Anchorage Daily News

1923: Born Nov. 18 in Indianapolis, third of four children.

Mid-1920s: Family moves to Chicago; father works as accountant.

1929-30: Father loses job after stock market crash; parents divorce; siblings return to Indianapolis to live with grandparents, father.

1938: After father dies, moves to Manhattan Beach, Calif., to live with aunt.

1942: Graduates from Redondo Union High School, Redondo Beach, Calif. Enrolls in Oregon State University; attends one semester.

1943: Enrolls in Montana State College for Army Air Corps cadet training. Joins Army Air Corps in Santa Ana, Calif.; receives wings in 1944.

1944-46: Serves as transport pilot flying C-46s and C-47s in China-Burma-India theater during WWII; receives Distinguished Flying Cross.

1947: Graduates with B.A. in political science from UCLA.

1950: Graduates from Harvard Law School; admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C.

1950: Hired by Washington D.C. law firm, Northcutt Ely; works as legal advisor to Usibelli Coal Mine in Healy, AK.

1952: Marries Ann Mary Cherrington in Denver, Colo. The union produces five children: Susan, Elizabeth, Walter, Theodore Jr. and Ben.

1952: Drives up Alaska Highway to begin practicing law in Fairbanks.

1953: Appointed U.S. attorney, Fairbanks.

1956: Moves to D.C. as legislative counsel to secretary of Interior; works behind the scenes to advance Alaska statehood.

1957: Passes Alaska bar exam.

1960: Appointed chief counsel to Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton.

1961: Returns to Alaska after Kennedy election to practice law in Anchorage.

1962: Runs for U.S. Senate on Republican ticket; defeated in general election by incumbent Democrat, Sen. Ernest Gruening.

1964: Elected to Alaska House of Representatives. Re-elected in 1966; serves as House Majority leader.

1968: Runs for U.S. Senate as Republican; loses primary to Anchorage banker Elmer Rasmuson (who loses in general election to Democrat Mike Gravel).

1968: Appointed to U.S. Senate by Alaska Gov. Walter Hickel on Dec. 24 to fill vacancy left by death of Sen. E.L. Bartlett, a Democrat.

1970: Elected to U.S. Senate in a special election on Nov. 3 to complete Bartlett's term.

1971: Plays major role in drafting 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which paves way for construction of trans-Alaska pipeline.

1972: Re-elected to U.S. Senate with 77 percent of vote.

1973: Helps win U.S. Senate approval of trans-Alaska pipeline act by one-vote margin.

1977: Serves as Republican whip, U.S. Senate, through 1985.

1978: Re-elected to U.S. Senate with 76 percent of the vote.

1978: Survives Learjet crash at Anchorage International Airport; five people die, including wife Ann.

1979: Plays major role in shaping 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

1980: Marries Catherine Bittner Chandler (daughter Lily born in 1981).

1984: Re-elected to U.S. Senate with 71 percent of the vote.

1990: Re-elected to U.S. Senate with 66 percent of the vote.

1996: Reelected to U.S. Senate with 77 percent of the vote.

1997: Chairs Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 to 2001 and 2003 to 2005; directs more than $3 billion in federal money to Alaska from 1995 to 2008.

1998: Receives first of 10 "Oinker Awards" for wasteful government spending, presented by Citizens Against Government Waste.

2000: Voted "Alaskan of the Century" by Alaskan of the Year Committee.

2000: Honored by Alaska Legislature, which renames state's largest airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

2002: Re-elected to U.S. Senate with 78 percent of the vote; becomes longest-serving Republican senator.

2003: Accused in Los Angeles Times story of using political influence to amass personal wealth.

2003: Appointed president pro tempore U.S. Senate, serves through 2007.

2007: Named in May 29 Daily News story as subject of federal grand jury probe into remodeling of his home in Girdwood, coordinated by Veco Corp.

2007: FBI and IRS agents raid his Girdwood home on July 30.

2008: Files for re-election on Feb. 21 for eighth term in U.S. Senate.

2008: Indicted Tuesday on seven federal criminal counts.

Sources: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress; 2008 Almanac of American Politics; Who's Who is Alaskan Politics; Anchorage Daily News files. Compiled by George Bryson

Find George Bryson online at adn.com/contact/gbryson or call 257-4318.

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