McGhee was born on March 10, 1912, in Waco, Texas, the son of a Waco banker. He studied at the University of Oklahoma, graduating with a degree in geology in 1933. He was initiated into the Oklahoma Kappa chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at OU. For a time McGhee worked for Conoco, on a crew that made the first oil discovery on the Gulf Coast using reflection seismology. He was awarded a Rhodes scholarship, and earned a doctorate in physical sciences from Oxford University in 1937. Back in the United States he became vice president of the National Geophysical Company, where he managed reflection seismology surveys in Cuba.[1] On his return to Texas, McGhee found employment with Everette Lee DeGolyer's oil services company DeGolyer and MacNaughton, scouting oilfields and marrying DeGolyer's daughter Cecilia. McGhee described Cecilia as "the most beautiful and richest girl in Texas."[2] In 1940 McGhee established his own company, the McGhee Production Company, and soon discovered a major oil field at Lake Charles, Louisiana, which made his fortune.[2][3]
Following the war he was recruited to the U.S. State Department by then-Undersecretary of StateWilliam L. Clayton, joining in 1946. McGhee initially traveled on behalf of the State Department to disburse a fund of $400 million in economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey, as well as other economic aid in Africa and the Middle East. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey in 1952–1953, where he supported their successful bid for NATO membership. While in Turkey, the McGhees lived in Alanya in an Ottoman-era villa they named "Turkish Delight."[2]
From 1970 to 1974, McGhee was head of the Federal City Council, a group of business, civic, education, and other leaders interested in economic development in Washington, D.C.[4]
In retirement McGhee wrote a semi-autobiographical novel, entitled The Dance of the Billions: A Novel About Texas, Houston, and Oil (1990), whose lack of success was attributed by his family to its puritanical tone.[3] His 2001 memoir was entitled I Did It This Way.[2]
george, mcghee, george, crews, mcghee, march, 1912, july, 2005, oilman, career, diplomat, united, states, foreign, service, 13th, counselor, united, states, department, statein, office, february, 1961, december, 1961presidentjohn, kennedypreceded, bytheodore, . George Crews McGhee March 10 1912 July 4 2005 was an oilman and a career diplomat in the United States foreign service George C McGhee13th Counselor of the United States Department of StateIn office February 16 1961 December 3 1961PresidentJohn F KennedyPreceded byTheodore AchillesSucceeded byWalt Whitman RostowDirector of Policy PlanningIn office February 13 1961 November 29 1961PresidentJohn F KennedyPreceded byGerard C SmithSucceeded byWalt Whitman Rostow3rd Under Secretary of State for Political AffairsIn office December 4 1961 March 27 1963PresidentJohn F KennedyPreceded byLivingston T MerchantSucceeded byW Averell Harriman1st Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern South Asian and African AffairsIn office June 28 1949 December 19 1951PresidentHarry S TrumanSucceeded byHenry A Byroade8th United States Ambassador to TurkeyIn office January 15 1952 June 19 1953PresidentHarry S TrumanDwight D EisenhowerPreceded byGeorge WadsworthSucceeded byAvra M Warren4th United States Ambassador to West GermanyIn office May 18 1963 May 21 1968PresidentJohn F KennedyLyndon B JohnsonPreceded byWalter C DowlingSucceeded byHenry Cabot Lodge Jr Personal detailsBorn 1912 03 10 March 10 1912Waco Texas U S DiedJuly 4 2005 2005 07 04 aged 93 Leesburg Virginia U S SpouseCecelia DeGolyerProfessionOilman Diplomat Contents 1 Early life 2 Wartime service 3 Diplomatic career 4 Retirement 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editMcGhee was born on March 10 1912 in Waco Texas the son of a Waco banker He studied at the University of Oklahoma graduating with a degree in geology in 1933 He was initiated into the Oklahoma Kappa chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at OU For a time McGhee worked for Conoco on a crew that made the first oil discovery on the Gulf Coast using reflection seismology He was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and earned a doctorate in physical sciences from Oxford University in 1937 Back in the United States he became vice president of the National Geophysical Company where he managed reflection seismology surveys in Cuba 1 On his return to Texas McGhee found employment with Everette Lee DeGolyer s oil services company DeGolyer and MacNaughton scouting oilfields and marrying DeGolyer s daughter Cecilia McGhee described Cecilia as the most beautiful and richest girl in Texas 2 In 1940 McGhee established his own company the McGhee Production Company and soon discovered a major oil field at Lake Charles Louisiana which made his fortune 2 3 Wartime service editAt the beginning of World War II McGhee was a member of the staff of the Office of Production Management and a member of the War Production Board Commissioned into the U S Navy McGhee served as a naval air intelligence officer on the staff of Army Air Force General Curtis E LeMay for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit 2 Diplomatic career editFollowing the war he was recruited to the U S State Department by then Undersecretary of State William L Clayton joining in 1946 McGhee initially traveled on behalf of the State Department to disburse a fund of 400 million in economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey as well as other economic aid in Africa and the Middle East He served as U S Ambassador to Turkey in 1952 1953 where he supported their successful bid for NATO membership While in Turkey the McGhees lived in Alanya in an Ottoman era villa they named Turkish Delight 2 McGhee was instrumental in dealings with the Republic of the Congo and the Dominican Republic in the early 1960s From November 1961 to April 1963 he served as the third ever Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs during the Kennedy Administration later to be replaced by W Averell Harriman President Kennedy had left this office vacant since January 1961 until McGhee was persuaded to take the position Following that position he was again named Ambassador to West Germany from 1963 to 1968 2 Retirement editAfter retiring in 1969 McGhee served on corporate boards of Mobil Procter and Gamble and Trans World Airlines From 1970 to 1974 McGhee was head of the Federal City Council a group of business civic education and other leaders interested in economic development in Washington D C 4 McGhee was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1993 5 In retirement McGhee wrote a semi autobiographical novel entitled The Dance of the Billions A Novel About Texas Houston and Oil 1990 whose lack of success was attributed by his family to its puritanical tone 3 His 2001 memoir was entitled I Did It This Way 2 In 1989 McGhee donated his villa in Alanya Turkey to Georgetown University Today it is known as the McGhee Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies and welcomes students each spring His estate Farmer s Delight in Loudoun County Virginia is operated by the McGhee Foundation as a museum research center and meeting facility 6 It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places 7 8 McGhee died of pneumonia on July 4 2005 at the age of 93 at Loudoun Hospital Center in Leesburg Virginia 3 References edit Clark Dean George C McGhee Virtual Geoscience Center Missouri Southern University Archived from the original on 30 March 2012 Retrieved 16 September 2011 a b c d e f Ambassador George Crews McGhee McGhee Foundation Archived from the original on 26 July 2011 Retrieved 16 September 2011 a b c Bernstein Adam July 6 2005 George C McGhee Dies Oilman Diplomat Washington Post Retrieved 16 September 2011 Federal City Council Elected The Washington Post September 30 1970 p D9 APS Member History search amphilsoc org Retrieved 2022 03 16 Farmer s Delight Plantation McGhee Foundation Archived from the original on 1 October 2011 Retrieved 16 September 2011 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission May 1973 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Farmer s Delight PDF National Park Service Retrieved 16 September 2011 External links editMcGhee biography at the McGhee Foundation Washington Post Obituary Interview with Ambassador McGhee George C McGhee papers at the Truman Library George C McGhee papers at Georgetown University Archived 2014 02 17 at the Wayback Machine The George C McGhee Collection at the University of Oklahoma Archived 2014 05 14 at the Wayback Machine Oral History Interview with George C McGhee from the Truman Library Appearances on C SPANGovernment officesPreceded byNew office Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern South Asian and African AffairsJune 28 1949 December 19 1951 Succeeded byHenry A ByroadePreceded byGerard C Smith Director of Policy Planning1961 November 1961 Succeeded byWalt Whitman RostowPreceded byLivingston T Merchant Under Secretary of State for Political AffairsNovember 1961 April 1963 Succeeded byW Averell HarrimanDiplomatic postsPreceded byGeorge Wadsworth U S Ambassador to Turkey1952 1953 Succeeded byAvra M WarrenPreceded byWalter C Dowling U S Ambassador to West Germany1963 1968 Succeeded byHenry Cabot Lodge Jr Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George C McGhee amp oldid 1179860671, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
