and three grandchildren.