Background
Countryman, John Russell was born on January 25, 1933 in Brooklyn. Son of H. Russell and Lucille Ida (Pliska) Countryman.
Countryman, John Russell was born on January 25, 1933 in Brooklyn. Son of H. Russell and Lucille Ida (Pliska) Countryman.
Student, Fordham University, 1954. (Fulbright scholar), University Berlin, 1955. Master of Arts, University Miami, 1961.
Vice consul American consulate general, Istanbul, 1963-1965. Staff aide to ambassador-at-large Averill Harriman, 1965-1966. With Arabic language training staff American Embassy, Beirut, 1966-1968.
Chief economic section American consulate general Dhahran, 1968-1970. Deputy principal officer, 1970-1971. Chief economic section American embassy, Tripoli, 1971-1973.
Deputy chief mission Libreville, Gabon, 1973-1975. Deputy director Arabian peninsula affairs Department State, 1976-1978, deputy acting director Near Eastern regional affairs, 1978-1979, director Arabian peninsula affairs, 1979-1981. United States ambassador to Sultanate of Oman Muscat, 1981-1985.
Senior fellow Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, 1985-1987. Vice president Sandoz and Lamberton, Inc., 1987-1992. Executive director Initiative for Peace and Cooperation in the Middle East, 1992.
With United States Air Force, 1955-1958. Member Phi Kappa Phi.
Married Illona Zwolski Vachon, May 20, 1973. 1 child, Vanessa Annual.