Gale William McGee was born March 17, 1915 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He graduated from Norfolk (NE) High School in 1932. He later earned degrees from Nebraska State Teachers College in 1936, the Univer­sity of Colorado in 1939, and the University of Chi­cago in 1947. McGee went on to a career as a high school and college teacher in Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana and Illinois. He came to the University of Wyoming in 1946 and eventually attained the rank of professor of history. Though he continued his work at the University of Wyoming until 1958, he took leave to work as a legislative assistant in Washington under Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney during 1955 and 1956. He won election to the U.S. Senate in November of 1958 and began an 18-year term of service in that body in January of 1959.

Senator McGee was defeated by Malcolm Wallop in his 1976 bid for a fourth term. Following his departure from Congress he accepted an appointment as the U.S. representative to the Organization of Ameri­can States. Later he entered private business as a principal in a Wash­ington public relations firm. He continued to live in Washington, D.C. until his death in 1992.

Additional Resources

•  Oral History Interview with Ambassador Gale McGee, The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, December 9, 1988
•  "President's Tribute to Senator Gale McGee, Taped for Replay at a Dinner in Wyoming, 9 July 1963". JFK Library.
• Gale McGee, 77, Wyoming Democrat In Senate 18 Years, New York Times, 4/10/1992