Philip W. Manhard Explained

Philip Wallace Manhard (November 13, 1921 Cambridge, Massachusetts - 1988) was the American Ambassador to Mauritius (sworn in on March 19, 1974, Left post on May 10, 1976)^[1] and was the first prisoner of war (POW) foreign service officer named as an Ambassador.^[2]

Manhard graduated from the University of Southern California in 1943. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1944 and in the Marine Corps from 1944 to 1946. Manhard then worked for IBM and Standard Oil. Manhard joined the foreign service in 1948.^[3]

While assigned as Province Senior Adviser in Thừa Thiên Province, South Vietnam, Manhard was taken prisoner by the Viet Cong during the Battle of Huế. He was the highest ranking civilian captured and held as a POW from 31 January 1968 until 16 March 1973).^{[4] [5]}

References

1. Web site: Philip Wallace Manhard (1921–1998) . Office of the Historian . 22 February 2020.
2. Web site: Meeting with United States Ambassador to Mauritius, Philip W. Manhard . Ford Library and Museum . 22 February 2020.
3. Web site: 1 December 1988 . The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR PHILIP W. MANHARD . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240627032740/https://adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Manhard,%20Philip.toc.pdf . 27 June 2024 . 26 July 2024 . Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.
4. Web site: Phillip W. Manhard . The Hall of Valor Project . 22 February 2020.
5. News: Sterba . James . Longest‐Term P.O.W. Freed With 31 . 22 February 2020 . The New York Times . March 17, 1973.