List of ambassadors of the United States to Lithuania
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Lithuania.
| Ambassador of the United States to Lithuania | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the United States Department of State | |
| Nominator | The President of the United States |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Inaugural holder | Frederick W.B. Coleman as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary |
| Formation | September 20, 1922 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Vilnius |
The United States first established diplomatic relations with the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) in 1922. One ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, nor the legitimacy of the governments of those states under Soviet occupation. Hence, diplomatic relations were not resumed until 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The U.S. Embassy in Lithuania is located in Vilnius.
Ambassadors
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U.S. diplomatic terms |
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Career FSO After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time. Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends). Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office. Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely. Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy. Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". |
| Name | Class | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick W. B. Coleman | Political appointee | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | September 20, 1922 | December 5, 1922 | October 20, 1931 | The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. During Coleman's tenure as non-resident Minister, the legation in Kovno (later Kaunas) was established on May 31, 1930, with Hugh S. Fullerton as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. |
| Robert Peet Skinner | Career FSO | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | September 23, 1931 | February 13, 1932 | Left post April 29, 1933 | The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. Skinner was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1931. |
| John Van Antwerp MacMurray | Career FSO | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | August 28, 1933 | December 20, 1933 | February 12, 1936 | The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. MacMurray was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 15, 1934. |
| Arthur Bliss Lane | Career FSO | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | January 24, 1936 | June 24, 1936 | September 16, 1937 | The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia. |
| Owen J.C. Norem | Political appointee | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | August 23, 1937 | November 26, 1937 | June 15, 1940 | Soviet forces occupied Lithuania on June 15, 1940, which effectively ended the U.S. diplomatic presence in Lithuania. Ambassador Norem departed Kaunas on July 30, 1940. Bernard Gufler was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when all U.S. diplomatic officials were withdrawn and the legation in Kaunas was officially closed on September 5, 1940. |
| Darryl Norman Johnson | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | March 23, 1992 | April 14, 1992 | May 23, 1994 | The United States resumed diplomatic relations with Lithuania on September 2, 1991. Embassy Vilnius was established October 2, 1991 with Darryl N. Johnson as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending his appointment as ambassador. |
| James W. Swihart | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 26, 1994 | September 26, 1994 | July 16, 1997 | |
| Keith C. Smith | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 1, 1997 | September 9, 1997 | July 29, 2000 | |
| John F. Tefft | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 14, 2000 | August 30, 2000 | May 10, 2003 | |
| Stephen D. Mull | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | April 16, 2003 | August 26, 2003 | June 16, 2006 | |
| John A. Cloud, Jr. | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | May 30, 2006 | August 17, 2006 | January 20, 2009 | |
| Anne E. Derse | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | September 28, 2009 | October 14, 2009 | July 1, 2012[2] | |
| Deborah A. McCarthy[3] | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | January 7, 2013 | February 19, 2013 | July 27, 2016 | ||
| Anne Hall | Career FSO[4] | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 14, 2016 | October 7, 2016[5] | July 19, 2019 | |
| Robert S. Gilchrist | Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | January 14, 2020 | February 4, 2020 | August 12, 2023 |
Notes
- https://lt.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/deputy-chief-of-mission/
- US Department of State, Office of the Historian-Anne E. Derse (1954–)
- US Department of State, Office of the Historian-Deborah Ann McCarthy (1955–)
- "Ambassador | Vilnius, Lithuania - Embassy of the United States". vilnius.usembassy.gov. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
- "Ambassador Hall Presents Diplomatic Credentials". U.S. Embassy in Lithuania. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
See also
References
External links
- United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Lithuania
- United States Department of State: Lithuania
- United States Embassy in Vilnius
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