List of ambassadors of the United States to Myanmar

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Burma. In 1989 the military government of Burma changed the name of the nation to Myanmar, but the United States government—and all other Western governments—do not accept the name and still refer to the country as Burma in official usage.[2]

Ambassador of the United States to Burma
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Susan N. Stevenson
Chargés d'Affaires ad interim
since July 10, 2023[1]
StyleAmbassador
ResidenceRangoon, Burma
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderJ. Klahr Huddle
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationOctober 17, 1947
Websitemm.usembassy.gov

Burma became a province of India in 1886 under the British Raj. The country was occupied by Japan during World War II but after the war, again came under control of Britain. In 1946 Britain began negotiations with the Burmese to establish independence for the nation, and reached a final agreement on January 27, 1947. A transitional government was established and Burma became fully independent on January 4, 1948.

The United States recognized Burma and established the Embassy of the United States, Rangoon on September 19, 1947, with Earl L. Packer as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

After 1990 the United States appointed no ambassador to Burma in protest against the policies of the military regime. A chargé d'affaires became the head of mission until 2012.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

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 Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
J. Klahr Huddle[3] – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary October 17, 1947 March 3, 1948 November 28, 1949
David McK. Key – Career FSO March 17, 1950 April 26, 1950 October 28, 1951
William J. Sebald – Career FSO April 25, 1952 July 18, 1952 July 15, 1954
Joseph C. Satterthwaite – Career FSO April 4, 1955 May 10, 1955 April 1, 1957
Walter P. McConaughy – Career FSO May 20, 1957 August 20, 1957 November 2, 1959
William P. Snow[4] – Career FSO November 9, 1959 December 1, 1959 May 4, 1961
John Scott Everton[5] – Career FSO May 4, 1961 June 10, 1961 May 21, 1963
Henry A. Byroade – Career FSO September 10, 1963 October 7, 1963 June 11, 1968
Arthur W. Hummel, Jr. – Career FSO September 26, 1968 October 1968 July 22, 1971
Edwin W. Martin – Career FSO August 10, 1971 October 1, 1971 November 20, 1973
David L. Osborn – Career FSO February 28, 1974 March 22, 1974 July 25, 1977 Osborn and subsequent ambassadors were commissioned to the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma.
Maurice Darrow Bean – Career FSO September 19, 1977 November 8, 1977 August 10, 1979
Patricia M. Byrne – Career FSO November 27, 1979 January 14, 1980 September 14, 1983
Daniel Anthony O'Donohue – Career FSO November 14, 1983 December 26, 1983 December 16, 1986
Burton Levin – Career FSO April 7, 1987 May 26, 1987 September 30, 1990 No ambassador was appointed to replace Levin. The U.S. was represented by a succession of chargés d'affaires.
Derek Mitchell – Career FSO July 5, 2012 July 11, 2012 March 14, 2016
Scot Marciel – Career FSO March 2, 2016 April 27, 2016 May 15, 2020
Thomas Vajda – Career FSO November 18, 2020 January 19, 2021 December 17, 2022

Chargés d'Affaires

Uncompleted appointments

Notes
  1. "Chargé d'Affaires Susan N. Stevenson".
  2. "Background Note: Burma (section "Government and Political Conditions")". United States Department of State. July 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  3. Huddle was appointed during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 9, 1947.
  4. Snow was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 21, 1960.
  5. Everton was commissioned to the Socialist Republic of Burma.

See also

References
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