Born:
November 19, 1939 Cumming, Iowa
Political party:
Democratic
Assumed office:
January 3, 1985
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Phone:
(202) 224-3254

Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin was born in Cumming, Iowa. His father was a coal miner and his mother was a Slovenian immigrant who died when he was 10.

Harkin graduated from the Iowa State University in 1962 and received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in 1972.

He served in the United States Navy from 1962?1967. Harkin was stationed at Atsugi Naval Air Station in Japan, where he ferried damaged aircraft to and from the airbase. He was also stationed for a time at Guantanamo Bay, where he flew missions in support of U-2 planes reconnoitering Cuba.

Harkin was an aide to Democratic Congressman Neal Smith, when he accompanied a congressional delegation that went to South Vietnam in 1970. Harkin published photographs he took during the trip and a detailed account of "tiger cages" at Con Son Island prison in Life Magazine on July 17, 1970. The account exposed shocking, inhuman conditions which prisoners endured.

See also:
harkin.senate.gov
en.wikipedia.org