United States Ambassador to South Africa Nomination of William B. Edmondson.

The President today announced that he will nominate William B. Edmondson, of Peru, Nebr., to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of South Africa. He would replace William G. Bowdler, who will return to Washington to serve as Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the State Department.

Edmondson was born February 6, 1927, in St. Joseph, Mo. He received an A.B. from the University of Nebraska in 1950 and an M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1948.

Edmondson joined the State Department as an intern in 1951. From 1952 to 1955, he was Consul and deputy principal officer in Dar es Salaam. From 1955 to 1957, he was economic officer in Bern. In 1957-58, he took African area studies at Northwestern University.

From 1958 to 1960, Edmondson was an intelligence research specialist at the State Department. In 1960 and 1961, he was acting chief of the West Africa Division of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He was political officer in Accra from 1961 to 1964, and officer in charge of Ghana affairs at the State Department from 1964 to 1965.

Edmondson was deputy chief of mission in Lusaka from 1965 to 1969. He attended the National War College in 1969-70 and served as educational and cultural affairs officer at the State Department in 1970 and 1971. From 1971 to 1974, he was Director of the Office of African Programs in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

From 1974 to 1976, Edmondson was Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria. Since 1976 he has been Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.