Thomas S. Estes
| Thomas S. Estes | |
|---|---|
| 2nd United States Ambassador to Burkina Faso | |
|
In office June 26, 1961 – July 13, 1966 |
|
| President | John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | R. Borden Reams |
| Succeeded by | Elliott P. Skinner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 23, 1913 Rumford, Maine |
| Died |
December 29, 2001 (aged 88) Bradenton, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Thomas Stuart Estes (January 23, 1913 – December 29, 2001) was an American diplomat. He was the United States Ambassador to Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) from 1961 to 1966. He was the first ambassador solely accredited to Upper Volta.
Thomas Estes was born on January 23, 1913 in Rumford, Oxford County, Maine.
At age 16, Estes left Maine, and his childhood sweetheart Ruth Fullerton, to live and work with his aunt and uncle Fanny and Joseph Coombs in Worcester, Massachusetts. His uncle was the owner of an interior decorating and furniture business during the Great Depression. While in Worcester, he met Dorothy Astrid Forsstedt, who would later become his wife.
In 1934 Estes enlisted in the U.S. Marines. In 1936 Tom graduated the Marines Clerical School and in 1937 was assigned to the American Embassy in Beijing, China.
In early 1938 Estes received an honorable discharge from the Marines to join the United States Foreign Service as a clerk and was assigned to the legation in Bangkok, Thailand under American Minister Edwin L. Neville and Holbrook "Chappy" Chapman. In Bangkok Estes was promoted to Vice Consul. While in Thailand Estes married Dorothy Forsstedt on December 13, 1938, in the Episcopal Church in Bangkok. Dorothy then began work at the Legation as a clerk.
In October 1941 Japanese invasion of Thailand. Estes and other members of the legation were interned in with the Japanese soldiers guarding the gates for some time. On July 3, 1942 the legation staff was finally to be exchanged in repatriation on the Japanese liner. On July 12, 1941 at Lourenço Marques in Portuguese Mozambique (now Maputo in Mozambique) they were exchanged and transferred to the American ocean liner MS Gripsholm.
...
Wikipedia