Will Rogers, Jr.
| Will Rogers Jr. | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 16th district |
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In office January 3, 1943 – May 23, 1944 |
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| Preceded by | Leland M. Ford |
| Succeeded by | Ellis E. Patterson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Vann Rogers October 20, 1911 New York City |
| Died | July 9, 1993 (aged 81) Tubac, Arizona |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
William Vann Rogers, generally known as Will Rogers Jr. (October 20, 1911 – July 9, 1993), was a son of legendary humorist Will Rogers (1879–1935) and his wife, the former Betty Blake (1879–1944). He was a Democratic U. S. Representative from California from January 3, 1943, until May 23, 1944, when he resigned to return to the United States Army. Rogers had several other careers, notably as a newspaper owner/publisher, an actor, writer, and a political commentator.
Rogers was born in New York City, where his father was performing. He grew up in Beverly Hills, California, and attended school there. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1935. On completing his studies, he served as publisher of the Beverly Hills Citizen newspaper, a role in which he continued until 1953. He had been commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but did not go on active duty. With U.S. entry into World War II, however, he enlisted as a private in June 1942, and was commissioned in the field artillery the following month and assigned to the 893rd Tank destroyer Battalion.
While on active duty, Rogers was elected to the House of Representatives from California, and was sworn into office on January 3, 1943. He served in the 78th Congress. He did not complete his term, however, returning to active duty in the Army after resigning from Congress on May 23, 1944.
A confidential 1943 analysis of the House Foreign Affairs Committee by Isaiah Berlin for the British Foreign Office described Rogers as:
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