This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Gabon.
Gabon had been an overseas territory of France since 1910. At that time it became part of French Equatorial Africa, which included Middle Congo (now Republic of the Congo), Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (now Central African Republic). Gabon achieved its independence as the Gabonese Republic on August 17, 1960.
The United States immediately recognized the new Gabonese Republic and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The new U.S. embassy in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, had been established two days earlier on August 15. The current resident in Brazzaville, Alan W. Lukens, was commissioned as a Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to Gabon and presented his credentials to the government on August 17, 1960. W. Wendell Blancke was appointed as the first ambassador on December 12, 1960. He served concurrently as the ambassador to Gabon, Central African Republic, Chad, and the Republic of the Congo while resident in Brazzaville.
During Blanke’s tenure as non-resident ambassador, the embassy in Libreville was established March 20, 1961, with Walker A. Diamanti as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. In September 1961 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Gabon. In 1975 the ambassador to Gabon was also accredited to the newly independent nation of São Tomé and Príncipe.
The U.S. Embassy in Gabon is located in Libreville.
Ambassadors +NameTitleAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionNotesW. Wendell Blancke – Career FSOBlancke was also accredited to the Central African Republic, Chad, and Republic of the Congo while resident at Brazzaville.Blancke was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 6, 1961.Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryDecember 12, 1960January 13, 1961Superseded, October 10, 1961Charles F. Darlington – Political appointeeDarlington the first ambassador appointed solely to Gabon and resident in Libreville.September 20, 1961October 18, 1961July 26, 1964David M. Bane – Career FSOJuly 22, 1965August 14, 1965June 29, 1969Richard Funkhouser – Career FSOJune 13, 1969August 9, 1969August 2, 1970John A. McKesson, III – Career FSODecember 10, 1970February 4, 1971June 1, 1975Andrew L. Steigman – Career FSOJune 10, 1975August 9, 1975August 21, 1977 São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975. The U.S. ambassador to Gabon and subsequent ambassadors were concurrently commissioned to São Tomé and Príncipe while resident in Libreville.Arthur T. Tienken – Career FSOFebruary 3, 1978March 6, 1978July 19, 1981Francis Terry McNamara – Career FSODecember 11, 1981January 19, 1982August 3, 1984Larry C. Williamson – Career FSOAugust 13, 1984November 20, 1984August 21, 1987Warren Clark Jr. – Career FSOAugust 10, 1987September 19, 1987August 24, 1989Keith Leveret Wauchope – Career FSONovember 6, 1989December 8, 1989July 13, 1992Joseph Charles Wilson IV – Career FSOJuly 14, 1992September 17, 1992August 5, 1995Elizabeth Raspolic – Career FSOOctober 3, 1995November 29, 1995July 24, 1998James V. Ledesma – Career FSOOctober 22, 1998December 16, 1998June 18, 2001Thomas F. DaughtonChargé d’Affaires a.i.June 18, 2001UnknownJune 20, 2002Kenneth Price Moorfield – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJanuary 30, 2002June 20, 2002July 18, 2004R. Barrie Walkley – Career FSOJuly 2, 2004November 12, 2004April 27, 2007Eunice S. Reddick – Career FSONovember 9, 2007December 6, 2007July 18, 2010Eric D. Benjaminson – Career FSOSeptember 15, 2010December 3, 2010May 21, 2013Cynthia Akuetteh – Career FSOAugust 1, 2014December 26, 2014February 26, 2018Joel Danies – Career FSOFebruary 21, 2018April 18, 2018March 1, 2019Robert E. Whitehead – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.March 1, 2019August 17, 2020Christopher TremannAugust 17, 2020September 28, 2020Samuel R. WatsonSeptember 28, 2020October 27, 2022Christopher TremannSeptember 7, 2021October 15, 2021Ellen B. ThorburnOctober 27, 2022November 29, 2023David G. MosbyNovember 29, 2023January 16, 2024Vernelle FitzPatrick – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryNovember 29, 2023January 26, 2024January 16, 2026Susan N'Garnim – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.January 17, 2026Incumbent
Notes
See also Gabon – United States relations Foreign relations of Gabon Ambassadors of the United States
References United States Department of State: Background notes on Gabon
External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Gabon United States Department of State: Gabon United States Embassy in Libreville