Alan Wood Lukens (February 12, 1924 – January 5, 2019) was an American diplomat who served as the ambassador to

People's Republic of the Congo The People's Republic of the Congo (french: République populaire du Congo) was a Marxist–Leninist socialist state that existed in the Republic of the Congo from 1969 to 1992. The People's Republic of the Congo was founded in December 1969 ...

from 1984 to 1987 and held other diplomatic posts throughout Africa. He died in January 2019 at the age of 94.Ambassador Alan Wood Lukens obituary
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Early life

Lukens was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, son of Edward and Francis (Day) Lukens. He attended the

Episcopal Academy The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in D ...

, continuing his education at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

, Class of 1946. He did not actually graduate until 1948 because he interrupted his studies to join the army. He served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in the 20th Armored Division, landed on Utah Beach on D-Day and experienced bitter fighting in the

Rhine valley ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

. His division was involved with the Liberation of

Dachau concentration camp , , commandant = List of commandants , known for = , location = Upper Bavaria, Southern Germany , built by = Germany , operated by = ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) , original use = Political prison , construction ...

on April 29, 1945.

Foreign Service

He joined the Foreign Service in 1951. Vice consul in Istanbul from 1952 to 1953. Charge d' affaires, Central African Republic 1961, Paris 1961–1963, Morocco 1963–1965. Deputy chief of mission Dakar 1967–1970, Nairobi 1970-1972 and Copenhagen 1975–1978. Lukens retired from the State Department in 1993. President of the 20th Armored Division association and commander of American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Maryland.

References

1924 births 2019 deaths Episcopal Academy alumni Ambassadors of the United States to the Republic of the Congo Diplomats from Philadelphia United States Army soldiers United States Department of State officials United States Foreign Service personnel Princeton University alumni {{US-diplomat-stub