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List of U.S. governors of the Ryukyu Islands

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U.S. governor of the Ryukyu Islands
琉球列島のアメリカ知事
(Ryūkyū-rettō no Amerika chiji)
Seal of High Commissioner of the Ryukyu Islands
Longest serving
LTG James Benjamin Lampert

28 January 1968 – 14 May 1972
United States Department of War
United States Department of Defense
TypeMilitary governor
StatusSenior-most officer of military occupation
Member ofUSMGR (1945–1950)
USCAR (1950–1972)
SeatNaha, Okinawa
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrumentTreaty of San Francisco (Formal establishment)[a]
PrecursorGovernor of Okinawa Prefecture
Formation1 April 1945; 79 years ago (1945-04-01)
First holderLTG Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
Final holderLTG James Benjamin Lampert
Abolished14 May 1972; 52 years ago (1972-05-14)
SuccessionGovernor of Okinawa Prefecture

This article lists the U.S. governors of the Ryukyu Islands (Japanese: 琉球諸島, Hepburn: Ryūkyū-shotō, Okinawan: 琉球/ルーチュー Ruuchuu), an archipelago of Japanese islands within Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures, centered on the Okinawa Islands and its main island, Okinawa (the smallest and least populated of the five Japanese home islands[1]).

The list encompasses the period of U.S. occupation, from the start of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 until the return of the islands to Japanese sovereignty in 1972, in accordance with the 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement.[2][3]

Officeholders

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Source: [4]

† denotes people who died in office.

United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands (USMGR, 1945–1950)

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Military Governors

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No. Portrait Governor Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
Buckner, SimonLieutenant general
Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
(1886–1945)
[b]
1 April 194518 June 1945 †78 days United States Army
Roy Geiger
Geiger, RoyMajor general
Roy Geiger
(1885–1947)
Acting
[c]
18 June 194523 June 19455 days United States Marine Corps
Joseph Stilwell
Stilwell, JosephGeneral
Joseph Stilwell
(1883–1946)
Acting
[d]
23 June 194531 July 194538 days United States Army
2
Joseph Stilwell
Stilwell, JosephGeneral
Joseph Stilwell
(1883–1946)
[d]
31 July 194516 October 194577 days United States Army
N/A
Fred Clute Wallace
Wallace, FredMajor general
Fred Clute Wallace
(1887–1959)
Commanding General, Island Command Okinawa
June 194523 April 194610 months United States Army
3
Lawrence A. Lawson
Lawson, LawrenceBrigadier general
Lawrence A. Lawson
(1897–1951)
17 October 194529 December 194573 days United States Army
4
Fremont Byron Hodson Sr.
Hodson, FremontBrigadier general
Fremont Byron Hodson Sr.
(1894–1974)
30 December 194526 February 194658 days United States Army
5
Leo Donovan
Donovan, LeoMajor general
Leo Donovan
(1895–1950)
27 February 194621 May 194683 days United States Army
6
Frederic Lord Hayden
Hayden, FrederickBrigadier general
Frederic Lord Hayden
(1901–1969)
24 May 194611 May 19481 year, 353 days United States Army
7
William W. Eagles
Eagles, WilliamMajor general
William W. Eagles
(1895–1988)
12 May 194830 September 19491 year, 141 days United States Army
8
Josef R. Sheetz
Sheetz, JosefMajor general
Josef R. Sheetz
(1895–1992)
1 October 194921 July 1950293 days United States Army
9
Robert B. McClure
McClure, RobertMajor general
Robert B. McClure
(1896–1973)
28 July 19506 December 1950131 days United States Army
Harry B. Sherman
Sherman, HarryBrigadier general
Harry B. Sherman
(1894–1974)
Acting
6 December 19509 December 19503 days United States Army
10
Robert S. Beightler
Beightler, RobertMajor general
Robert S. Beightler
(1892–1978)
9 December 195015 December 19506 days United States Army

United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR, 1950–1972)

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Governors and Commanders-in-Chief, Far East Command (in Tokyo)

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No. Portrait Governor Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Douglas MacArthur
MacArthur, DouglasGeneral
Douglas MacArthur
(1880–1964)
[e]
15 December 195011 April 1951[f]117 days United States Army
2
Matthew Ridgway
Ridgway, MatthewGeneral
Matthew Ridgway
(1895–1993)
[e]
11 April 195112 May 19521 year, 31 days United States Army
3
Mark W. Clark
Clark, MarkGeneral
Mark W. Clark
(1896–1984)
12 May 19527 October 19531 year, 148 days United States Army
4
John E. Hull
Hull, JohnGeneral
John E. Hull
(1895–1975)
7 October 19531 April 19551 year, 176 days United States Army
5
Maxwell D. Taylor
Taylor, MaxwellGeneral
Maxwell D. Taylor
(1901–1987)
1 April 19555 June 195565 days United States Army
6
Lyman Lemnitzer
Lemnitzer, LymanGeneral
Lyman Lemnitzer
(1899–1988)
5 June 195530 June 19572 years, 25 days United States Army

Deputy governors and Commanding Generals, Ryukyu Islands Command (in Naha)

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No. Portrait Deputy Governor Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Robert S. Beightler
Beightler, RobertMajor general
Robert S. Beightler
(1892–1978)
15 December 195010 May 1951146 days United States Army
Harry B. Sherman
Sherman, HarryBrigadier general
Harry B. Sherman
(1894–1974)
Acting
10 May 19517 August 195189 days United States Army
(1)
Robert S. Beightler
Beightler, RobertMajor general
Robert S. Beightler
(1892–1978)
8 August 195116 December 19521 year, 130 days United States Army
2
James Malcolm Lewis
Lewis, JamesBrigadier general
James Malcolm Lewis
(1898–1954)
18 December 19522 January 195315 days United States Army
3
David Ayres Depue Ogden
Ogden, DavidLieutenant general
David Ayres Depue Ogden
(1897–1969)
3 January 19534 March 19552 years, 60 days United States Army
4
James Edward Moore
Moore, JamesLieutenant general
James Edward Moore
(1902–1986)
5 March 19553 July 19572 years, 120 days United States Army

High Commissioners

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No. Portrait High Commissioner Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
James Edward Moore
Moore, JamesLieutenant general
James Edward Moore
(1902–1986)
4 July 195730 April 1958300 days United States Army
2
Donald Prentice Booth
Booth, DonaldLieutenant general
Donald Prentice Booth
(1902–1993)
1 May 195812 February 19612 years, 287 days United States Army
3
Paul Caraway
Caraway, PaulLieutenant general
Paul Caraway
(1905–1985)
16 February 196131 July 19643 years, 166 days United States Army
4
Albert Watson II
Watson, AlbertLieutenant general
Albert Watson II
(1909–1993)
1 August 196431 October 19662 years, 91 days United States Army
5
Ferdinand Thomas Unger
Unger, FerdinandLieutenant general
Ferdinand Thomas Unger
(1914–1999)
2 November 196628 January 19681 year, 87 days United States Army
6
James Benjamin Lampert
Lampert, JamesLieutenant general
James Benjamin Lampert
(1914–1978)
28 January 196814 May 19724 years, 107 days United States Army

Civil Administrators

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No. Portrait Civil Administrator Took office Left office Time in office
1
Vonna F. Burger
Burger, VonnaVonna F. Burger
(1902–1999)
June 195520 June 19594 years
2
John G. Ondrick
Ondrick, JohnJohn G. Ondrick
(1906–1974)
1 July 1959May 19622 years, 10 months
3
Shannon Boyd-Bailey McCune
McCune, ShannonShannon Boyd-Bailey McCune
(1913–1993)
18 July 19628 February 19641 year, 205 days
4
Gerald Warner
Warner, GeraldGerald Warner
(1907–1989)
11 February 196410 July 19673 years, 149 days
5
Stanley Sherman Carpenter
Carpenter, StanleyStanley Sherman Carpenter
(1917–1982)
15 July 196715 August 19692 years, 31 days
6
Robert A. Fearey
Fearey, RobertRobert A. Fearey
(1918–2004)
21 August 196912 May 19722 years, 265 days

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Article 3 of the Treaty of San Francisco: "Japan will concur in any proposal of the United States to the United Nations to place under its trusteeship system, with the United States as the sole administering authority, Nansei Shoto south of 29° north latitude (including the Ryukyu Islands and the Daitō Islands), Nanpo Shoto south of Sofu Gan (including the Bonin Islands, Rosario Island and the Volcano Islands) and Parece Vela and Marcus Island. Pending the making of such a proposal and affirmative action thereon, the United States will have the right to exercise all and any powers of administration, legislation, and jurisdiction over the territory and inhabitants of these islands, including their territorial waters."
  2. ^ Commander of the Tenth Army; killed in action in the Battle of Okinawa.
  3. ^ Commander of the III Amphibious Corps; assumed the command of the Tenth Army upon the death of Buckner.
  4. ^ a b Commander of the Tenth Army.
  5. ^ a b Simultaneously served as SCAP.
  6. ^ Relieved of command by President Harry S. Truman.

References

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  1. ^ "離島とは(島の基礎知識) (what is a remote island?)". MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 22 August 2015. Archived from the original (website) on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2019. MILT classification 6,852 islands(main islands: 5 islands, remote islands: 6,847 islands)
  2. ^ "Records of U.S. Occupation Headquarters, World War II". National Archives. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. 1995. Retrieved 28 July 2019. 260.12 Records of the U.S. Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) 1945–72
  3. ^ "Agreement between the United States of America and Japan Concerning the Ryukyu Islands and Daito Islands". United States Treaties and Other International Agreements, Volume 23, Part 1. 23. US Department of State: 449. 1973. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Okinawa and Ryukyu Islands". worldstatesmen.org. B. Cahoon. Retrieved 28 July 2019.