Senator James M. Inhofe

Hall of Fame, Class of 2023

U.S. Senate

Inducted 2023

James Mountain Inhofe was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on November 17, 1934, but grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He served in the US Army from 1957-58. After graduating from Basic Training at Fort Chafee, AR, he was assigned to Fort Lee, VA where he served as a clerk. Upon leaving the Army, he began a career in business that led to being a land developer, an aviation executive, and an insurance executive that included a period as President of the Quaker Insurance Company. His political career began in 1967 when he ran and won a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. After two years, he ran for the Oklahoma State Senate where he served from 1969-1977. During his time in the Senate, he attended the University of Tulsa, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1973. Following his time in the Oklahoma legislative branch with three consecutive terms as the Mayor of Tulsa from 1978-1984 before being elected to the US House of Representatives in 1987 where he served until becoming the US Senator for Oklahoma in 1995. Inhofe was a strong advocate for Army programs, especially Artillery, and a strong opponent of base closings. As the Senior member of the US Armed Services Committee, his focus was on legislation that supported compensation and care for American soldiers and veterans through fiscally sound measures. He authored legislation to enhance education benefits that included transfer to spouses and children, the creation of Traumatic Injury Centers of Excellence for Veterans, expanded availability of medical dental care for the National Guard and Reserves, and nutrition and dietary care for seriously ill and injured service members to aid in their recovery. After many years of dedicated service to the country and its military, he retired from the US Senate in January of 2023 at the age of 83.