Ray Atherton

Ray Atherton
1st United States Ambassador to Canada
In office
November 19, 1943 – August 30, 1948
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Preceded byHimself (as Minister)
Succeeded byLaurence Steinhardt
United States Minister to Luxembourg
In office
September 10, 1943 – October 14, 1943[a]
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byJay Pierrepont Moffat
Succeeded byRudolf E. Schoenfeld (acting)
8th United States Minister to Canada
In office
August 3, 1943 – November 19, 1943
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byJay Pierrepont Moffat
Succeeded byHimself (as Ambassador)
United States Minister to Denmark
In office
September 8, 1939 – April 9, 1940[b]
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byAlvin M. Owsley
Succeeded byR. Borden Reams (acting)
United States Minister to Bulgaria
In office
October 21, 1937 – July 5, 1939
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byFrederick A. Sterling
Succeeded byGeorge Howard Earle III
Personal details
Born(1883-03-28)March 28, 1883
Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedMarch 14, 1960(1960-03-14) (aged 76)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting placeRock Creek Cemetery
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse(s)Constance Crowninshield Coolidge
Maude Hunnewell
EducationHarvard College
ProfessionDiplomat

Ray Atherton (March 28, 1883 – March 14, 1960) was a career United States diplomat, who served as Ambassador to Greece, Bulgaria, and Denmark. He also served the role of Head of Mission as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada) (1943–48). Whilst in his last post, his role was reclassified and he became the first United States Ambassador to Canada. As Head of the State Department's Division of European Affairs he received notification from the German Embassy of their declaration of war on December 11, 1941.[1]


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  1. ^ "Ray Atherton". politicalgraveyard.com.