Max Cleland Dies; Senator and Veteran Lost Limbs in Vietnam

Max Cleland Dies; Senator and Veteran Lost Limbs in Vietnam
Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.), foreground, raises his hand to the crowd at a campaign rally in downtown Atlanta, on Aug. 21, 2002. Ric Feld/AP Photo
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ATLANTA—Max Cleland, who lost three limbs to a hand grenade in Vietnam and later became a groundbreaking Veterans Administration chief and U.S. senator from Georgia until an attack ad questioning his patriotism derailed his reelection, died on Tuesday. He was 79.

Cleland died at his home in Atlanta from congestive heart failure, his personal assistant Linda Dean told The Associated Press.