today, we talk about congressman john patrick murtha, better known as jack murtha.e was a congressman that served almost four decades in washington, representing the people of western pennsylvania, particularly the people sort of in the areas to the east and south of the surrounding pittsburgh area. what i would like to share with you is a bit about congressman murtha's career as a military man, about his influence with military spending and also his letters in the national park service here in western pennsylvania. >> jack was actually not born here in western pennsylvania, but along the ohio river in west virginia in the 1930's. but but that his parents were originally from western pa. he finds himself coming back here as an early child. his family tradition was that they were irish catholic families, his great grandfather immigrated to this country and worked in the coal mines around places like scottsdale and mount pleasant. it is very important to note, coal mining was very important here because we are the home of the deal industry and coal -- we are the home