Bennett D. Katz (October 7, 1918 - November 1, 2007) was an American Republican politician from

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

. Katz was born on October 7, 1918, in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, and attended schools in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, before graduating with a B.A. degree from

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...

. He was a

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

pilot and major during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. After the end of the war, he was a pilot for

American Overseas Airlines American Overseas Airlines (AOA) was an airline that operated between the United States and Europe between 1945 and 1950. It was headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. History American Export Airlines (AEA), commonly known as Am E ...

. He and his family settled in

Augusta, Maine Augusta is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Maine. The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 United States census, making it the List of cities in Maine, 12th-most populous city in Maine, and third ...

, in 1950. Katz represented Augusta in the

Maine Legislature The Maine State Legislature is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate. ...

from his election to the

Maine House of Representatives The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 voting members and three nonvoting members. The voting members represent an equal number of districts across the state and are elected via ...

in 1962 until his retirement from the

Maine Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the st ...

in 1980. He spent a total of 4 years (two terms) in the House and 14 years (7 terms) in the Senate. His time in the Senate included two terms (1969-1970; 1979-1980) as Majority Leader. His son,

Roger Katz Roger J. Katz (born c. 1950s) is an American politician and lawyer. He graduated from Cony High School in Augusta, Maine, where he played on the boys' basketball team, which won the 1973 state championship. He then went on to Harvard College and ...

, was first elected to the Maine Senate in 2010 after serving as Mayor of Augusta. Katz was instrumental in the founding of the

University of Maine at Augusta The University of Maine at Augusta (UMaine Augusta or UMA) is a public college in Augusta, Maine, United States. It is part of the University of Maine System. UMA provides baccalaureate and select associate degrees and master's degrees for re ...

in 1965. The Bennett D. Katz Library, built in 1974, is named in his honor. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Maine at Augusta before his death in

Topsham, Maine Topsham () is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. Topsham was included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area. The population was 9,560 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland-South Po ...

, nursing home on November 1, 2007.

References

External links

Wall of Honor listing
(Air and Space Friend) at the Smithsonian

National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States, dedicated to history of aviation, human flight and space exploration. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, ...

1918 births 2007 deaths Politicians from Springfield, Massachusetts Politicians from Boston Politicians from Augusta, Maine Tufts University alumni Republican Party members of the Maine House of Representatives Majority leaders of the Maine Senate United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II Military personnel from Massachusetts 20th-century members of the Maine Legislature {{Maine-MESenate-stub