Oral history interview with Sam H. Mallicoat

This oral history interview with Sam H. Mallicoat was conducted by Clark Hansen in three session, from May 23 to June 2, 1988, at Mallicoat’s home in Tigard, Oregon, as part of the Senator Mark O. Hatfield Oral History Project.

In this interview, Mallicoat discusses his family background and early life in rural Oregon. He talks about his early career as an educator in Oregon, and his naval service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He speaks about working as a lobbyist for the Oregon Railroad Association, then as the director of planning and development for the state of Oregon from 1961 to 1967, while Mark Hatfield was governor of Oregon. He focuses particularly on his interactions with Hatfield’s staff, and speaks extensively about working with U.S. Senator Wayne Morse to bring Boeing to Boardman, Oregon. He then talks about Hatfield’s opposition to the Vietnam War. He discusses Hatfield’s election to the U.S. Senate in 1966 and how he subsequently became Hatfield’s chief of staff. He talks about Hatfield’s role in the 1968 Republican convention, as well as Hatfield’s relationship to the Republican Party, particularly with Tom McCall. He describes hate mail and death threats that Hatfield received. He shares his reasons for leaving Hatfield’s staff in 1973, and describes the changes made in Hatfield’s staff by his successor, Gerry Frank. He closes the interview by talking about his own continued relationship with Hatfield.