John R. Davis Jr.

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John R. Davis Jr.
9th United States Ambassador to Romania
In office
March 11, 1992 – August 9, 1994
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Preceded byAlan Green, Jr.
Succeeded byAlfred H. Moses
17th United States Ambassador to Poland
In office
March 17, 1988 – July 20, 1990
PresidentRonald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Preceded byFrancis J. Meehan (1983)
Succeeded byThomas W. Simons Jr.
In office
September 1983 – March 17, 1988
Acting
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded by (acting)
Succeeded byHimself
as Ambassador
Personal details
Born (1927-07-25) July 25, 1927 (age 94)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Southern California (BA)
Harvard University (MPA)
ProfessionDiplomat
AwardsDistinguished Honor Award
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1945–46
Battles/warsWorld War II

John Roger Davis Jr. (born July 25, 1927) is a retired American diplomat. From 1988 to 1990, he served as the United States Ambassador to Poland, where he helped guide Solidarity, and Poland, in its quest for free elections. Later, from 1992 to 1994, he served as the United States Ambassador to Romania.

Early life and education[]

John Roger Davis Jr. was born on July 25, 1927, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.[1] During his youth, he moved with his family to California, where he attended The Webb Schools in 1943,[2] and graduated in 1945.[3] During World War II, he served in the United States Navy at the end of the war.

Following the war, he was graduated from the University of Southern California, where he received his bachelor of arts in political science in 1953. He later received a master's degree from Harvard University in 1965.[1]

Foreign Service[]

Davis was appointed a United States Foreign Service officer in 1955.[4][1]

He got married just before arriving at his first posting in Jakarta.[5] Over the years, he would be posted in Poland multiple times, as well as Milan, Rome, and Sydney.[1] In 1982, he visited China with John H. Holdridge.[6]

Poland[]

Davis was first posted to Poland from 1960 to 1963, before returning again from 1973 to 1976.[7] During these trips, his children became fluent in Polish, and Davis became well-known.[8]

Chargé d'affaires[]

With the departure of Ambassador Francis J. Meehan during the imposition of martial law in Poland, and the subsequent Polish refusal to accept his announced successor, the United States lacked a permanent representative in Poland.[7] Thus, Davis was sent by President Reagan as the United States chargé d'affaires,[8] beginning in September.[9]

As chargé, Davis shepherded the movement toward democracy along: hosting leaders of Solidarity in his residence,[9] dealing with matters regarding economic sanctions relief,[10] meeting with Lech Wałęsa after the latter won the Nobel Peace Prize that year,[11] and fostering bilateral cooperation in exchange for amnesty of dissidents.[12]

Ambassador[]

In October 1987, President Reagan nominated Davis to permanently hold the position of United States Ambassador to Poland.[13] The 100th United States Congress accepted his nomination in February of the next year,[14] and, on March 18, Davis presented his diplomatic credentials, thus becoming the first permanent ambassador in five years.[7]

As ambassador, Davis continued his work with the democracy movement, cultivating a deeper relationship with Wałęsa,[15] helping bring Polish Round Table Agreement participants together, and increasing economic ties to the United States.[8]

Davis ended his service in Poland in July 1990, at the impending appointment of his successor, Thomas W. Simons Jr..[16] Davis received the Distinguished Honor Award; and took a year off to be a diplomat-in-residence at Yale University.[2]

Romania[]

In May 1990, George H. W. Bush appointed Davis as the United States Ambassador to Romania.[17] Davis presented his credentials on March 11, 1992, where he again nurtured democracy,[18] before leaving in August 1994.

During his time as ambassador, he had security concerns regarding Harold James Nicholson. His fears were well-founded. Later, it was discovered that Nicholson was spying for Russia. [19] The New York Times reported that Nicholson was "the highest-ranking C.I.A. official ever convicted of espionage."[20]

Personal life[]

Davis married Helen Marie Carey in 1956.[5] They have three children.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Nominations and Appointments October 6, 1987". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "John R. Davis, Jr. '45". The Webb Schools. April 10, 2017. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Webb School Grads Honored". The Pomona Progress Bulletin. June 11, 1945. p. 5. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "Appointments to the FSO Corps". Foreign Service Journal. February 1955. p. 49. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "J. R. Davises Jr. on Honeymoon". The Los Angeles Times. August 4, 1956. p. 14. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Wren, Christopher S. (January 1, 1982). "Peking Protests Sale of U.s. Planes to Taiwan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Butturini, Paula (March 18, 1988). "U.S. HAS 1ST AMBASSADOR IN POLAND IN 5 YEARS". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Tagliabue, John (December 21, 1989). "Upheaval in the East; U.S. Ambassador No Longer Keeps His Poles Apart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Kupiecki, Robert (October 9, 2019). Through the Eyes of a Strategist and Diplomat: The Polish-American Relations post-1918. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar. pp. 89–. ISBN 978-83-65390-80-6.
  10. ^ Kifner, John (November 4, 1983). "Poland Calls Sanction Move Inadequate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  11. ^ "Walesa: Nobel Prize honored Solidarity's 'unnamed heroes'". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Associated Press. December 11, 1983. p. 48. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  12. ^ Farnsworth, Clyde H. (August 3, 1984). "U.S. Tells Warsaw It's Lifting Some Curbs in Response to Amnesty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  13. ^ "Davis to Be Warsaw Envoy". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. October 7, 1987. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  14. ^ "PN658 - Nomination of John R. Davis Jr. for Department of State, 100th Congress (1987-1988)". www.congress.gov. February 4, 1988. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  15. ^ Farnsworth, Clyde H. (December 3, 1989). "CLAMOR IN EUROPE; Lively Days for Eastern Bloc Envoys". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  16. ^ "Bush appoints envoys to Poland, Bangladesh, Congo". Green Bay Press-Gazette. May 24, 1990. p. 6. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  17. ^ "Bush appoints envoys to Poland, Bangladesh, Congo". Green Bay Press-Gazette. May 24, 1990. p. 6. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  18. ^ Binder, David (April 1, 1992). "U.S. Offers Measure of Approval to Romania". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  19. ^ Risen, James; Richter, Paul; Morain, Dan (November 22, 1996). "Suspected CIA Turncoat Was a Spy on the Way Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  20. ^ Weiner, Tim (June 4, 1997). "C.I.A. Traitor Severely Hurt U.S. Security, Judge Is Told". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2011.

External links[]

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Poland
Acting
1983 - 1988 		Succeeded by
Himself
Preceded by
Himself
Acting
 United States Ambassador to Poland
1988 - 1990 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Alan Green, Jr.
 United States Ambassador to Romania
1992 - 1994 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""