John DeCamp

John W. DeCamp (July 6, 1941 – July 27, 2017) was a Republican politician from the state of Nebraska who served in the Nebraska legislature from 1971 to 1987. He served as an infantry officer in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.[2]

John DeCamp
Member of the Nebraska Senate
from the 40th district
In office
1971–1987
Preceded byWilliam M. Wylie[1]
Succeeded byCap Dierks
Personal details
Born(1941-07-06)July 6, 1941
Neligh, Nebraska,
United States
DiedJuly 27, 2017(2017-07-27) (aged 76)
Political partyRepublican
Libertarian
OccupationAttorney
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Rank Captain
Battles/warsVietnam War

Biography

Born in Neligh, Nebraska, DeCamp joined the United States Army during the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of captain in the infantry.[2] He was decorated for his service in Vietnam.[2]

In 1975 he initiated Operation Baby Lift, which evacuated 2,800 orphaned Vietnamese children.[3] He was later assigned to serve as an aide to former CIA director William Colby, who was deputy ambassador to Vietnam at the time.

Beginning his campaign for election while still stationed in Vietnam, DeCamp was elected and served four terms as a Nebraska state senator, from 1971 to 1987. He was described as "a strong advocate for veterans".[2]

After the legislature

In 1992, DeCamp wrote a mass market paperback book titled The Franklin Cover-up: Child Abuse, Satanism, and Murder in Nebraska in which he alleged that the Franklin child prostitution ring allegations were actually true and involved murder and Satanism.[2]

DeCamp served as a lawyer for the Militia of Montana, a constitutional militia movement group, in the 1990s.[4]

In 1996, DeCamp ran for the U.S. Senate as a Libertarian; he lost to Chuck Hagel.

In 2006, DeCamp attempted to return to the Nebraska legislature, running for a seat in the 30th District, which consisted of Gage County and southern Lancaster County. In the nonpartisan primary, he placed fourth of six candidates, with 12.3% of the vote; the top two vote-getters moved on to the general election, in which Norm Wallman was elected to the seat.[5][6][7]

In Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers's 2008 satirical lawsuit against God, DeCamp acted as the attorney for God.[8]

DeCamp died in Norfolk, Nebraska, on July 27, 2017.[9] He had suffered from Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.[2]

References
  1. "Nebraska Blue Book 1968–69", p. 258. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  2. Young, JoAnne (1 August 2017). "Controversial former senator John DeCamp dies". Journal Star. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved 1 August 2017. DeCamp wrote a book first published in 1992 about what he believed was a cover-up of the reasons behind the failure of the Omaha Franklin Federal Credit Union
  3. "American Experience: Daughter From Danang: People & Events: Operation Babylift (1975)". PBS.
  4. "Groups see themselves as Constitution protectors". Luddington Daily News. 26 May 1995. p. 1.
  5. Bauer, Scott. "DeCamp makes racial remark about Chambers". Lincoln Journal Star. April 4, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  6. "Member of the Legislature". Archived 2015-02-21 at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Secretary of State: primary election, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  7. "Member of the Legislature". Archived 2015-02-10 at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Secretary of State: general election, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. Jones, Ashby "Does an All-Knowing God Need Notice of a Lawsuit?" Wall Street Journal. February 11, 2009.
  9. Cordes, Henry J. "John DeCamp remembered as one of Nebraska's most accomplished, controversial lawmakers". Omaha World-Herald. July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
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