Melvin Maas

Melvin Maas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 4th district
In office March 4, 1927 – March 3, 1933
Preceded by	Oscar Keller
Succeeded by	District inactive
In office January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1945
Preceded by	District inactive
Succeeded by	Frank Starkey
Personal details
Born	Melvin Joseph Maas (1898-05-14)May 14, 1898 Duluth, Minnesota
Died	Bethesda, Maryland
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	St. Thomas College
Military service
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1918-1952
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	World War I

Melvin Joseph Maas (May 14, 1898 – April 14, 1964) was a U.S. Representative from Minnesota.

Biography

Melvin Joseph Maas was born in Duluth, Minnesota, May 14, 1898. He moved with his parents to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1898. Educated in the public schools, he graduated from St. Thomas College at St. Paul in 1919 and also attended the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. He worked in the insurance business.

During the World War I, Maas served in the aviation branch of the United States Marine Corps in 1918 and 1919. He left active duty in 1925 and served in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring on August 1, 1952 at the rank of major general.

Maas was elected as a Republican to the 70th, 71st, and 72nd Congresses (March 4, 1927 – March 3, 1933). He ran unsuccessfully for renomination in 1932.

On December 13, 1932, a 25-year-old department store clerk from Pennsylvania pulled a gun in the House visitors' gallery and demanded to be allowed to address the House. As members fled the chamber, Maas stood his ground and shouted to the man that no one was allowed to speak in the House while carrying a weapon and demanded that he throw it down. The man did so, was promptly arrested, and escorted from the House Chamber by police. For this act of courage, Maas received the Carnegie Medal.

He was re-elected to the 74th, 75th, 76th, 77th, and 78th Congresses (January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1945). Maas served in the South Pacific as a colonel in the United States Marine Corps from 1942 to 1942 while still a Member of Congress. He again was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1944 to the 79th Congress.

Maas was special advisor to the House Naval Affairs Committee in 1946. From 1947 to 1951, he was assistant to the chairman of the board of the Sperry Corporation in New York City.

In 1949, he became a member of the President’s Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped; he served as chairman from 1954 to 1964. He had been stricken with total blindness in August 1951.

Maas was a resident of Chevy Chase, Maryland until his death in Bethesda, Maryland on April 13, 1964. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Papers

Correspondence, reports, photographs, diaries, and professional papers are available for research use.

References

• Melvin Maas at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Oscar Keller	U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 4th congressional district 1927 – 1933	Succeeded by At large on a General ticket: Henry M. Arens, Ray P. Chase, Theodore Christianson, Einar Hoidale, Magnus Johnson, Harold Knutson, Paul John Kvale, Ernest Lundeen, Francis Shoemaker
Preceded by At large on a General ticket: Henry M. Arens, Ray P. Chase, Theodore Christianson, Einar Hoidale, Magnus Johnson, Harold Knutson, Paul John Kvale, Ernest Lundeen, Francis Shoemaker	U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 4th congressional district 1935 – 1945	Succeeded by Frank Starkey