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| state=Mississippi
| state=Mississippi
| district=4
| district=4
| before=[[Prentiss Walker]]
| before=[[Prentiss Walker]]
| years=1967–1973
| years=1967–1973
| after=[[Thad Cochran]]
| after=[[Thad Cochran]]
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| district=3
| district=3
| before=[[Charles H. Griffin]]
| before=[[Charles H. Griffin]]
| years=1973–1997
| years=1973–1997
| after=[[Chip Pickering]]
| after=[[Chip Pickering]]
}}
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| title=Chairman of the [[United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs|House Veterans' Affairs Committee]]
| before=[[Ray Roberts]]<br>Texas</br>
| after=[[Bob Stump]]<br>Arizona</br>
| years=1981&ndash;1995}}
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Revision as of 22:41, 6 August 2008

Sonny Montgomery
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Mississippi's 4th and 3rd district
In office
January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byPrentiss Walker
Succeeded byChip Pickering
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
Congressman Sonny Montgomery (second from left) receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Gillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery (August 5, 1920May 12, 2006) was an American politician from Mississippi who served in the U.S. House of Representatives 19671997. Montgomery, who was considered a pro-defense and pro-veterans Democrat, resided in Meridian, the seat of Lauderdale County, in eastern Mississippi.

Born in Laurel, Mississippi, he attended Mississippi State University in Starkville and was a member of Beta Tau chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. He served in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant during World War II and also in the Korean conflict. He retired from the Mississippi National Guard as a Major General in 1980. He was the author of the G.I. Bill of Rights that gives servicemen money to pay for college and was a lead sponsor in establishing the Veterans Affairs cabinet level position.

On September 13, 1988, Sonny Montgomery became the first congressman to lead the U.S. House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as a permanent part of its daily and morning business operations [1]. The day prior to his death, Congressman Gene Taylor introduced an amendment to House Defense Appropriations Bill to rename the bill the Sonny Montgomery National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. Following his death, President Bush ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff [2]. In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives canceled non-suspension votes on the day of his funeral. Montgomery was laid to rest at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian, Mississippi.

Career in Public Life

A Democrat, Montgomery held the following positions:

On November 10, 2005, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest American civilian honor, by President George W. Bush. [3]

Memorials

A number of public projects have been named in his honor, including:

  • United States Congress. "Sonny Montgomery (id: M000865)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • Bio
  • The Montgomery Institute
  • Associated Press obituary
  • NY Times obituary
  • Meridian Star Article
U.S. House of Representatives

Template:USRepSuccession box Template:USRepSuccession box

Political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
1981–1995
Succeeded by
Bob Stump
Arizona