Laos

Note: During Heath's tenure as non-resident Minister, Legation Vientiane was officially opened Aug 22, 1950, with Paul L. Guest as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Name: Donald R. Heath
State of Residency: Kansas
Foreign Service officer
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 29, 1950
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 29, 1950
Termination of Mission: Superseded, Nov 1, 1954
Note: Heath was received as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary upon presentation of a copy of his letter of credence, Jul 29, 1950. Also accredited to Cambodia and Viet-Nam; resident at Saigon.

Name: Charles W. Yost
State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Aug 18, 1954
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 1, 1954
Termination of Mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Name: Charles W. Yost
State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 27, 1955
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 19, 1955
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 27, 1956
Note: Legation Vientiane was raised to Embassy status, Aug 10, 1955.

Name: J. Graham Parsons
State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: May 29, 1956
Presentation of Credentials: Oct 12, 1956
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 8, 1958

Name: Horace H. Smith
State of Residency: Ohio
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Mar 26, 1958
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 9, 1958
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 21, 1960

Name: Winthrop G. Brown
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 5, 1960
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 25, 1960
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 28, 1962

Name: Leonard Unger
State of Residency: Maryland
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 3, 1962
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 25, 1962
Termination of Mission: Left post, Dec 1, 1964

Name: William H. Sullivan
State of Residency: Rhode Island
Foreign Service officer
Title: Non-career appointee
Appointment: Nov 25, 1964
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 23, 1964
Termination of Mission: Left post, Mar 18, 1969
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 18, 1965.

Name: G. McMurtrie Godley
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 13, 1969
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 24, 1969
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 23, 1973

Name: Charles S. Whitehouse
State of Residency: Virginia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 24, 1973
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 20, 1973
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 12, 1975

Name: Galen L. Stone
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 11, 1975
Presentation of Credentials: [see note below]
Note: Did not serve under this appointment.

Note: From 1975 to 1992, the following officers served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim: Thomas J. Corcoran (Aug 1975-Mar 1978), George B. Roberts, Jr. (Mar 1978-Sep 1979), Leo J. Moser (Sep 1979-Oct 1981), William W. Thomas, Jr. (Nov 1981-Nov 1983), Theresa A. Tull (Nov 1983-Aug 1986), Harriet W. Isom (Aug 1986-Aug 1989), and Charles B. Salmon, Jr. (Aug 1989-Aug 1992). Chiefs of Mission were designated Chargés d'Affaires after Jan 9, 1987.

Name: Charles B. Salmon, Jr.
State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 14, 1992
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 6, 1992
Termination of Mission: Left post, July 26, 1993

Name: Victor L. Tomseth
State of Residency: Oregon
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Nov 22, 1993
Presentation of Credentials: Jan 8, 1994
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 20, 1996

Name: Wendy J. Chamberlin
State of Residency: Virginia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 2, 1996
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 5, 1996
Termination of Mission: Left post Jun 14, 1999

Name: Douglas Alan Hartwick
State of Residency: Washington
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 11, 2001
Presentation of Credentials: Sept 18, 2001
Termination of Mission: Left post Apr 21, 2004
Note: An earlier nomination of Feb 9, 2000, was not acted upon by the Senate.

Name: Patricia M. Haslach
State of Residency: Oregon
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: May 12, 2004
Presentation of Credentials: Sept 4, 2004
Termination of Mission: