Francis E. Meloy, Jr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Meloy, Francis Edward, Jr. (1917-1976) — also known as Francis E. Meloy, Jr. Born in Washington, D.C., March 28, 1917. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; Foreign Service officer; U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic, 1969-73; Guatemala, 1973-76; Lebanon, 1976, died in office 1976. Assassinated in Beirut, Lebanon, June 16, 1976.

On June 16, 1976, in Beirut, Lebanon. Frances E. Meloy, the incoming U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, and Robert O.Waring, the U. S. Economic Counselor, were on their way to present their credentials to the new Lebanese President. They were kidnapped by Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine members as they crossed a militia checkpoint separating the Christian from the Muslim sections of Beirut. They were later shot to death.

Meloy, Waring and their driver, Mohammed Moghrabi, disappeared in June 1976 at a militia checkpoint as they crossed the Green Line, the division between Beirut's Christian and Muslim sectors. Their bullet-riddled bodies were found a short time later in mainly Muslim west Beirut, which was then controlled by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat's guerrillas.

Preceded by John Hugh Crimmins	United States Ambassador to Dominican Republic July 1969 – August 1973	Succeeded by Robert A. Hurwitch
Preceded by William G. Bowdler	United States Ambassador to Guatemala February 1974 – April 1976	Succeeded by Davis E. Boster
Preceded by G. McMurtrie Godley	United States Ambassador to Lebanon June, 1976 – June 16, 1976	Succeeded by Richard Bordeaux Parker