▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁service . ▁Cont inu ing ▁to ▁fly ▁in ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Reserve , ▁he ▁achieved ▁command ▁pilot ▁status ▁and ▁ultimately ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Reserve ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general . ▁His ▁military ▁decor ations ▁included ▁the ▁Silver ▁Star , ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it , ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross , ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁Heart ▁and ▁the ▁Air ▁Medal ▁( three ▁awards ). ▁ ▁Cont in ued ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁C annon ▁established ▁law ▁offices ▁in ▁Las ▁Veg as . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁City ▁Att orney , ▁and ▁he ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁he ▁won ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁after ▁defe ating ▁inc umb ent ▁George ▁Mal one ▁by ▁a ▁wide ▁margin . ▁ ▁He ▁won ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁ ▁E lections ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁C annon ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁to ▁succeed ▁Republican ▁inc umb ent ▁C . ▁Cl if ton ▁Young , ▁who ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate , ▁but ▁lost ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁to ▁former ▁Congress man ▁Walter ▁Bar ing , ▁who ▁then ▁won ▁the ▁general