Background
Hughes was born in rural Ida County, Iowa. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army, fighting in the North African campaign, and was court-martialed for assaulting an officer. The trial resulted in him being sent to fight in Sicily in 1943. He became ill and another soldier took his place on a landing craft at Anzio. The craft exploded, killing his replacement, Pvt. Walter Thomsen, and many others.
Hughes' interest in politics was stirred by involvement in the trucking industry. He became a manager of a local trucking business, and then began organizing independent truckers. He started the Iowa Better Trucking Bureau and was eventually elected to the State Commerce Commission, which he served from 1958–1962, including a term as its chairman.
Read more about this topic: Harold Hughes
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