Nomination of Thomas P. Shoesmith To Be United States Ambassador to Malaysia

The President announced today his intention to nominate Thomas P. Shoesmith, of Virginia, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador to Malaysia. He would succeed Ronald D. Palmer.

Mr. Shoesmith served in the United States Army in 1943-1948 as a first lieutenant. He began his government career in 1951 as intelligence research officer in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the Department of State. He was consular officer in Hong Kong (1956-1958) and political officer in Seoul (1958-1960). From 1960 to 1961, he attended Japanese language training at the Foreign Service Institute and in Tokyo. He was political officer in Tokyo (1961-1963) and principal officer in Fukuoka (1963-1966). In the Department he was Deputy Director (1966-1967) and Director (1967-1971) of the Office of Republic of China Affairs. In 1971-1972 he was a member of the executive seminar in national and international affairs at the Foreign Service Institute. In 1972-1977 he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Tokyo and Consul General in Hong Kong in 1977-1981. Since 1981 he has been Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Department.

Mr. Shoesmith graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (B.S., 1943) and Harvard University (M.A., 1951). His foreign language is Japanese. He was born January 25, 1922, in Palmerton, Pa.