Charles A. Gillespie Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Gillesip Jr (right) with President Ronald Reagan, 1987 | |
| United States Ambassador to Chile | |
| In office December 20, 1988 – December 10, 1991 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Harry George Barnes Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Curtis Warren Kamman |
| United States Ambassador to Colombia | |
| In office August 28, 1985 – September 19, 1988 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Lewis Arthur Tambs |
| Succeeded by | Thomas E. McNamara |
| United States Ambassador to Grenada Acting | |
| In office February 2, 1984 – March 1984 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Post established |
| Succeeded by | Loren Lawrence |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1935-03-22)March 22, 1935 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 2008(2008-03-07) (aged 72) La Jolla, California, U.S. |
| Spouse | Vivian Havens (1958-2003, her death) |
Charles Anthony Gillespie Jr. (March 22, 1935 – March 7, 2008) was aUnited States careerdiplomat who helped to open the firstUnited States Embassy inGrenada.[1] He later served as theUnited States Ambassador to Colombia and theUnited States Ambassador to Chile.[1][2]
Gillespie spent over thirty years in the United States foreign service as a specialist inLatin American andCaribbean affairs.[1] Many of his foreign assignments were to Latin American countries experiencing domestic strife.[2] For example, Gillespie served as the interimChargé d'Affaires during the 1983 United StatesInvasion of Grenada as well as inColombia from 1985 until 1988, when the government sought to crack down on theillegal drug trade in Colombia and theColombian drug cartels.[1] Gillespie often received daily death threats from the Colombiancartels.[2]
Charles A. Gillespie Jr. was born on March 22, 1935, inLong Beach, California.[1] He received his degree fromUCLA in 1958.[1] He later studied at theMaxwell School of Public Affairs atSyracuse University and theNational War College inWashington, D.C.[1]
Gillespie served as aUnited States Army officer inEurope from 1958 until 1962.[1] He began his career in theForeign Service in 1965, when he was made regional security officer at theEmbassy of the United States in Manila in thePhilippines.[1] He was later posted in a variety of positions around the world including the United StatesNATO mission,Mexico City andManagua, Nicaragua.[1]
Gillespie served as the deputyAssistant Secretary of State for the Caribbean and deputy for operations in the State Department'sInter-American Affairs Bureau from 1983 to 1985.[2] Through this position he oversaw the opening of the first American embassy inSt. George's, Grenada. Gillespie was involved in the planning of theinvasion of Grenada in October 1983. It was the first major U.S. military operation since theVietnam War.[1] The invasion by the United States and several Caribbean nations led to the overthrow of the Grenadan military government which had executedGrenadan Prime MinisterMaurice Bishop. Approximately 100 people, including 19 members of the United States armed forces were killed in the invasion.[1]
His last posting as anambassador was toChile towards the end of theAugusto Pinochet regime from 1988 to 1991.[1][3]
Gillespie headed the United States public relations task force to gain Congressional support for theNorth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[1]
Gillespie retired from the United States Foreign Service in 1995.[1] He became a principal member ofThe Scowcroft Group, aninternational businessconsulting company founded byBrent Scowcroft, the formerNational Security Advisor.[1]
Gillespie co-authored the bookCareer Diplomacy: Life and Work in the U.S. Foreign Service withHarry W. Kopp. The book was published by theGeorgetown University Press in October 2008.[1][4]
Charles A. Gillespie Jr. died of cancer at the age of 72 on March 7, 2008, atScripps Memorial Hospital inLa Jolla, California.[2] He was survived by his children, Charles and Kristin, and three grandchildren. His wife, Vivian Havens, whom he had been married to for 45 years, died in 2003.[1]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byasUnited States Ambassador to Grenada | United States Chargé d'Affairesad interim, Grenada February 2, 1984 – March 1984 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Colombia August 28, 1985 – September 19, 1988 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Chile December 20, 1988 – December 10, 1991 | Succeeded by |
| Minister Plenipotentiary |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chargé d'Affaires | ||
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | ||
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | ||
| ||
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | ||
| Chargé d'Affaires | ||
| Minister Resident | ||
| Minister Resident | ||
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | ||
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | ||
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
