Frank Forrester Church III (1924 - 1984)

Born 25 Jul 1924 in Boise, Idaho, USA

Ancestors

Died 7 Apr 1984 at age 59 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA

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Frank Church III is Notable.

Preceded by Herman Welker

Frank Church US Senator (Class 3) from Idaho 1957—1981

Succeeded by Steve Symms

Biography

Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. He served as Idaho's Democrat US Senator from 1957 to 1981. He is known for heading the Church Committee, which investigated abuses in the United States Intelligence Community.

Born and raised in Boise, Idaho, Church served as a military intelligence officer in the China Burma India Theater during World War II. He established a legal practice in Boise after graduating from Stanford Law School. He defeated incumbent Republican Senator Herman Welker in Idaho's 1956 Senate election, becoming one of the youngest individuals ever to serve in the Senate. In the Senate, Church became a protégé of Lyndon B. Johnson and established a reputation as a member of the party's liberal wing. He sponsored the Wilderness Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Church emerged as an important figure in American foreign policy and chaired the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 1979 to 1981. He was one of the first Senators to publicly oppose the Vietnam War, and co-sponsored legislation to curtail the war. In 1975, Church led the Church Committee, which inspired the passage of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the creation of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also led the effort to ratify the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, which returned the Panama Canal Zone to Panama.

Church sought the Democratic nomination in the 1976 presidential election, but withdrew from the race in favor of Jimmy Carter. Church won re-election to the Senate in 1962, 1968, and 1974, but narrowly lost his bid for a fifth term to Republican Steve Symms. After leaving the Senate, Church practiced international law until his death in 1984.

Church came into direct conflict with fellow Boise native James Jesus Angleton over intelligence activities, most prominently with the investigation into the JFK assassination.

His 7th GGF was Richard Church of Hingham. His 8th GGF was Mayflower passenger Richard Warren.

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #12106

• Frank Church on Wikipedia

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHDN-QYC : accessed 27 January 2021), Frank Church in household of Frank Church, Boise, Ada, Idaho, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 7, sheet 8B...

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY4C-HV7 : 4 January 2021), Frank F Church in household of Frank F Church, Boise, Ada, Idaho, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1-8A, sheet 2A, ...

• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8GN-3F7 : 5 December 2014), Frank F Church, enlisted 07 Dec 1942, Stanford Univ, California, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V9GD-VP8 : 19 May 2014), Frank Church, Apr 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).