Darryl N. Johnson

Darryl Norman Johnson (1938 – 24 June 2018) was an American politician and career Foreign Service Officer who held many positions in American government around the world. Most recently and importantly he was the United States Ambassador to Thailand from 2001–2004. Additionally, he was acting US Ambassador to the Philippines for several months in 2005. He used to live near Seattle, WA. In retirement he was a lecturer at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Washington, where he taught in its Jackson School of International Studies.[1]

Darryl N. Johnson
Darryl N. Johnson in 2004
United States Ambassador to Thailand
In office November 26, 2001 – December 28, 2004
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Richard E. Hecklinger
Succeeded by	Ralph Leo Boyce
Director of American Institute in Taiwan
In office 1996–1999
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	B. Lynn Pascoe
Succeeded by	Raymond Burghardt
United States Ambassador to Lithuania
In office March 23, 1992 – May 23, 1994
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Owen J.C. Norem
Succeeded by	James W. Swihart
Personal details
Born	1938 (1938) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 24, 2018(2018-06-24) (aged 79–80)
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Washington (B.A.) University of Minnesota Princeton University
Occupation	Diplomat, Statesman

Early life

Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois, but he grew up in suburban Seattle, Washington. He attended public schools in Seattle, graduating from high school in 1956 and then attending first the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, and then the University of Washington in Seattle, where he received his BA Cum Laude in English Literature in 1960.

While at the University of Washington he was a member of the academic honor societies for Military Science, Music and Literature, and was admitted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1960. He next attended the University of Minnesota and Princeton University, working several months at the Boeing Company in Seattle during and after his university studies. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand between1962 and 1965, joining the Foreign Service after he returned home.[2]

Foreign service career

Johnson had a long and distinguished career as a United States Foreign Service officer, with extensive experience in East European and Asian affairs. Among other assignments, he served on the Bosnia Task Force in Washington and as Charge of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo in April 1996. Before that, he was Senior Advisor to Madeleine Albright, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and before that, was Deputy Coordinator for Assistance to the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union.

Johnson served as the first American Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania, having arrived in Vilnius in September, 1991, to open the first post-World War II U.S. Mission in that country. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland (1988–91), and before that in Beijing (1984–87), Moscow (1974–77), Hong Kong (1969–73), and Bombay (1966–67). In addition, he served in the Department of State in Washington, D.C., as Officer-in-Charge of Yugoslav Affairs (1977–79), Officer-in-Charge of People's Republic of China Affairs (1979–81), as a Pearson Fellow in the Office of Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI) (1981–82), and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs (1982–84). In the latter position, his responsibilities included East European, Soviet, and East Asian/Pacific Affairs during the tenure of the then Under Secretary, Lawrence Eagleburger.

Lecturing

In his capacity as lecturer at the University of Washington, Ambassador Johnson teaches a class called "Practicing American Foreign Policy", and also advises undergraduate students on their Qualifying Papers, an extended writing assignment of approximately 25 pages that is required by the Jackson School for graduation.[3][4] This teaching position at the University of Washington has previously been held by former U.S. diplomats Ronald Woods and Charles T. Cross.[5] Ambassador Johnson also participates at various speaking engagements in the Seattle area, many of which relate to the Peace Corps and to the United States Foreign Service. He has published op-eds in several major newspapers regarding politics in Thailand, including the Los Angeles Times[6] and the Seattle Times.[7][8]

Personal life

Johnson is the father of one daughter and two sons. He is married to the former Kathleen Desa Forance. In addition to English he speaks Chinese (Mandarin), Polish, Russian, Thai and Lithuanian.[9] Johnson died in Seattle on 24 June 2018.[10]

References

1. "Jackson School of International Studies: Southeast Asia Center". Jackson School of International Studies. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
2. "About Us Meet the Director AIT Introduction Directors & Chairs Offices & Sections Commercial Section Agricultural Trade Office Hours of Operation & Holidays Our Location DARRYL NORMAN JOHNSON (TENURE: 1996 - 1999) Darryl Norman Johnson Assumes Duties as New Director of AIT Taipei". American Institute in Taiwan. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
3. "University of Washington Instructor Class Description". University of Washington, Seattle. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
4. "Program Description - International Studies". Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
5. "National Security Advice--in 500 Words or Less". University of Washington Arts and Sciences Newsletter. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
6. Johnson, Darryl. "Thailand's king reigns--but he doesn't rule". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
7. Johnson, Darryl. "The surprising fall of Thailand's Thaksin". Seattle Times. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
8. Johnson, Darryl. "Roots of Crisis in Thailand". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
9. Darryl Norman Johnson Assumes Duties as New Director of AIT Taipei
10. "AIT, MOFA mourn passing of former AIT director". Taipei Times. Central News Agency. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.

External links

• Interview with Darryl Johnson at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, Foreign Affairs Oral History Project (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, March 26, 2006)
• Discussion with Ambassador Johnson on events in Thailand and implications for U.S. policy toward Southeast Asia (The National Bureau of Asian Research, May 14, 2010)
• A Life Abroad: For Foreign Service Officers, the World is their Office (University of Washington Arts and Sciences Newsletter, Summer 2007)
• An unclassified State Department diplomatic cable written by Ambassador Johnson from Thailand (U.S. Department of State)
• Ambassador Johnson gives opening remarks to Thai diplomats and University of Washington professors and administrators at a Seattle event on YouTube (video)
• Text of a security agreement between Thailand and the United States that was agreed to during Ambassador Johnson's tenure (U.S. Department of State)

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by post established	United States Ambassador to Lithuania 1992–1994	Succeeded by James W. Swihart
Preceded by Richard E. Hecklinger	United States Ambassador to Thailand 2001–2004	Succeeded by Ralph Leo Boyce
Preceded by Joseph A. Mussomeli	United States Ambassador to the Philippines 2005–2006	Succeeded by Kristie Kenney
Preceded by B. Lynn Pascoe	Director of the American Institute in Taiwan 1996–1999	Succeeded by Raymond Burghardt