During
World War I, he served in the
United States Army as a lieutenant of
infantry. He then engaged in the manufacture of steel products.
Federal service Vail worked for the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) before running for office. {{cite book {{cite book Vail was elected as a
Republican to the
Eightieth Congress (January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949). He served on the
House Un-American Activities Committee. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1948 to the
Eighty-first Congress. Vail was elected to the
Eighty-second Congress (January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1953). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1952 to the
Eighty-third Congress and for election in 1954 to the
Eighty-fourth Congress.
Private sector He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Vail Manufacturing Company of Chicago. Vail manufactured staplers, paper clips, and fasteners and was eventually acquired by Acco International in 1966. {{cite news ==Personal and death==