Lawrence Patton McDonald ( April 1 , 1935 – September 1 , 1983 ) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives , representing Georgia 's 7th congressional district as a Democrat from 1975 until he was killed while a passenger on board Korean Air Lines Flight 007 when it was shot down by Soviet interceptors . A conservative Democrat , McDonald was active in numerous civic organizations and maintained one of the most conservative voting records in Congress . He was known for his staunch opposition to communism . He was the second president of the John Birch Society
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Larry McDonald