United States Ambassador, Special Envoy to the President. He attended the London School of Economics and received a Ph.D. from Duke University. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He taught briefly at Duke and the University of the South. He joined the Foreign Service in 1974 and his career focused on Europe and Africa. His overseas posts included Geneva, Bonn, Lagos, London, Pretoria and Addis Ababa. For his outstanding work, he received two State Department Superior Honor awards. During 1990 to 1991, he served as the Africa Director at the National Security Council. In June 1991, President George Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal for Exceptional Service for his role in the downfall of the Mengistu regime in Ethiopia and the rescue of more than 15,000 Ethiopian Jews who were airlifted to Israel. He was later nominated by President Bush to serve as the first American Ambassador to Estonia, He officially was sworn in on March 26, 1992. He was known as a remarkable American diplomat who took risks and found the ways to go forward. Because of this he was named by President Bill Clinton as his special envoy to Bosnia. While on their way to Sarajevo to discuss new peace plans in the Balkans, he and two other US diplomats (Joseph Kruzel, and Samuel Nelson Drew) were killed when a rain-soaked dirt road collapsed beneath the armored personnel carrier in which they were traveling in, sending the vehicle rolling down a 500-meter slope into a ravine. Secretary of State Warren Christopher gave a moving tribute at his funeral. President Clinton awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal postumously to his family.
United States Ambassador, Special Envoy to the President. He attended the London School of Economics and received a Ph.D. from Duke University. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He taught briefly at Duke and the University of the South. He joined the Foreign Service in 1974 and his career focused on Europe and Africa. His overseas posts included Geneva, Bonn, Lagos, London, Pretoria and Addis Ababa. For his outstanding work, he received two State Department Superior Honor awards. During 1990 to 1991, he served as the Africa Director at the National Security Council. In June 1991, President George Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal for Exceptional Service for his role in the downfall of the Mengistu regime in Ethiopia and the rescue of more than 15,000 Ethiopian Jews who were airlifted to Israel. He was later nominated by President Bush to serve as the first American Ambassador to Estonia, He officially was sworn in on March 26, 1992. He was known as a remarkable American diplomat who took risks and found the ways to go forward. Because of this he was named by President Bill Clinton as his special envoy to Bosnia. While on their way to Sarajevo to discuss new peace plans in the Balkans, he and two other US diplomats (Joseph Kruzel, and Samuel Nelson Drew) were killed when a rain-soaked dirt road collapsed beneath the armored personnel carrier in which they were traveling in, sending the vehicle rolling down a 500-meter slope into a ravine. Secretary of State Warren Christopher gave a moving tribute at his funeral. President Clinton awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal postumously to his family.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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