954:
186:
31:
168:
239:
960:
359:, where he had been brutally tortured, causing him to become a paraplegic. Stringfellow said that while lying wounded he had undergone an intense religious experience, and it was through this new-found faith, as well as the aid of the anti-Nazi underground, that he had escaped from the prison. He claimed that he had been awarded the
380:
Stringfellow served one term and was running for reelection in 1954 when his past was exposed as a fraud by his
Democratic opponents. They revealed that Stringfellow was not actually a paraplegic. He had been wounded in a mine explosion during a routine mission in France, but he could walk with the
782:. October 25, 1954. "Like many other persons suddenly thrust into the limelight, I rather thrived on the adulation and new-found popularity ... I began to embellish my speeches with more picturesque and fanciful incidents. I fell into a trap, which in part had been laid by my own glib tongue".
420:
Stringfellow tried to capitalize on his notoriety by going on a speaking tour, but it proved unsuccessful. He briefly resumed his career as a radio announcer and worked at various stations throughout Utah while always using a pseudonym. He died at the age of 44 from a heart attack in
403:
When his
Democratic opponents exposed him, the LDS Church pressed Stringfellow to make a public confession, which he did. The House Republican leadership forced him to abandon his bid for reelection, and replaced him on the ballot just sixteen days before the election with
1424:
866:
1379:
667:
537:
312:
from 1947 to 1948. Stringfellow returned to pursue a career in broadcasting, serving as an announcer and executive for a Utah radio station from 1949 to 1952.
1414:
859:
434:
344:
opponent, Ernest McKay, in a rout of 76,545 votes (60.5%) to 49,898 votes (39.5%). His victory in the open-seat contest was a gain for the
Republican Party.
572:
883:
412:. Dixon managed to hold on to the seat for the Republicans in an election in which the Democrats took back control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
875:
852:
647:
293:
from 1942 to 1945. In France, Stringfellow was wounded in a mine explosion, leaving him walking with the aid of a cane, for which he received the
1404:
819:
301:
717:
774:
372:. Stringfellow also frequently traveled around Utah preaching about his wartime religious experience with the blessing of the LDS Church.
1429:
1369:
969:
648:"Ex-Rep. Douglas Stringfellow, Who Invented Hero Story, Dies; Utahan Admitted in '54 That Account of Warld War II Mission Was a Hoax"
336:, a past which he made frequent reference to during his revival-style campaign speeches. Stringfellow was able to take advantage of
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802:
368:
258:
44:
351:
during the war. He claimed that at one point he had participated in a top-secret mission to rescue a German atomic physicist,
1399:
355:, from behind enemy lines and transport him to England. He also claimed that he had been captured by the Germans and held in
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1311:
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825:
54:
1374:
1043:
366:
Stringfellow's colorful past was widely broadcast in the media. It even aired on the popular national television show
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542:
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325:
150:
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1301:
321:
217:
1130:
348:
793:
545:, Kentucky state legislator who took his own life in 2017 after fabrications about his past were revealed
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695:
785:
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305:
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135:
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909:
899:
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393:
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1359:
1163:
919:
904:
425:. At the time of his death he was living in obscurity and working as a landscape painter.
8:
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30:
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for one term, best known for lying about his war record, education and achievements.
78:
959:
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924:
874:
605:
384:
Furthermore, Stringfellow had not worked for the OSS. He had been a private in the
990:
939:
778:
722:
385:
332:. Much of the appeal of his candidacy lay in his decorated past as a hero during
1425:
Republican Party members of the United States House of
Representatives from Utah
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1238:
1173:
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286:
90:
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173:
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1253:
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333:
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118:
1329:
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1213:
1140:
1095:
668:"The Controversial Career of Representative Douglas Stringfellow of Utah"
389:
360:
278:
274:
1286:
1135:
257:(September 24, 1922 – October 19, 1966) was a Republican member of the
139:
238:
670:. History, Art & Archives: United States House of Representatives
352:
1324:
876:
356:
320:
In 1952 Stringfellow, a political unknown, was elected to the
621:"Scandalized Utah congressman believed his false war stories"
400:, but neither institution had any record of his attendance.
329:
50:
538:
List of federal political scandals in the United States
347:
Stringfellow claimed to have served as an agent of the
435:
573:
Biographical
Directory of the United States Congress
340:'s landslide presidential victory and defeated his
1380:American Mormon missionaries in the United States
392:. Stringfellow also claimed that he had attended
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824:
302:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
273:. While attending public schools, he moved to
860:
375:
1415:United States Army personnel of World War II
820:U.S. House of Representatives
867:
853:
688:
563:
561:
559:
264:
68:January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955
29:
45:U.S. House of Representatives
691:"McCarthyism, Granger, and Stringfellow"
618:
596:
594:
415:
556:
304:(LDS Church), Stringfellow served as a
1405:United States Army Air Forces soldiers
1352:
770:Official Congressional Biography Guide
689:Seegmiller, Janet Burton (Fall 1967).
259:United States House of Representatives
848:
591:
440:
428:
892:
619:Davidson, Lee (December 30, 2013).
285:until entering into service in the
13:
1064:(4th district established in 2013)
1060:(3rd district established in 1983)
786:The Douglas R. Stringfellow Papers
726:. October 28, 1966. Archived from
14:
1441:
1430:20th-century American legislators
826:Utah's 1st congressional district
763:
1370:20th-century Mormon missionaries
958:
952:
315:
237:
184:
166:
406:Utah State Agricultural College
16:American politician (1922–1966)
1014:Two at-large seats (1913–1915)
742:
710:
682:
660:
640:
612:
388:, and he had never earned the
1:
1410:Weber State University alumni
818:Member of the
803:U.S. House of Representatives
549:
322:U.S. House of Representatives
218:United States Army Air Forces
1400:Politicians from Ogden, Utah
7:
1385:Hoaxes in the United States
794:J. Willard Marriott Library
718:"Milestones: Oct. 28, 1966"
531:
281:in 1941. He then attended
10:
1446:
1375:American Latter Day Saints
706:– via History to Go.
569:"Stringfellow, Douglas R."
376:1954 election and exposure
277:, where he graduated from
1310:
1272:
1149:
1071:
1056:
1036:
1020:
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978:
967:
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882:
833:
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696:Utah Historical Quarterly
602:"Douglas R. Stringfellow"
515:
498:
449:
446:
443:
269:Stringfellow was born in
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233:
223:
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205:
197:
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161:
156:
146:
125:
105:
100:
96:
84:
72:
61:
41:
37:
28:
21:
1395:People from Draper, Utah
1057:Districts (1915–present)
465:Douglas R. Stringfellow
398:University of Cincinnati
363:for his heroic service.
750:"1952 Election Results"
265:Biographical background
255:Douglas R. Stringfellow
23:Douglas R. Stringfellow
578:United States Congress
423:Long Beach, California
626:The Salt Lake Tribune
416:Later years and death
394:Ohio State University
198:Years of service
775:"Veterans: The Hoax"
656:. October 21, 1966.
437:
310:Northern California
790:University of Utah
653:The New York Times
433:
295:Purple Heart Medal
192:United States Army
116:September 24, 1922
1347:
1346:
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1342:
1052:
1051:
1009:
1008:
948:
947:
843:
842:
834:Succeeded by
812:Walter K. Granger
529:
528:
429:Electoral history
369:This Is Your Life
338:Dwight Eisenhower
252:
251:
79:Walter K. Granger
1437:
1244:Greene Waldholtz
1069:
1068:
1018:
1017:
976:
975:
972:seat (1895–1913)
962:
956:
955:
890:
889:
869:
862:
855:
846:
845:
831:1953–1955
828:
809:Preceded by
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740:
739:
737:
735:
714:
708:
707:
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703:
686:
680:
679:
677:
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664:
658:
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638:
637:
635:
633:
616:
610:
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606:Museum of Hoaxes
598:
589:
588:
586:
584:
565:
488:Ernest R. McKay
438:
432:
241:
190:
188:
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172:
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157:Military service
132:
129:October 19, 1966
115:
113:
101:Personal details
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730:on June 4, 2011
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431:
418:
386:Army Air Forces
381:aid of a cane.
378:
318:
300:As a member of
267:
185:
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167:
165:
147:Political party
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837:Henry A. Dixon
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764:External links
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287:Army Air Force
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180:Branch/service
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133:(aged 44)
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91:Henry A. Dixon
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42:Member of the
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364:
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357:Belsen Prison
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345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
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316:1952 election
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292:
288:
284:
283:Weber College
280:
276:
272:
262:
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174:United States
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77:
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65:
60:
56:
52:
46:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
1420:1950s hoaxes
1312:4th district
1274:3rd district
1151:2nd district
1106:Stringfellow
1105:
1073:1st district
1063:
1059:
817:
777:
744:
732:. Retrieved
728:the original
721:
712:
700:. Retrieved
694:
684:
672:. Retrieved
662:
651:
642:
630:. Retrieved
624:
614:
581:. Retrieved
571:
519:
507:
502:
499:Total votes
474:
469:
464:
457:
419:
402:
383:
379:
367:
365:
346:
334:World War II
319:
299:
291:World War II
271:Draper, Utah
268:
254:
253:
243:Purple Heart
228:World War II
224:Battles/wars
131:(1966-10-19)
119:Draper, Utah
86:Succeeded by
63:
1365:1966 deaths
1360:1922 births
1164:Leatherwood
886:(1851–1895)
884:Territorial
702:October 22,
674:October 22,
632:October 22,
543:Dan Johnson
410:Henry Dixon
390:Silver Star
361:Silver Star
279:high school
275:Ogden, Utah
74:Preceded by
1354:Categories
1169:Loofbourow
996:Sutherland
550:References
524:Democratic
517:Republican
484:Democratic
459:Republican
444:Candidate
408:president
342:Democratic
326:Republican
306:missionary
162:Allegiance
151:Republican
140:California
136:Long Beach
112:1922-09-24
1390:Impostors
1292:C. Cannon
940:F. Cannon
925:G. Cannon
910:Bernhisel
900:Bernhisel
353:Otto Hahn
201:1942–1945
64:In office
1335:B. Owens
1320:Matheson
1297:Chaffetz
1254:Matheson
1239:Shepherd
1234:W. Owens
1224:Marriott
1214:W. Owens
1174:Robinson
1116:Peterson
970:at-large
532:See also
503:126,443
396:and the
57:district
1330:McAdams
1282:Nielson
1259:Stewart
1204:D. King
1194:D. King
1101:Granger
1096:Murdock
1086:Welling
1044:Johnson
991:W. King
935:Rawlins
788:at the
734:July 7,
583:July 7,
491:49,898
470:76,545
289:during
209:Private
1302:Curtis
1229:Monson
1189:Dawson
1184:Bosone
1179:Dawson
1136:Bishop
1131:Hansen
1121:Burton
1091:Colton
1081:Howell
1028:Howell
1001:Howell
920:Hooper
915:Kinney
905:Hooper
823:from
508:100.0
494:39.46
475:60.54
447:Votes
441:Party
234:Awards
189:
171:
142:, U.S.
121:, U.S.
1287:Orton
1264:Maloy
1209:Lloyd
1199:Lloyd
1141:Moore
1126:McKay
1111:Dixon
986:Allen
930:Caine
753:(PDF)
522:from
328:from
324:as a
49:from
1325:Love
1249:Cook
1219:Howe
1159:Mays
1037:Seat
1021:Seat
979:Seat
968:One
893:Seat
779:Time
736:2009
723:Time
704:2021
676:2021
634:2021
585:2009
520:gain
330:Utah
214:Unit
206:Rank
126:Died
106:Born
51:Utah
792:'s
349:OSS
308:in
55:1st
53:'s
1356::
720:.
693:.
650:.
623:.
604:.
593:^
576:.
558:^
450:%
297:.
138:,
868:e
861:t
854:v
755:.
738:.
678:.
636:.
608:.
587:.
114:)
110:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
