Aandahl, Fred George, 1897-1966

Fred Aandahl of Litchville, N.D. served in the N.D. Senate (1931-1932 & 1939-1940), as North Dakota Governor (1945-1950), and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1951-1953). He also was Assistant Secretary of the Interior during the Eisenhower Administration for eight years.

Fred George Aandahl was born April 9, 1897, in Litchville, North Dakota. His father, Sam served in the North Dakota legislature in 1903. Fred G. Aandahl attended a one-room country school, before graduating from Litchville High School. He attended the University of North Dakota, graduating in 1921 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. His major was law with history and economics being his minor. Aandahl was Superintendent of Schools in Litchville from 1922 to 1927. He retired from his career in education to focus his energies on the administration of the family farm. He married Luella Brekke on June 28, 1926. The couple had three daughters: Louise, Margaret and Marilyn. Fred Aandahl won a seat in the North Dakota Senate in 1930, returning in 1938 and 1940. In the State Senate, Aandahl served on the Appropriations Committee and was known for his strong support of education. Aandahl was a leading member of the Republican Organizing Committee (ROC). The ROC was created to unite all Republicans opposed to William Langer and the Nonpartisan League. Aandahl delivered the keynote address at its first convention. With the strong backing of the ROC, Aandahl won the Republican nomination for Governor in the June primary. In the November election, he defeated three-term Attorney General Alvin Strutz. One of Aandahl's first major decisions in office was to appoint a replacement for the recently deceased John Moses to the United States Senate. On 12 March 1945, Aandahl named Milton Young. Aandahl was Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1950, before being elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1950. He served one term in the House. Aandahl was then named Assistant Secretary of the Interior, by President Dwight Eisenhower in February 1953. He served the Eisenhower administration in this capacity until 1961. When the Kennedy Administration took office in January 1961, Aandahl retired to his Litchville farm. He died on April 7, 1966 in Fargo.

Fred G. Aandahl of Litchville, N.D. served in the N.D. Senate (1931-1933 & 1939-1943), as North Dakota Governor (1945-1951), and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1951-1953). He also was Assistant Secretary of the Interior (1953-1961) during the Eisenhower Administration for eight years.