1. John David Melcher was an American politician of the Democratic Party who represented Montana for four terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and as a United States Senator for two terms from 1977 until 1989.
John Melcher attended the University of Minnesota before joining the military.
John Melcher served in the United States Army during World War II, and participated in the D-Day Invasion of Normandy with the 76th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II.
John Melcher was wounded in action in Germany and awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Bronze Star.
John Melcher then served as mayor of Forsyth in 1955, for three terms.
John Melcher was elected to the United States House of Representatives by special election on June 24,1969, to fill a vacancy created when the incumbent, Republican James F Battin, resigned to accept an appointment to the Federal bench.
John Melcher was re-elected to the three succeeding Congresses and served from June 24,1969, to January 3,1977.
John Melcher had been targeted by National Conservative Political Action Committee as potentially vulnerable, and he was subjected to attack ads depicting him as "too liberal for Montana".
John Melcher's response became a classic of campaign advertising, featuring a shot of an "out-of-stater" carrying a briefcase full of money, followed by a conversation among several cows deploring their intervention in the race.
John Melcher attributed the loss to a lack of time spent campaigning.
John Melcher had generally liberal views on environmental issues, but was pro-life and supported prayer in public schools.
John Melcher was a co-sponsor of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, which regulated coal strip mining.
John Melcher was responsible in 1984 for an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act that required psychological well-being to be protected in primate research.
John Melcher died on April 12,2018, in Missoula, Montana, at the age of 93.