RIP: Rep. John Murtha Dies at 77

Meredith Jessup | February 08, 2010 2:47 PM

Representative John Murtha, D-Pa., 77, died this afternoon at 1:18 p.m. at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., surrounded by close family members. Murtha had been being treated for complications from infection following gallbladder surgery.

Murtha had been Pennsylvania's longest-serving Member of Congress, having served since he was elected to the House of Representatives in February of 1974. As a former Marine, Murtha was also the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to serve in the U.S. Congress.