William Andreas Brown

William Andreas Brown, retired US Ambassador to Israel and Thailand, died peacefully (age 93) in the presence of his loving family on July 19, 2024, at his home in Arlington VA. Helen Brown, his beloved wife for 72 years, died in 2022. He is survived by their four children (Joanna-maria, Margarita, Alexander, and Anastasia), five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Service private. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery (date TBA). Donations in his memory may be made to The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Ambassador Brown graduated from Harvard in 1952 (magna cum laude, PBK); A.M. 1955, Ph.D 1963. He served as US Marine Corps artillery officer in the Korean War, then as Captain USMCR. He joined the Foreign Service in October 1956 and served in Hong Kong; Taiwan (twice); Singapore; Sarawak (where he opened the first US Consulate in Borneo); USSR (twice); India; Thailand (as Ambassador 1985-1988); and Israel three times: Deputy Chief of Mission (1979-1982) and twice as Ambassador (1988-1992 and 1993-1994). He escorted the first delegation from the House of Representatives to the Peoples Republic of China in 1972. He administered the US- Soviet Environmental Agreement (1974 -1976). As the last chargé d'affaires in Taipei, he closed the American Embassy after the US broke diplomatic relations in 1978. He then opened its "non-official" replacement, the American Institute in Taiwan, of which he later became Acting Director. He was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs (1983-1985). After serving as Ambassador to Israel during the Persian Gulf War Iraqi missile attacks, the first Intifada and the peace process which led to the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference, he retired in 1992. Called out of retirement in 1993 to head the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, he attended the September 1993 White House meeting of President Clinton, Prime Minister Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

In retirement, Ambassador Brown lectured widely and appeared on television and radio programs discussing historic events in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He continued as pro bono Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Taiwan to meet and escort leaders visiting or transiting the United States. He served briefly as Special Envoy on Burma in 1996 and in 2002 headed a team which visited the Peoples Republic of China to assess the US funding for the United National Population Fund program. He continued to serve for many years as pro bono Chairman (later Honorary Chairman) of the Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Ambassador Brown also taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of New Hampshire. An avid scholar, his publications include Wen T'ian-hsiang: A Biographical Study of a Sung Patriot and an annotated translation of The History of the Mongolian Peoples Republic. He maintained contact with the Mongolian Cultural Association of Arlington/Falls Church with the goal of continued awareness of the Mongolian expatriate community. He identified and located all the members of his Marine Corps 15th Special Basic Course of 1952 to facilitate their 50th and subsequent reunions. He also conducted genealogical research on behalf of the Armenian American communities of Rhode Island and Worcester MA. He retained his keen mind and stayed informed on current events until his very last day, discussing their context with footnotes and personal insights such that talking with him was like opening a textbook (in the best way).

Throughout his long life, Ambassador Brown exemplified an incorruptible character, unstoppable grit and a demonstrated selflessness in service. Known for his bonhomie and indefatigable spirit of adventure, he would designate a distant mountain as "our first goal of the day" on a hike and was equally at home canoeing the back rivers of Borneo, earning parachute wings with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, and snorkeling in the Red Sea. And every year until the 2020 Covid pandemic he revisited Thailand to sail a Hobie Cat at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. His loved ones wish him bon voyage as he embarks on yet another new adventure and continues his remarkable journey. May he find peace in the wind, and safe harbors along the way. Semper Fi.