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Hammerschmidt was born on May 4, 1922 in Harrison, Arkansas.<ref name="AKencyc">Thomas, Felicia. [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4169 John Paul Hammerschmidt (1922–2015)]. ''The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> Both sides of his family were of [[Germany|German]] descent, and both set of his grandparents had settled in Boone County, Arkansas in the early 20th Century.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

Hammerschmidt was born on May 4, 1922 in Harrison, Arkansas.<ref name="AKencyc">Thomas, Felicia. [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4169 John Paul Hammerschmidt (1922–2015)]. ''The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> Both sides of his family were of [[Germany|German]] descent, and both set of his grandparents had settled in Boone County, Arkansas in the early 20th Century.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

Hammerschmidt graduated from Harrison High School in 1938.<ref name="CONGbio">[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000124 HAMMERSCHMIDT, John Paul, (1922 - 2015)]. ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> He attended [[The Citadel]] from 1938 to 1939, when he received an appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis.<ref name="AKencyc"/> A year later he changed that appointment so he coult attend [[West Point]].<ref name="AKencyc"/> Hemmerschmidt enrolled at the University of Arkansas for the 1940-41 school year.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He happened to be in California when the [[Japan]]ese bombed [[Pearl Harbor]] on December 7, 1941, and he decided to work in a shipyard to help in the war effort.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

Hammerschmidt graduated from Harrison High School in 1938.<ref name="CONGbio">[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000124 HAMMERSCHMIDT, John Paul, (1922 - 2015)]. ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> He attended [[The Citadel]] from 1938 to 1939, when he received an appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis.<ref name="AKencyc"/> A year later he changed that appointment so he coult attend [[West Point]].<ref name="AKencyc"/> Hemmerschmidt enrolled at the University of Arkansas for the 1940–41 school year.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He happened to be in California when the [[Japan]]ese bombed [[Pearl Harbor]] on December 7, 1941, and he decided to work in a shipyard to help in the war effort.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

==Military career==

==Military career==

Hammerschmidt quit West Point and joined the Army Air Corps, training to be a pilot.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He was commissioned as a [[Lieutenant|Second Lieutenant]] and applied to serve oversees.<ref name="AKencyc"/> From 1942-45, he served in the China-Burma-India Theater with the [[Third Combat Cargo Group]], flying 217 missions across the section of the [[Himalayas]]<ref name="CONGbio"/> called the "hump".<ref name="AKencyc"/><ref name="Advocate">[http://www.swtimes.com/news/state-news/john-paul-hammerschmidt-strong-advocate-western-arkansas-dies-92 John Paul Hammerschmidt, Strong Advocate for Western Arkansas, Dies at 92]. ''swtimes.com''. April 1, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref>

Hammerschmidt quit West Point and joined the Army Air Corps, training to be a pilot.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He was commissioned as a [[Lieutenant|Second Lieutenant]] and applied to serve oversees.<ref name="AKencyc"/> From 1942–45, he served in the China-Burma-India Theater with the [[Third Combat Cargo Group]], flying 217 missions across the section of the [[Himalayas]]<ref name="CONGbio"/> called the "hump".<ref name="AKencyc"/><ref name="Advocate">[http://www.swtimes.com/news/state-news/john-paul-hammerschmidt-strong-advocate-western-arkansas-dies-92 John Paul Hammerschmidt, Strong Advocate for Western Arkansas, Dies at 92]. ''swtimes.com''. April 1, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref>

Hammerschmidt was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]] with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, three Battle Stars, and the Meritorious Service Award.<ref name="Advocate"/> In addition, the [[Republic of China]] awarded him the China War Memorial Medal.<ref name="Advocate"/> After his service, Hammerschmidt served in Air Force Reserves from 1945–60,<ref name="CONGbio"/> retiring as a [[Major]],<ref name="Advocate"/> and then serving in the District of Columbia Army Reserves from 1977-81.<ref name="CONGbio"/>

Hammerschmidt was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]] with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, three Battle Stars, and the Meritorious Service Award.<ref name="Advocate"/> In addition, the [[Republic of China]] awarded him the China War Memorial Medal.<ref name="Advocate"/> After his service, Hammerschmidt served in Air Force Reserves from 1945–60,<ref name="CONGbio"/> retiring as a [[Major]],<ref name="Advocate"/> and then serving in the District of Columbia Army Reserves from 1977–81.<ref name="CONGbio"/>

==Post-military career and entry to politics==

==Post-military career and entry to politics==

After his military service, Hammerschmidt attended Oklahoma A&M College, but he left to take over the family lumber business in Harrison, the Hammerschmidt Lumber Co., due to an illness in his family.<ref name="AKencyc"/><ref name="CONGbio"/> He married his wife on October 11, 1948.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

After his military service, Hammerschmidt attended Oklahoma A&M College, but he left to take over the family lumber business in Harrison, the Hammerschmidt Lumber Co., due to an illness in his family.<ref name="AKencyc"/><ref name="CONGbio"/> He married his wife on October 11, 1948.<ref name="AKencyc"/>

Hammerschmidt came from a Democrat family, but he started attending Republican meetings "because the local Democratic Party was a closed group".<ref name="WaPo">Lauer, Claudia (April 3, 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-paul-hammerschmidt-arkansas-congressman-dies-at-92/2015/04/03/2575c30e-da23-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html John Paul Hammerschmidt, Arkansas congressman, dies at 92]. ''The Washinton Post''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> He served as a Harrison city councilman from 1948–54 and 1961-62.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He also served as the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party from 1964-66.<ref name="CONGbio"/> Hammerschmidt was very active in the Republican Party, serving as a delegate to the [[Republican National Convention]] in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984.<ref name="CONGbio"/>

Hammerschmidt came from a Democrat family, but he started attending Republican meetings "because the local Democratic Party was a closed group".<ref name="WaPo">Lauer, Claudia (April 3, 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-paul-hammerschmidt-arkansas-congressman-dies-at-92/2015/04/03/2575c30e-da23-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html John Paul Hammerschmidt, Arkansas congressman, dies at 92]. ''The Washinton Post''. Retrieved November 4, 2016.</ref> He served as a Harrison city councilman from 1948–54 and 1961–62.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He also served as the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party from 1964–66.<ref name="CONGbio"/> Hammerschmidt was very active in the Republican Party, serving as a delegate to the [[Republican National Convention]] in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984.<ref name="CONGbio"/>

==U.S. House of Representatives==

==U.S. House of Representatives==

==Post-congressional career==

==Post-congressional career==

Hammerschmidt earned a B.S. from Canbourne University, in London, England, in 1993 and M.A. from the same university in 1997.<ref name="CONGbio"/> Among the numerous organizations that he served on after his tenure in Congress was the board of trustees of Arkansas State University from 1999-2004.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He served again as the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party from 2002-04.<ref name="WaPo"/>

Hammerschmidt earned a B.S. from Canbourne University, in London, England, in 1993 and M.A. from the same university in 1997.<ref name="CONGbio"/> Among the numerous organizations that he served on after his tenure in Congress was the board of trustees of Arkansas State University from 1999–2004.<ref name="AKencyc"/> He served again as the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party from 2002–04.<ref name="WaPo"/>

==Personal life==

==Personal life==