The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a chargé d'affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador (envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary) was appointed. The title was changed to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in 1946. The ambassador's offices are housed within the Embassy of the United States, Copenhagen.
Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).
Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.
Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.
Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.
Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.
Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".
^Jackson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 29, 1841.
^Forward was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 19, 1850.
^No record has been found of presentation of letter of recall or departure from post.
^Ogle did not proceed to his post. (Presumably due to illness. He died later in the year.)
^Bedinger was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 8, 1854.
^Bedinger was nominated on February 25, 1856, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary but the nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it.
^Atherton was still holding office as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark when he was recommissioned as such on July 8, 1943, in connection with additional appointments as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Canada and Luxembourg, resident at Ottawa. R. Borden Reams was serving as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim when the legation in Copenhagen was closed, December 20, 1941.
^The mission at Copenhagen was reopened as a legation June 16, 1945, with Minister Davis in charge pending presentation of his letter of credence.
^Brown was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on August 3, 1989.