Terence A. Todman
Army veteran from the U.S. Virgin Islands who served as ambassador to six countries and Assistant Secretary of State, attained the rank of Career Ambassador, and was inducted into the Infantry Hall of Fame at Fort Benning.
Service Record
| Born | March 13, 1926, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands |
|---|---|
| Education | Charlotte Amalie High School; B.S., summa cum laude, Inter American University of Puerto Rico; M.P.A., Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 1952 |
| Military | U.S. Army, 1945 – 1949; first lieutenant; Japan |
| Entered Foreign Service | Passed the Foreign Service examination, 1953 |
| Ambassador to Chad | 1969 – 1972 |
| Ambassador to Guinea | 1972 – 1975 |
| Ambassador to Costa Rica | 1975 – 1977 |
| Assistant Secretary of State, Inter-American Affairs | 1977 – 1978 |
| Ambassador to Spain | 1978 – 1983 |
| Ambassador to Denmark | 1983 – 1989 |
| Ambassador to Argentina | 1989 – 1993 |
| Career Ambassador | 1990 |
| Honors | Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award; Infantry Hall of Fame, Fort Benning |
| Died | August 13, 2014, Saint Thomas |
Overview
Terence Todman rose from a modest childhood in the Virgin Islands to lead six American embassies on three continents. Few officers in the history of the Service have held so many ambassadorships.
Early Life and Education
He was born in Saint Thomas, where his mother worked as a housekeeper and laundress and his father as a grocery clerk. He graduated second in his class from Charlotte Amalie High School, earned a bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and in 1952 completed a master's in public administration at Syracuse University's Maxwell School.
Military Service
He served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1949, including service in Japan, and left as a first lieutenant. He was later inducted into the Infantry Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Career
He joined the State Department in 1952 and passed the Foreign Service examination the following year. He was ambassador to Chad from 1969 and to Guinea from 1972. His appointment to Costa Rica made him the first African American ambassador to a Spanish-speaking country. He served as Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs and then as ambassador to Spain, Denmark, and Argentina, retiring in 1993.
Honors and Legacy
He received the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award and in 1990 was awarded the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest in the Foreign Service. In 2022 the cafeteria at the State Department's Harry S Truman Building was named in his honor.
Recognition
Envoys of Record recognizes Terence A. Todman as a Pioneer of the Foreign Service, whose career opened doors for every officer who followed.