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89-618: The Memorial was established by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. (VVMF), the nonprofit organization incorporated on April 27, 1979. VVMF wanted Vietnam veterans to have a tangible symbol of recognition from the American people. By separating the issue of the service of the individual men and women from the issue of U.S. policy in Vietnam, VVMF hoped to begin a process of national reconciliation. The vision of

178-584: A Baltimore City Councilwoman who was well known to residents in her city as a social activist , but with limited name recognition in the rest of the state. Mathias was renominated by Republicans, fending off a primary election challenge from conservative doctor Ross Pierpont. Pierpont was never a substantial threat to Mathias, whose lack of competition was due in part to fallout from the Watergate scandal. As an advocate for campaign finance reform , Mathias refused to accept any contribution over $ 100 to "avoid

267-489: A 100% on issues important to them, and the AFL-CIO agreed with Mathias on 32 out of 45 key labor votes. Conversely, the conservative group Americans for Constitutional Action stated Mathias agreed with their positions only 16% of the time. As a Republican representing heavily Democratic Maryland, Mathias faced a potentially difficult re-election bid for the 1974 election . State Democrats nominated Barbara Mikulski , then

356-523: A 21-year-old senior at Yale University . In August 1981, VVMF selected a building company and architecture firm to develop the plans and build Lin's design. Lin became a design consultant to the architect of record. In January 1982, the decision was made to add a flagstaff and sculpture on the Memorial site in order to provide a realistic depiction of three Vietnam service members and a symbol of their courage and devotion to their country. On March 11, 1982,

445-556: A Memorial of names flowed from the academic work at American University of Jan Scruggs about which he testified to the US Senate. The hope was that the Memorial of names would help surviving veterans and the nation to recover from the Vietnam War. Significant initial support came from U.S. Senators Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. , (R-Md.) and John W. Warner (R-Va.). On November 8, 1979, Sen. Mathias introduced legislation to authorize

534-527: A committee chairmanship along with his low attendance rate were raising questions regarding his ability. However, Mathias was showing signs of seeking re-election in 1985, and dismissed any claims of ineffectiveness. Mathias claimed "within a matter of minutes, I can talk to any member of the Cabinet; and I could go see them within 24 hours.... It was no accident that the Chesapeake Bay was mentioned in

623-666: A delegate, he voted in favor of Maryland ratifying the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , which secured African American rights following the American Civil War . With his support, the legislature ratified the amendment in 1959, nearly 100 years after it was first introduced. In 1958, Mathias married Ann Bradford, whom he met at a birthday party for his law school roommate Daniel Brewster . Ann Bradford (1928–2012)

712-612: A live television link with Paris . On the suggestion of Mihlon and Le Grelle, Mathias, who, as a strong Reagan supporter, could see any cabinet member in 24 hours, asked the White House to organize a ceremony for the Bicentennial with President Ronald Reagan . The White House ceremony commemorating the Bicentennial Year of Air and Space Flight was held on February 7, 1983. The President spoke at 1:15 p.m. in

801-525: A more liberal voting record, which was argued to serve him better in a state with a 3-1 Democratic advantage in registered voters. Mathias officially declared his candidacy for the Senate on February 10, 1968, calling for troop reductions in the Vietnam War , and identifying urban blight , racial discrimination , welfare reform , and improving public schools as major issues. As the campaign drew on,

890-528: A park within a park — a quiet protected place unto itself, yet harmonious with the overall plan of Constitution Gardens. To achieve this effect she chose polished black granite for the walls. Its mirror-like surface reflects the images of the surrounding trees, lawns and monuments. The Memorial's walls point to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, thus bringing the Memorial into the historical context of our country. The names are inscribed in

979-412: A site of national park land for the memorial. The first significant financial contributions to launch the national fundraising campaign were raised by Sen. Warner. More than $ 8,000,000 was raised, all of which came from private sources. Corporations, foundations, unions, veterans groups and civic organizations contributed, but most importantly, more than 275,000 individual Americans donated the majority of

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1068-425: A sound barrier, yet are of such a height and length so as not to appear threatening or enclosing. The actual area is wide and shallow, allowing for a sense of privacy, and the sunlight from the memorial's southern exposure along with the grassy park surrounding and within its walls, contribute to the serenity of the area. Thus this memorial is for those who have died, and for us to remember them. "The memorial's origin

1157-467: A strong conservative trend. Over the next few months, Mathias continued to show signs of entering the election, but never campaigned aggressively and lacked any political organization. Columnist George Will commented that Mathias was "contemplating a race—a stroll, really—for the presidency", in reference to his staid campaign. After four months of consideration, Mathias decided in March 1976 to not seek

1246-416: A whole. "The memorial is composed not as an unchanging monument, but as a moving composition to be understood as we move into and out of it. The passage itself is gradual; the descent to the origin slow, but it is at the origin that the memorial is to be fully understood. At the intersection of these walls, on the right side, is carved the date of the first death. It is followed by the names of those who died in

1335-569: Is a traveling exhibit that includes a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It features a mobile education center that includes photos of those on The Wall and in the In Memory program from the state where the exhibit is on display as well as items representative of those left at The Wall over the years to tell the story of the war and The Wall. The exhibit also includes a replica In Memory plaque. To see

1424-547: Is capable of greatness. We haven't even come close yet to reaching our potential. But it depends on us. God gave angels wings. He gave mankind dreams. And with His help, there's no limit to what can be accomplished." There was a large model of the Space Shuttle Columbia off to the side of the podium, and following his remarks, the President, escorted by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins , inspected

1513-477: Is located approximately at the center of the site; its legs each extending two hundred feet towards the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The walls, contained on one side by the earth, are ten feet below ground at their point of origin, gradually lessening in height, until they finally recede totally into the earth, at their ends. The walls are to be made of a hard, polished black granite, with

1602-524: Is not what it should be... But I feel it's of the greatest importance that if there's to be a Republican Party, we look these facts in the face. Mathias' candidacy consideration did not endear him to the conservative wing of the Maryland Republican Party organization. In June 1976, he lost a vote by state Republicans to determine who would represent Maryland on the platform committee at the 1976 Republican National Convention . Instead,

1691-399: Is up to each individual to resolve or come to terms with this loss. For death, is in the end a personal and private matter, and the area contained with this memorial is a quiet place, meant for personal reflection and private reckoning. The black granite walls, each two hundred feet long, and ten feet below ground at their lowest point (gradually ascending toward ground level) effectively act as

1780-643: The Appropriations Committee to do so. In 1982, Mathias chaired a bipartisan Senate inquiry into the methods used by the FBI in the Abscam corruption investigation, which found that dozens of officials had been named for accepting bribes without basis. He also served as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Printing from 1981 to 1983 and 1985 to 1987, and as a member of the Joint Committee on

1869-815: The Armed Services Committee . Only one ranking membership was allowed per senator, so Thurmond resigned his ranking membership on the Armed Services Committee to circumvent Mathias serving as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. Mathias was also prevented from assuming leadership positions on the Government Operations Committee following a power struggle, and on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights. On

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1958-603: The City Attorney of Frederick, where he supported civil rights for African Americans . He played a role in desegregating the local Opera House movie theater, which restricted African American seating to the back of the theater. Mathias also worked to relocate the Frederick post office and helped protect a park in the city. In 1958, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates , serving from 1959 to 1960. As

2047-511: The East Room to a group of leading figures in aviation, government, diplomacy, the military, and business. Some of President Reagan's remarks (inspired by Larry Mihlon), reminded the style of President Kennedy's address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort on September 12, 1962  : "As we celebrate the many events for this bicentennial, let's remember we're celebrating more than

2136-599: The National Air and Space Museum . On July 12, 1982, Senator Mathias introduced S.J.Res.270, a joint Congressional resolution to designate 1983 as the Bicentennial of Air and Space Flight. The Resolution passed the House by Unanimous Consent on December 20, 1982, and was signed in the Senate on December 21, 1982. On January 3, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the Official Proclamation to designate

2225-659: The Richard Nixon administration. In June 1969, Mathias joined with fellow liberal Republican Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania in threatening a "rebellion" unless the Nixon administration worked harder to protect African American civil rights. He also warned against Republicans using the " Southern strategy " of attracting conservative George Wallace voters at the expense of moderate or liberal voters. Mathias voted against two controversial Nixon Supreme Court nominees, Clement Haynsworth and G. Harrold Carswell , neither of whom

2314-682: The United States Navy and served at the rank of seaman apprentice. He was promoted to ensign in 1944 and served sea duty in the Pacific Ocean , including the recently devastated Hiroshima , from 1944 until he was released from active duty in 1946. Following the war, Mathias rose to the rank of captain in the United States Naval Reserve . Mathias briefly served as assistant Attorney General of Maryland from 1953 to 1954. From 1954 to 1959, he worked as

2403-466: The United States Navy during World War II , Mathias worked as a lawyer and was elected to the state legislature in 1958. In 1960, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Western Maryland . He was re-elected three times (1962, 1964, 1966), serving in the House for eight years, where he aligned himself with the then-influential liberal wing of the Republican Party. Mathias

2492-607: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial . He retired from the Senate in 1987, having served in Congress for twenty-six years (eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives and eighteen years in the U.S. Senate ). As of 2024 , he remains the last Republican to have served as a U.S. Senator from Maryland. Mathias was born in Frederick, Maryland , the son of Theresa (née Trail) and Charles McCurdy Mathias. His father

2581-431: The primary elections of May 1960, Mathias handily defeated his two rivals, garnering a 3–1 margin of victory. Mathias' opponent in the general election was John R. Foley , a former judge who had unseated DeWitt Hyde in a Democratic landslide in the state two years prior. Both candidates attacked each other's voting records, with Foley accusing Mathias of skipping more than 500 votes in the House of Delegates and having

2670-550: The "worst Republican record in Annapolis ". Mathias previously accused Foley of voting "present" (a de facto abstention) in the House too often, and argued Foley's inaction led to inflation and higher taxes . Mathias prevailed over Foley on election day in November 1960, unseating the one-term incumbent and becoming the first representative from Frederick County since Milton Urner in 1883. During his eight-year career in

2759-494: The 1976 state convention", in which Mathias was nearly excluded as a delegate. Despite initial concerns that a strong conservative would run in the 1980 Republican primary, Mathias did not face any major opposition for his seat. He easily won his party's nomination, and was re-elected by a substantial margin in November. His Democratic counterpart in the election, State Senator Edward T. Conroy , positioned himself as more conservative than Mathias. Conroy also made national defense

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2848-580: The 1983 Air and Space Bicentennial. The Bicentennial Committee also included President Ronald Reagan , Honorary Chairman and Vice-President George Bush , Honorary Vice-Chairman General Clifton von Kann (Director), President of the National Aeronautic Association, Anna Chennault , Senator John Glenn , Senator Barry Goldwater , Apollo 17 astronaut and Senator Harrison Schmitt , Scott Crossfield , Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins and Walter J. Boyne , Acting Director of

2937-656: The American Space program. The Jimmy Carter administration was fairly inactive on space issues, stating that it was "neither feasible nor necessary" to commit to an Apollo-style space program, and his space policy included only limited, short-range goals. With regard to military space policy, the Carter space policy stated, without much specification in the unclassified version, that " The United States will pursue Activities in space in support of its right of self-defense. ". Less than five months after he became president, on

3026-535: The District of Columbia . Leading up to the United States Senate elections of 1968 , Mathias' name was frequently mentioned as a potential challenger to Democratic incumbent Daniel Brewster , his college roommate. Fellow Republican Congressman Rogers Morton of Maryland's 1st congressional district was also considering a run at Brewster's seat, but was dissuaded by Republican party leaders in

3115-628: The House, Mathias established himself as a member of the liberal wing of the Republican Party , which was the most influential at the time. Mathias voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 , and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . He was the author of the "Mathias Amendment" to the unsuccessful 1966 civil rights bill on open housing , which would have excluded dwellings of four or fewer families from

3204-601: The House. In December 1970 he finally gained passage of legislation creating the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park . He also served as chair of the Special Committee on Termination of the National Emergency from 1971 to 1977, which produced Senate Report 93-549 . Over the course of his first term, Mathias was frequently at odds with his conservative colleagues in the Senate and

3293-521: The Library from 1983 to 1987. Leading up to the 1986 elections , it was unclear whether Mathias would seek a fourth term. His support of President Reagan was lukewarm, which had further isolated him ideologically from his Republican colleagues. One delegate at the Maryland state party convention had even called Mathias "liberal swine" for his record. Additionally, his frequent difficulties in securing

3382-410: The March 31, 1981, deadline, 1,421 design entries had been submitted. All entries were judged anonymously by a jury of eight internationally recognized artists and designers who had been selected by VVMF. On May 1, 1981, the jury presented its unanimous selection for first prize, which was accepted and adopted enthusiastically by VVMF. The winning design was the work of Maya Ying Lin of Athens, Ohio ,

3471-582: The President's State of the Union address . That took a lot of hard work". During this term, Mathias was also president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 1985 to 1986. Despite initial indications otherwise, Mathias announced on September 27, 1985, that he would not seek a fourth term. His announcement concerned Republican party officials in the state, who feared that local Republicans had poorer election chances without Mathias at

3560-568: The Republican candidate, Mathias' criticism of the party did not wane, stating that "over and over again during the primaries, I have felt uncomfortably like a member of the chorus in a Greek tragedy ". In a further criticism of his party's neglect of liberal voters, Mathias commented: I've had to deal with some hard truths... People don't like to hear we've got only 18 percent of the electorate. They pretend it's not important that our following among blacks, and young people, and urban communities

3649-554: The Senate in 1981, Mathias sought the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee but was relegated to the relatively mundane chairmanship of the Rules Committee . He was also appointed chairman of the Government Operations Subcommittee on Government Efficiency and the District of Columbia, and accepted a seat on the influential Foreign Relations Committee , though he had to sacrifice his seat on

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3738-463: The Vietnam War. In 2000, Congress authorized the placement on the Memorial site of a plaque honoring post-war casualties of Vietnam whose names are not eligible for inscription on The Wall. The In Memory plaque was dedicated in 2004 and reads: "In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice." VVMF worked with several organizations and architects to ensure that

3827-489: The administration became well-known, causing columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak to name him the "new supervillain... in President Nixon's doghouse". Evans and Novak also commented that "not since [ Charles Goodell ] was defeated with White House connivance has any Republican so outraged Mr. Nixon and his senior staff as Mathias. The senator's liberalism and tendency to bolt party lines have bred animosity in

3916-475: The angle's open side, and continued within the earth itself. As we turn to leave, we see these walls stretching into the distance, directing us to the Washington Monument, to the left, and the Lincoln Memorial, to the right, thus bringing the Vietnam Memorial into an historical context. We the living are brought to a concrete realization of these deaths. "Brought to a sharp awareness of such a loss, it

4005-425: The building of flying machines. We're making choices that are shaping the world in which our children will live. Our commitment to air and space is a pledge to them that the quality of our lives will be better and their horizons broader because of technology, of vision, of human qualities that we bring in our generation to conquering the endless cosmic frontier which stretches before us. I've always believed that mankind

4094-408: The chronological order of their dates of casualty, showing the war as a series of individual human sacrifices and giving each name a special place in history. Statement by Maya Ying Lin, March, 1981 (presented as part of her competition submission) "Walking through this park-like area, the memorial appears as a rift in the earth, a long, polished, black stone wall, emerging from and receding into

4183-551: The conservative delegates from Maryland who attended. At the beginning of the new Congress in 1977, Mathias was in line for several potential committee promotions to ranking member . However, Mathias' outspoken criticism of the party in the previous election cycle aroused enmity amongst his colleagues. On the Judiciary Committee , Mathias had the most seniority of any other member except Strom Thurmond of South Carolina , who already held another ranking membership on

4272-576: The controversial nature of the war itself. Today, VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation's Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF's mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era. VVMF partners with the National Park Service on the long-term care and preservation of the Memorial site. See WWW.VVMF.ORG The Wall That Heals

4361-485: The curse of big money that has led to so much trouble in the last year". However, he still managed to raise over $ 250,000, nearly five times Mikulski's total. Ideologically, Mikulski and Mathias agreed on many issues, such as closing tax loopholes and easing taxes on the middle class . On two issues, however, Mathias argued to reform Congress and the U.S. tax system to address inflation and corporate price fixing, contrary to Mikulski. In retrospect, The Washington Post felt

4450-511: The date of June 9, 1977, Carter wrote the following in his White House Diary: "We continued our budget meetings. It's obvious that the space shuttle is just a contrivance to keep NASA alive, and that no real need for the space shuttle was determined before the massive construction program was initiated." On NASA's own 50th anniversary website, space historian John Logsdon described the Carter presidency in less than flattering terms. " Jimmy Carter

4539-416: The design and plans received final federal approval, and work at the site was begun on March 16, 1982. Ground was formally broken on Friday, March 26, 1982. In July 1982, VVMF selected Washington, D.C. sculptor Frederick Hart to design the sculpture of the servicemen to be placed at the site. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts finally unanimously accepted the proposed sculpture and flagstaff. Construction at

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4628-446: The earth. Approaching the memorial, the ground slopes gently downward and the low walls emerging on either side, growing out of the earth, extend and converge at a point below and ahead. Walking into this grassy site contained by the walls of the memorial we can barely make out the carved names upon the memorial's walls. These names, seemingly infinite in number, convey the sense of overwhelming numbers, while unifying these individuals into

4717-747: The election was "an intelligent discussion of state, national, and foreign affairs by two smart, well-informed people". With Maryland voters, Mathias benefited from his frequent disagreements with the Nixon administration and his liberal voting record. On November 5, 1974, he was re-elected by a 57% to 43% margin, though he lost badly in Baltimore City and Baltimore County , where Mikulski was popular. Mikulski would win his seat 12 years later in 1986 after Mathias retired. In 1975, Mathias co-introduced legislation with Illinois Senator Adlai Stevenson III that would prohibit foreign aid to South Vietnam after June 30, 1975. Mathias expressed concerns with

4806-627: The final test flight of Columbia . Jim Beggs of NASA , Lynn Helms of the FAA, Deputy Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci , Deputy Secretary of Commerce Guy Fiske , Don Fuqua , Chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee, Anna Chennault and General Clifton von Kann also participated. The event was attended by senior executives of the Departments of Commerce and Defense, diplomats and nearly one hundred journalists. It included

4895-455: The general election in a landslide to Mikulski. Mathias remained active in his final days in the Senate, playing an important role in removing a death penalty provision in a 1986 Senate drug bill after threatening filibuster , and in preparing impeachment trial proceedings against federal judge Harry E. Claiborne . Mathias' last day in the Senate was January 3, 1987, at which point he was succeeded by Mikulski. Mathias strongly supported

4984-434: The group chose George Price, a conservative member of the Maryland House of Delegates from Baltimore County. At one point, Mathias was close to being denied attendance to the convention altogether as an at-large delegate, but a last minute compromise ensured all Republican congressional representatives seats as at-large delegates. Mathias maintained a low profile during the convention, and received harsh criticism from some of

5073-439: The hard-line wing of the party. Mathias later stated that he had never seriously considered switching parties. When it came time to nominate members to the 1980 Republican National Convention , Maryland Republicans voted for Mathias and Bauman as co-chairmen of the delegation to represent the liberal and conservative wings of the party, respectively. The 1980 nomination contest lacked the "fierce ideological bickering that marked

5162-431: The increasing influence of conservative Republicans led by Ronald Reagan . His confrontations with conservatives cost him several leadership positions in the Senate, including chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee . Despite isolation from his conservative colleagues, Mathias played an influential role in fostering African American civil rights, ending the Vietnam War , preserving the Chesapeake Bay , and constructing

5251-403: The inner sanctum". Due to their differing ideologies, there was speculation that Mathias was going to be "purged" from the party by Nixon in a similar manner as Goodell in 1971, but these threats disappeared after the Watergate scandal escalated. By the numbers, Mathias sided with the Nixon administration 47% of the time, and voted with the majority of his Republican colleagues in the Senate 31% of

5340-458: The latter subcommittee, Mathias had more seniority than any other member. However, party leaders were uneasy with the idea of allowing Mathias to team up with liberal Democrat and subcommittee chairman Birch Bayh , and voted instead for William L. Scott as ranking member. After these slights, speculation was raised that Mathias would leave the Republican Party, especially as the 1980 elections were approaching. Several prominent conservatives in

5429-691: The model. Following the President's remarks, Senator Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee, presented Walter J. Boyne , Acting Director of the National Air and Space Museum , with the Air and Space Bicentennial symbol which flew in space with the Columbia shuttle mission STS-5 in November 1982. The logo, signed by all four astronauts, was the subject of the first televised commercial from space when mission commander Vance Brand displayed it for television and briefly told

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5518-612: The money needed to build the Memorial. On July 1, 1980, Congress authorized a site of three acres in Constitution Gardens near the Lincoln Memorial . In October of that year, VVMF announced a national design competition open to any U.S. citizen over 18 years of age. By December 29, 1981, there were 2,573 registrants, and the competition became the largest of its kind ever held in the United States. By

5607-415: The names to be carved in a simple Trojan letter. The memorial's construction involves recontouring the area within the wall's boundaries, so as to provide for an easily accessible descent, but as much of the site as possible should be left untouched. The area should remain as a park, for all to enjoy." Construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial began on March 16, 1982, though the official ground-breaking

5696-519: The plaque is harmonious with the site's other elements. The founders of the memorial set forth to collect several million dollars from private donors. In its first three years, the VVMF collected more than $ 8 million from more than 275,000 Americans. No government/federal funds were used to build the Memorial. In October 1980, the VVMF announced a contest for the design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial would be open to anyone over 18 years of age. The contest

5785-463: The presidency, and asked for his name to be withdrawn from the Massachusetts primary ballot, where it had been added automatically. He had also been considering an independent bid, but said raising money would be too difficult under campaign finance laws. Upon his withdrawal, Mathias stated he would work with the Republican Party in the upcoming elections. However, despite his pledge to support

5874-539: The primary issue of his campaign, where he accused Mathias of being weak. Mathias countered, stating he had voted for over $ 1.1 trillion in defense spending during his career in the Senate. By winning easy re-election, Mathias became the first Maryland Republican to win election to a third Senate term, and also the only Republican to win the city of Baltimore up to that point. He also secured support from several precincts of Baltimore's Democratic political machine, and several labor unions. After Republicans gained control of

5963-527: The proposed open housing law. Concerning environmental issues, Mathias sponsored legislation to make the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal a national park , and supported other conservation initiatives along the Potomac River . He also served on the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on the District of Columbia . As a member of the D.C. Committee, Mathias was a proponent of establishing home rule in

6052-534: The schedule for The Wall That Heals, go to www.vvmf.org/the-wall-that-heals VVMF has an initiative to find pictures of all those whose names are inscribed on The Wall. VVMF wants to have digital images and profiles for every service member to further preserve their legacy. As of early 2021, VVMF has collected images for all but 100 service members on The Wall. The Wall of Faces can be found here: www.vvmf.org/thewall Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. Charles McCurdy Mathias Jr. (July 24, 1922 – January 25, 2010)

6141-479: The site was completed in November 1982. The Memorial was dedicated on November 13, 1982. The Three Servicemen statue was added in 1984. That same year, the Memorial was given as a "gift" to the American people during a ceremony with President Ronald Reagan . In 1993, the Vietnam Women's Memorial by sculptor Glenna Goodacre was added to the Memorial site to represent the heroic work of women who served in

6230-524: The stars. In 1979, when President Carter considered terminating the Space Shuttle program , given its technical and scheduling problems, Mathias, who was in his second term (at the beginning of the new Congress in 1977, Mathias was in line for several potential committee promotions to ranking member) played a major role in saving it. Between 1981 and 1985 Mathias also had a close relationship with NASA Administrator Jim Beggs . In June 1982 he

6319-698: The state in favor of a Mathias candidacy. Their decision was largely due to the geography of Mathias' seat. As representative of the 6th district, he already had established name recognition in both the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. , metropolitan areas, the more densely populated and liberal areas of the state. Morton's seat was anchored in the more rural Eastern Shore . Mathias' seat was also more likely to stay in Republican hands. While Morton's seat had been in Republican hands for all but four years since 1947 due to its socially conservative bent, it still voted for Democrats downballot. Mathias had also established

6408-433: The state of his party leading up to the 1976 presidential election , specifically its shift further to the right. Referring to the nomination contest between Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan , Mathias remarked that the party leadership was placed "in further isolation, in an extreme—almost fringe—position". On November 8, 1975, he hinted at entering some presidential primary elections to steer the party away from what he saw as

6497-481: The state, such as U.S. Representatives Marjorie Holt and Robert Bauman , were considering challenging Mathias for his seat. In contrast, the Democratic side of the aisle had fewer challengers, suggesting Mathias would win renomination more easily if he were to switch parties. However, Mathias chose to remain as a Republican, and teamed up with eight other Republican senators to express their dissatisfaction with

6586-588: The time, during his first term. In early 1974, the group Americans for Democratic Action rated Mathias the most liberal member of the GOP in the Senate based on twenty key votes in the 1973 legislative session. At 90 percent, his score was higher than most Democrats in the Senate, and was fourth highest amongst all members. Issues considered when rating senators included their positions on civil rights , mass transit , D.C. home rule, tax reform , and reducing overseas troop levels. The League of Women Voters gave Mathias

6675-417: The top of the ticket. At the national level, Mathias' announcement came shortly after news that Republican Paul Laxalt of Nevada would be retiring as well. The departure of two Republican senators from swing or Democratic-leaning states was treated by Republican party leaders as a poor sign of the party's chances in the upcoming elections. Linda Chavez won the Republican primary for the Senate seat, but lost

6764-632: The two primary issues became the war and crime. Mathias argued that the extensive bombing campaigns in North Vietnam should be reduced, while Brewster had argued for increasing bombardment. Brewster adopted a hard line stance on law and order, while Mathias advocated addressing the precipitating causes of poverty and the low standard of living in urban ghettos . Campaign finances were also an issue, with controversy erupting over Brewster's receipt of $ 15,000 in campaign contributions from his Senate staff and their families. On November 5, 1968, Mathias

6853-409: The war, in chronological order. These names continue on this wall appearing to recede into the earth at the wall's end. The names resume on the left wall as the wall emerges from the earth, continuing back to the origin where the date of the last death is carved at the bottom of this wall. Thus the war's beginning and end meet; the war is ‘complete,' coming full-circle, yet broken by the earth that bounds

6942-443: The western end of Constitution Gardens was requested as the site. Subsequently, VVMF set four major criteria for the design: (1) that it be reflective and contemplative in character, (2) that it harmonize with its surroundings, especially the neighboring national memorials, (3) that it contain the names of all who died or remain missing, and (4) that it make no political statement about the war. Maya Lin conceived her design as creating

7031-487: The year beginning January 1, 1983 as the Bicentennial of Air and Space Flight, which became Public Law (No: 97-413). On November 9, 1982, Mathias, Mihlon and Le Grelle did organize a ceremony in the Senate caucus room to launch the Bicentennial Year. The event televised life, hosted by Vice-President Bush included a taped message from President Reagan and featured first close-up coverage of Challenger via life remote from Cape Canaveral and last minute preparation for

7120-570: Was an American politician and attorney from the U.S. state of Maryland . A member of the Republican Party , he served in both chambers of the United States Congress as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1959 to 1961 and as a member of the United States Senate from 1969 to 1987. He was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1959 to 1961. After studying law and serving in

7209-764: Was approached by Larry Mihlon, a former member of President Kennedy's space team, with an idea of Bernard Le Grelle , who had been appointed by the French President François Mitterrand as Director of the National Air and Space 1983 Bicentennial Organisation, to set up a similar organization in the United States . Mathias accepted to be the Chairman of the United States Organizing Committee of

7298-498: Was confirmed. Mathias was also an early advocate for setting a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, and was against the bombing campaigns Nixon launched into Laos . In October 1972, Mathias became the first Republican on Ted Kennedy 's Judiciary subcommittee and one of only a few in the nation to support investigation of the Watergate Scandal , which was still in its early stages. Mathias' disagreements with

7387-516: Was elected to the Senate in 1968, unseating the incumbent Democrat, Daniel Brewster , who twenty years earlier had been his roommate while attending the University of Maryland School of Law . He continued his record as a liberal Republican in the Senate, and frequently clashed with the conservative wing of his party. For a few months in late 1975 and early 1976, Mathias considered running an insurgent presidential campaign in an attempt to stave off

7476-584: Was elected, garnering 48% of the vote to Brewster's 39% and perennial candidate George P. Mahoney 's 13%. Mathias began his first term in the Senate in January 1969 and laid out his legislative agenda soon thereafter. He was appointed to the District of Columbia committee , where he argued in favor of home rule in the district and providing D.C. residents full representation in both chambers of Congress. Both were positions he carried over from his career in

7565-621: Was on Friday, March 26, 1982. The construction was finished in late October 1982. The memorial was formally dedicated on November 13, 1982. The Three Soldiers statue by Frederick Hart was added in 1984, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial was added in 1993. The In Memory plaque was added in 2004. The various elements of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site on the National Mall have been a subject of numerous controversies revolving around design issues. Probably no other major US memorial has been as controversial. This perhaps partially reflects

7654-530: Was perhaps the least supportive of US human space efforts of any president in the last half-century ", Logsdon wrote. Carter's Vice President, Walter Mondale , called the Space Shuttle a " senseless extravaganza " in 1972. A senator from Minnesota at the time, Mondale had vigorously opposed early funding measures to begin development of the shuttle. His views exemplified those who believed the United States had more pressing needs for its money than chasing

7743-470: Was politically active, and he was a descendant of several Maryland legislators, including Charles Edward Trail . After graduating from Frederick High School , Mathias graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania in 1944. He went on to attend Yale University and received a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1949. In 1942, during World War II , Mathias enlisted in

7832-408: Was the daughter of former Massachusetts governor Robert F. Bradford . Their children included sons Robert and Charles. On January 4, 1960, Mathias declared his candidacy for the House seat of Maryland's 6th congressional district . He officially began his campaign in March, establishing public education and controls on government spending as two of his priorities should he be elected. In

7921-419: Was the largest of its kind ever held in the United States, with over 2,573 contestants, and was judged by eight professional artists and architects. The winner of the contest was Maya Ying Lin , who submitted the idea for a wall. The material would be highly reflective black granite. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund wanted, above all, for the memorial to have a prominent site in a large, park-like area; thus,

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