Walter John Stoessel Jr.
7th United States Deputy Secretary of State
In office
February 11, 1982 – September 22, 1982
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byWilliam P. Clark Jr.
Succeeded byKenneth W. Dam
United States Secretary of State
Ad interim
In office
July 5, 1982 – July 16, 1982
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byAlexander Haig
Succeeded byGeorge P. Shultz
United States Ambassador to West Germany
In office
October 27, 1976 – January 5, 1981
Nominated byGerald Ford
Preceded byMartin J. Hillenbrand
Succeeded byArthur F. Burns
United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union
In office
March 4, 1974 – September 13, 1976
Nominated byGerald Ford
Preceded byJacob D. Beam
Succeeded byMalcolm Toon
Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs
In office
August 9, 1972 – January 7, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
SecretaryWilliam P. Rogers
Henry Kissinger
Preceded byMartin J. Hillenbrand
Succeeded byArthur A. Hartman
United States Ambassador to Poland
In office
September 12, 1968 – August 5, 1972
Nominated byLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byJohn A. Gronouski
Succeeded byRichard T. Davies
Personal details
Born(1920-01-24)January 24, 1920
Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.
DiedDecember 9, 1986(1986-12-09) (aged 66)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materStanford University
Columbia University
ProfessionDiplomat

Walter John Stoessel Jr. (January 24, 1920 – December 9, 1986) was an American diplomat.

Life and career

Born in Manhattan, Kansas, Stoessel was the son of Katherine (Haston) and Walter John Stoessel Sr. and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in California. The paternal side of his family had migrated to the United States from western Germany in the middle of 19th century. He graduated from Stanford University in 1941 and later undertook graduate studies at Columbia University.

A career officer of the United States Foreign Service, Stoessel served as the U.S. ambassador to Poland from 1968 to 1972, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs from 1972 to 1974, the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union between 1974 and 1976, and the ambassador to West Germany from 1976 through 1980. During his term as ambassador to Poland, Stoessel initiated contact with China and hosted talks on behalf of the United States, directly opening the door for President Richard Nixon's famous visit to China.[1] In 1981, while ambassador to West Germany, he joined the delegation, with Walter Mondale, greeting the U.S. hostages released by Iran when they deplaned.[2]

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Stoessel as the United States Deputy Secretary of State. During his term he served briefly as acting Secretary of State between the tenures of Alexander M. Haig and George P. Shultz.

He died in Washington, D.C., of leukemia[3] and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. Department of State awards a Walter J. Stoessel Award for Distinguished Diplomatic Service in his honor.

References

  1. ↑ "Model of an Ambassador; Walter John Stoessel Jr". The New York Times. January 21, 1970. ProQuest 118688634.
  2. ↑ John Vinocur (22 Jan 1981). "52 Former Hostages Start Readapting In U.S. Air Force Hospital in Germany". The New York Times. ProQuest 121512878.
  3. ↑ "Walter J. Stoessel Jr. Dies at 66; A Former Ambassador to Moscow". The New York Times. 11 December 1986.
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