Arnold Lewis Raphel

Arnold Lewis Raphel (March 16, 1943 – August 17, 1988) was an American diplomat who served as the 18th United States Ambassador to Pakistan from June 1987 until his death in an airplane crash in Punjab, Pakistan, alongside Pakistani president Zia-ul-Haq and 28 others, in August 1988.

Early life and education Raphel was born March 16, 1943, in Troy, New York, into a Jewish family, the son of Harry and Sarah (Rote-Rosen) Raphel.

As a boy, Raphel was already interested in diplomacy and international affairs. At age 12, he wrote to the then Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, regarding his interest in diplomacy. Dulles wrote back in reply, advising him to "study hard, work hard and we’ll see you in ten years."

Iran hostage crisis In 1979, Raphel was a key member of the State Department's Special Operations Group set up to free the American hostages seized by Iranian militants at the United States Embassy in Tehran. Afterward, he became the Deputy Assistant to the United States Secretary of State in 1985.

Ambassador to Pakistan Raphel was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and succeeded Dean Roesch Hinton as US Ambassador to Pakistan in January 1987.

Awards Presidential Citizens Medal (1989)

Personal life Raphel was married three times. His first wife was Myrna Feigenbaum, by whom he had one daughter, Stephanie.

Raphel was 45 years old. He was survived by both his parents, who were living in retirement by then in Atlantic City, N.J., and by his only daughter Stephanie, who was living with her mother, Myrna Feigenbaum, in Orlando, Florida. Raphel was also survived by his third wife, Nancy.