Kenneth J. Gray

Kenneth James Gray (born November 14, 1924) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born in West Frankfort, Illinois, Gray attended the West Frankfort and Pope County elementary schools and graduated from West Frankfort Community High School. He was owner of Gray Motors, West Frankfort, Illinois from 1942 to 1954. A certificated pilot, he operated an air service at Benton, Illinois, 1948 to 1952. During the World War II, he served from January 1943 as a crew chief with the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa. He served with the combat engineers of the Fifth Army in Italy. He returned to the Twelfth Air Force and participated in combat over southern France and central Europe until discharged as a first sergeant in December 1945. He was one of the founders of the Walking Dog Foundation for the Blind. He is a licensed auctioneer.

Gray was elected as a Democrat to the 84th and to the nine succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1955, until his resignation December 31, 1974. He was known as the primary backer of converting Washington, D.C.'s Union Station into the National Visitor Center.cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,953582-1,00.html | title=In Washington, D.C.: Last Stop for Union Station | author=Maureen Dowd | publisher="Time" | date=1982-10-25] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1974 to the 94th Congress.

Gray was elected as a Democrat to the 99th and 100th Congresses (January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1989).He was not a candidate for renomination in 1988 to the 101st Congress. He is a resident of West Frankfort, Illinois.

References