| − | He was born to a poor Irish Catholic family in New York City. When his mother died in 1906 he was sent to live with relatives in Butte, Montana. He lied about his age and joined the military in 1917, serving in the Navy, Army and Marines until 1922. After years as a copper miner in Butte, he graduated with BA and MA degrees from Montana State University in 1933 and 1934. Mansfield stayed on a s a professor of Latin American and Asian history. He defeated Republican [[Jeannette Rankin]] for Congress in 1942, and was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Committee, where he specialized in Asian issues. | + | He was born to a poor [[Irish Catholic family]] in [[New York City]]. When his mother died in 1906, he was sent to live with relatives in Butte, Montana. He lied about his age and joined the military in 1917, serving in the Navy, Army and Marines until 1922. After years as a copper miner in Butte, he graduated with BA and MA degrees from Montana State University in 1933 and 1934. Mansfield stayed on as a professor of Latin American and Asian history. He defeated Republican [[Jeannette Rankin]] for Congress in 1942, and was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Committee, where he specialized in Asian issues. |