Richard Bernard Vail (August 31, 1895 – July 29, 1955) was an American businessman and

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Background

Richard B. Vail was born on August 31, 1895, in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. He attended public school, the School of Commerce, the Chicago Technical College, and the John Marshall Law School.

Career

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

as a lieutenant of

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

. He then engaged in the manufacture of steel products.

Federal service

Vail worked for the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

(FBI) before running for office. Vail was elected as a Republican to the Eightieth Congress (January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949). He served on the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 19 ...

. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1948 to the Eighty-first Congress. Vail was elected to the Eighty-second Congress (January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1953). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1952 to the Eighty-third Congress and for election in 1954 to the Eighty-fourth Congress.

Private sector

He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Vail Manufacturing Company of Chicago. Vail manufactured staplers, paper clips, and fasteners and was eventually acquired by Acco International in 1966.

Personal and death

Vail died age 59 on July 29, 1955, in Chicago and was interred in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

References