United States Ambassador to Iceland
Encyclopedia
Until 1874, Iceland
was a dependency of Denmark
rather than an independent nation. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland home rule, which again was expanded in 1904. In 1918, The Act of Union, an agreement between Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland established its own flag and asked that Denmark represent its foreign affairs and defense interests. Thus the United States Ambassador to Denmark
conducted foreign relations between the United States and Iceland.
German occupation of Denmark on April 9, 1940, severed communications between Iceland and Denmark. As a result, on April 10, the Parliament of Iceland, Alþingi
, elected to take control of foreign affairs into its own hands. The US commissioned Lincoln MacVeagh
, its first ambassador to Iceland on August 8, 1941. MacVeagh presented his credentials to the foreign minister of Iceland on September 30, 1941. His title was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The US has maintained continuous diplomatic relations with Iceland since then.
Following a plebiscite, Iceland formally became an independent republic on June 17, 1944.
for a representative commissioned to Denmark and Iceland.
Note: On October 19, 1955, the mission title was changed to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. This change required a new appointment.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
was a dependency of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
rather than an independent nation. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland home rule, which again was expanded in 1904. In 1918, The Act of Union, an agreement between Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland established its own flag and asked that Denmark represent its foreign affairs and defense interests. Thus the United States Ambassador to Denmark
United States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
conducted foreign relations between the United States and Iceland.
German occupation of Denmark on April 9, 1940, severed communications between Iceland and Denmark. As a result, on April 10, the Parliament of Iceland, Alþingi
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
, elected to take control of foreign affairs into its own hands. The US commissioned Lincoln MacVeagh
Lincoln MacVeagh
Lincoln MacVeagh was a distinguished United States soldier, diplomat, businessman, and archaeologist. He served a long career as the United States ambassador to several countries during difficult times.-MacVeagh family:...
, its first ambassador to Iceland on August 8, 1941. MacVeagh presented his credentials to the foreign minister of Iceland on September 30, 1941. His title was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The US has maintained continuous diplomatic relations with Iceland since then.
Following a plebiscite, Iceland formally became an independent republic on June 17, 1944.
Ambassadors
See U.S. Ambassador to DenmarkUnited States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
for a representative commissioned to Denmark and Iceland.
- Lincoln MacVeaghLincoln MacVeaghLincoln MacVeagh was a distinguished United States soldier, diplomat, businessman, and archaeologist. He served a long career as the United States ambassador to several countries during difficult times.-MacVeagh family:...
– Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 8, 1941
- Presented credentials: September 30, 1941
- Terminated mission: Left post, June 27, 1942
- Leland B. MorrisLeland B. MorrisLeland Burnette Morris was an American diplomat. He was the first United States Ambassador to Iran, serving that post from 1944 to 1945. Earlier he was the United States Ambassador to Iceland...
– Career FSO- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 13, 1942
- Presented credentials: October 7, 1942
- Terminated mission: Relinquished charge, May 10, 1944
- Louis G. Dreyfus, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: March 21, 1944
- Presented credentials: June 14, 1944
- Terminated mission: left post, October 21, 1946
- Richard P. Butrick – Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 26, 1948
- Presented credentials: April 29, 1948
- Terminated mission: Left post, August 10, 1949
- Edward B. LawsonEdward B. LawsonEdward B. Lawson was a US Ambassador to Israel and Iceland . He was a World War I veteran.-Biography:...
– Career FSO- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 22, 1949
- Presented credentials: September 22, 1949
- Terminated mission: Left post, May 29, 1954
- John J. Muccio – Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 23, 1954
- Presented credentials: October 12, 1954
- Terminated mission: October 19, 1955
Note: On October 19, 1955, the mission title was changed to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. This change required a new appointment.
- John J. Muccio – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 19, 1955
- Presented credentials: November 3, 1955
- Terminated mission: Left post, December 16, 1959
- Tyler ThompsonTyler ThompsonTyler Thompson is a Canadian actor, credited to roles from 1994 to 2001. He appeared in several movies , and has guest starred on the television shows: The X-Files, Millennium, Harsh Realm, and Cold Squad. In 1996, he appeared regularly for five episodes of Madison.-External links:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 27, 1960
- Presented credentials: February 19, 1960
- Terminated mission: Left post, April 16, 1961
- James K. Penfield – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 27, 1961
- Presented credentials: May 24, 1961
- Terminated mission: Left Iceland, March 16, 1967
- Karl F. Rolvaag – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 5, 1967
- Presented credentials: May 9, 1967
- Terminated mission: Left post, March 27, 1969
- Luther I. Replogle – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 8, 1969
- Presented credentials: September 12, 1969
- Terminated mission: Left post, June 15, 1972
- Frederick IrvingFrederick IrvingFrederick Irving was United States Ambassador to Iceland from 1972 to 1976, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs from 1976 to 1977, and United States Ambassador to Jamaica from 1977 to 1978.-Biography:Frederick Irving was born in...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 11, 1972
- Presented credentials: October 11, 1972
- Terminated mission: Left post, April 21, 1976
- James J. Blake – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 1, 1976
- Presented credentials: September 8, 1976
- Terminated mission: Left post, September 29, 1978
- Richard A. Ericson, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 12, 1978
- Presented credentials: November 21, 1978
- Terminated mission: Left post, August 15, 1981
- Marshall BrementMarshall BrementMarshall Brement was a career United States Foreign Service officer, who served as United States Ambassador to Iceland in 1981-1985 and after retirement was a professor at the University of Virginia.-Early life and education:Brement graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1952...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 27, 1981
- Presented credentials: September 16, 1981
- Terminated mission: Left post, August 1, 1985
- Nicholas Ruwe – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 12, 1985
- Presented credentials: August 21, 1985
- Terminated mission: Left post, October. 7, 1989
- Charles Elvan Cobb, Jr. – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 10, 1989
- Presented credentials: November 8, 1989
- Terminated mission: Left post, January 10, 1992
- Sigmund A. RogichSig RogichSigmund “Sig” Rogich is an Icelandic/American businessman and was a senior media consultant to leading Republican candidates for office, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush...
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 11, 1992
- Presented credentials: June 4, 1992
- Terminated mission: Left post, October 14, 1993
- Parker W. BorgParker W. BorgParker W. Borg is a former professor at the American University of Rome and is a former United States Ambassador to Mali and Iceland....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 8, 1993
- Presented credentials: November 24, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post, July 13, 1996
- Day O. Mount – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 11, 1996
- Presented credentials: September 3, 1996
- Terminated mission: Left post August 12, 1999
- Barbara J. Griffiths – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 9, 1999
- Presented credentials: September 29, 1999
- Terminated mission: Left post July 29, 2002
- James Irvin GadsdenJames Irvin GadsdenJames Irvin Gadsden is an American diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador to Iceland. He was born on March 12, 1948 in Charleston, South Carolina. He is of African-American ethnicity.Gadsden graduated from Harvard University with a B.A...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 3, 2002
- Presented credentials: December 9, 2002
- Terminated mission: Left post, July 14, 2005
- Carol van VoorstCarol van VoorstCarol van Voorst is the former United States Ambassador to Iceland. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 18, 2005, after being nominated by President George W. Bush on October 28, 2005. Her mission was terminated on January 20, 2009.-Education:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 3, 2006
- Presented credentials: January 26, 2006
- Terminated mission: Left post January 20, 2009
- Luis E. ArreagaLuis E. ArreagaLuis Arreaga is the United States Ambassador to Iceland. He was nominated by President Barack Obama, and assumed his duties at post in September 2010....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 10, 2010
- Presented credentials: September 20, 2010
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Iceland – United States relations
- Foreign relations of IcelandForeign relations of IcelandIceland maintains diplomatic and commercial relations with practically all nations, but its ties with Norway and other Nordic states, Germany, with the US, and with the other NATO nations are particularly close...
- Ambassadors from the United StatesAmbassadors from the United StatesThis is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...