Bruce Laingen was the senior American official held hostage during the Iran hostage crisis. A blindfolded American hostage is paraded by Iranian religious radicals. ...
Laingen was born on a farm in southern Minnesota, going on to graduate from St. Olaf College. He also studied at the National War College, and received a M.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota. During World War II Laingen served in the US Navy, and in 1949 he joined the US Foreign Service. He served until 1987 at posts in Germany, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and then was appointed ambassador to Malta in 1977. Laingen was then sent back to Iran as the US chargé d'affaires, but within months of his arrival, the US embassy was overrun by student protesters. He, along with two other American officials, were at the Iranian Foreign Ministry at the time of the assault, but were trapped and held for the next 14 months. After his ordeal, Laingen was awarded the State Department's Award for Valor along with several other recognitions. Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area Ranked 12th - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 400 miles (645 km) - % water 8. ... St. ... The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. ... Washington Avenue Bridge at night The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred to as The U by locals, is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The United States Foreign Service is a personnel system established under the Foreign Service Act. ...
References
Interview with Foreign Affairs Oral History Program
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