Winthrop G. Brown, 79, a retired Foreign Service officer and a former ambassador to Laos and South Korea, died May 25 at his home in Washington. He had Parkinson's disease.
Mr. Brown went to work at the State Department in 1941. In the early part of his career, he was concerned mainly with economic questions, first in Europe and then in south Asia. In the second part of his career he dealt more with political questions, particularly in Asia.
He was deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs when he retired in 1972 with the personal rank of career ambassador. His other honors included the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, which he received in 1963 for his work as ambassador to Laos, and Meritorious and Distinguished Service awards from the State Department.
Mr. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine, and raised in New York City. He received bachelor's and law degrees at Yale University.
When he first came to Washington in 1941, he went to work for the Lend-Lease Administration, a World War II program under which military supplies were sent to Britain and other allies. He was soon sent to London and, except for a brief assignment in India, he spent the rest of the war there.
From 1945 to 1950, he had a succession of assignments in the State Department involving economics and international trade. From 1950 to 1957, he was in London again as minister for economic affairs in the U.S. Embassy. From 1957 to 1960, he was back in India as deputy chief of mission in the U.S. Embassy.
In 1960, President Eisenhower appointed him ambassador to Laos. That country was involved in civil war and was threatened by takeover from the communists. U.S. policy was to establish a neutralist government with pro-western leanings. A key to this process was bringing Prince Souvanna Phouma into the government.
In 1962, after an involved series of negotiations in Geneva and elsewhere, Souvanna became premier of the Laotian government. Mr. Brown was recalled to Washington and appointed deputy commandant of the National War College.
From 1964 to 1967, he was ambassador to South Korea. Among his duties was negotiating an agreement under which the Korean government provided two divisions of troops for service in South Vietnam at U.S. expense.
When he returned to Washington in 1967, Mr. Brown was a special assistant to Secretary of State Dean Rusk. In 1968, he was named deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
Mr. Brown was a member of the Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Bell Brown of Washington; three children, Winthrop Noyes Brown of Washington, Julia Turrell of Des Moines, and Anne Rodgers of Arlington, and four granddaughters.
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Winthop G. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine on July 12, 1907. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale University in 1927 and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale, he established a law practice in New York City, but later became a career diplomat, and the United States Ambassador to Laos from 1960 to 1962. From 1964 to 1967, he was the United States Ambassador to South Korea, during which he was heavily involved in negotiations with the South Korean government under Park Chung Hee to ensure Korean troops would send troops to the Vietnam War. His last post as diplomat was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, serving from 1968 to 1972. He died on May 25, 1987 in Washington D.C..
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Husband of Peggy Bell Brown
Mr. Brown went to work at the State Department in 1941. In the early part of his career, he was concerned mainly with economic questions, first in Europe and then in south Asia. In the second part of his career he dealt more with political questions, particularly in Asia.
He was deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs when he retired in 1972 with the personal rank of career ambassador. His other honors included the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, which he received in 1963 for his work as ambassador to Laos, and Meritorious and Distinguished Service awards from the State Department.
Mr. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine, and raised in New York City. He received bachelor's and law degrees at Yale University.
When he first came to Washington in 1941, he went to work for the Lend-Lease Administration, a World War II program under which military supplies were sent to Britain and other allies. He was soon sent to London and, except for a brief assignment in India, he spent the rest of the war there.
From 1945 to 1950, he had a succession of assignments in the State Department involving economics and international trade. From 1950 to 1957, he was in London again as minister for economic affairs in the U.S. Embassy. From 1957 to 1960, he was back in India as deputy chief of mission in the U.S. Embassy.
In 1960, President Eisenhower appointed him ambassador to Laos. That country was involved in civil war and was threatened by takeover from the communists. U.S. policy was to establish a neutralist government with pro-western leanings. A key to this process was bringing Prince Souvanna Phouma into the government.
In 1962, after an involved series of negotiations in Geneva and elsewhere, Souvanna became premier of the Laotian government. Mr. Brown was recalled to Washington and appointed deputy commandant of the National War College.
From 1964 to 1967, he was ambassador to South Korea. Among his duties was negotiating an agreement under which the Korean government provided two divisions of troops for service in South Vietnam at U.S. expense.
When he returned to Washington in 1967, Mr. Brown was a special assistant to Secretary of State Dean Rusk. In 1968, he was named deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
Mr. Brown was a member of the Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Bell Brown of Washington; three children, Winthrop Noyes Brown of Washington, Julia Turrell of Des Moines, and Anne Rodgers of Arlington, and four granddaughters.
-----------------------------------------------
Winthop G. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine on July 12, 1907. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale University in 1927 and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale, he established a law practice in New York City, but later became a career diplomat, and the United States Ambassador to Laos from 1960 to 1962. From 1964 to 1967, he was the United States Ambassador to South Korea, during which he was heavily involved in negotiations with the South Korean government under Park Chung Hee to ensure Korean troops would send troops to the Vietnam War. His last post as diplomat was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, serving from 1968 to 1972. He died on May 25, 1987 in Washington D.C..
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Husband of Peggy Bell Brown
Winthrop G. Brown, 79, a retired Foreign Service officer and a former ambassador to Laos and South Korea, died May 25 at his home in Washington. He had Parkinson's disease.
Mr. Brown went to work at the State Department in 1941. In the early part of his career, he was concerned mainly with economic questions, first in Europe and then in south Asia. In the second part of his career he dealt more with political questions, particularly in Asia.
He was deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs when he retired in 1972 with the personal rank of career ambassador. His other honors included the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, which he received in 1963 for his work as ambassador to Laos, and Meritorious and Distinguished Service awards from the State Department.
Mr. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine, and raised in New York City. He received bachelor's and law degrees at Yale University.
When he first came to Washington in 1941, he went to work for the Lend-Lease Administration, a World War II program under which military supplies were sent to Britain and other allies. He was soon sent to London and, except for a brief assignment in India, he spent the rest of the war there.
From 1945 to 1950, he had a succession of assignments in the State Department involving economics and international trade. From 1950 to 1957, he was in London again as minister for economic affairs in the U.S. Embassy. From 1957 to 1960, he was back in India as deputy chief of mission in the U.S. Embassy.
In 1960, President Eisenhower appointed him ambassador to Laos. That country was involved in civil war and was threatened by takeover from the communists. U.S. policy was to establish a neutralist government with pro-western leanings. A key to this process was bringing Prince Souvanna Phouma into the government.
In 1962, after an involved series of negotiations in Geneva and elsewhere, Souvanna became premier of the Laotian government. Mr. Brown was recalled to Washington and appointed deputy commandant of the National War College.
From 1964 to 1967, he was ambassador to South Korea. Among his duties was negotiating an agreement under which the Korean government provided two divisions of troops for service in South Vietnam at U.S. expense.
When he returned to Washington in 1967, Mr. Brown was a special assistant to Secretary of State Dean Rusk. In 1968, he was named deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
Mr. Brown was a member of the Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Bell Brown of Washington; three children, Winthrop Noyes Brown of Washington, Julia Turrell of Des Moines, and Anne Rodgers of Arlington, and four granddaughters.
-----------------------------------------------
Winthop G. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine on July 12, 1907. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale University in 1927 and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale, he established a law practice in New York City, but later became a career diplomat, and the United States Ambassador to Laos from 1960 to 1962. From 1964 to 1967, he was the United States Ambassador to South Korea, during which he was heavily involved in negotiations with the South Korean government under Park Chung Hee to ensure Korean troops would send troops to the Vietnam War. His last post as diplomat was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, serving from 1968 to 1972. He died on May 25, 1987 in Washington D.C..
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Husband of Peggy Bell Brown
Mr. Brown went to work at the State Department in 1941. In the early part of his career, he was concerned mainly with economic questions, first in Europe and then in south Asia. In the second part of his career he dealt more with political questions, particularly in Asia.
He was deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs when he retired in 1972 with the personal rank of career ambassador. His other honors included the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, which he received in 1963 for his work as ambassador to Laos, and Meritorious and Distinguished Service awards from the State Department.
Mr. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine, and raised in New York City. He received bachelor's and law degrees at Yale University.
When he first came to Washington in 1941, he went to work for the Lend-Lease Administration, a World War II program under which military supplies were sent to Britain and other allies. He was soon sent to London and, except for a brief assignment in India, he spent the rest of the war there.
From 1945 to 1950, he had a succession of assignments in the State Department involving economics and international trade. From 1950 to 1957, he was in London again as minister for economic affairs in the U.S. Embassy. From 1957 to 1960, he was back in India as deputy chief of mission in the U.S. Embassy.
In 1960, President Eisenhower appointed him ambassador to Laos. That country was involved in civil war and was threatened by takeover from the communists. U.S. policy was to establish a neutralist government with pro-western leanings. A key to this process was bringing Prince Souvanna Phouma into the government.
In 1962, after an involved series of negotiations in Geneva and elsewhere, Souvanna became premier of the Laotian government. Mr. Brown was recalled to Washington and appointed deputy commandant of the National War College.
From 1964 to 1967, he was ambassador to South Korea. Among his duties was negotiating an agreement under which the Korean government provided two divisions of troops for service in South Vietnam at U.S. expense.
When he returned to Washington in 1967, Mr. Brown was a special assistant to Secretary of State Dean Rusk. In 1968, he was named deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
Mr. Brown was a member of the Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy Bell Brown of Washington; three children, Winthrop Noyes Brown of Washington, Julia Turrell of Des Moines, and Anne Rodgers of Arlington, and four granddaughters.
-----------------------------------------------
Winthop G. Brown was born in Seal Harbor, Maine on July 12, 1907. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale University in 1927 and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale, he established a law practice in New York City, but later became a career diplomat, and the United States Ambassador to Laos from 1960 to 1962. From 1964 to 1967, he was the United States Ambassador to South Korea, during which he was heavily involved in negotiations with the South Korean government under Park Chung Hee to ensure Korean troops would send troops to the Vietnam War. His last post as diplomat was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, serving from 1968 to 1972. He died on May 25, 1987 in Washington D.C..
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Husband of Peggy Bell Brown
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