Editing Graham Martin (section)

===Ambassador to Thailand===
Martin was appointed on 10 September 1963 and left this post on 9 September 1967.<ref name="State Dept" />

While serving as ambassador to Thailand, Martin came to the attention of [[Richard Nixon]], during a banquet for King [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] at the [[Embassy of the United States, Bangkok|Embassy]] in [[Bangkok]]. Nixon was in Thailand acting as a corporate attorney, accompanying Vice President [[Hubert Humphrey]]. When the King toasted President [[Lyndon Johnson]], Humphrey tried to return the toast with a toast to the King.  Martin interceded and gave the toast himself, explaining later to both Humphrey and Nixon that as the Ambassador, he was the President's personal representative.<ref name="Diplomatic List">"Diplomatic List: Order of Precedence and Date of Presentation of Credentials". Office of the Chief of Protocol, U.S. Department of State.</ref> He finished his explanation by saying "If you become President yourself someday, Mr. Vice President, you can be sure that I will guard your interests as closely as I did President Johnson's tonight".

During Ambassador Martin's tenure in Thailand, he forged close bonds with the local government and the Thai Royal family.  President Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara heeded the Joint Chiefs' request to escalate bombing runs over North Vietnam; and to provide close air support cover for covert missions in the highlands of South Vietnam; the secret war in Laos; and Cambodian excursions. The U.S. military needed more air bases for staging, and to launch B-52 bomber missions.  Using his personal relations with Thai royals and government leaders, Martin convinced Thailand to allow more U.S. troops and materiel to be stationed at bases on Thai soil.  Ambassador Martin advised that if Thai commanders were "in charge", these would remain "Thai bases"...and avoid embarrassment or public support for the escalating U.S. war.<ref name="Diplomatic List" /> The U.S. military worked to expand existing bases and build new ones; including [[Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base]]; and the [[U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield]] in October 1965.  From 1966 to 1975, U-Tapao became the most important strategic air base for U.S. bombing and cover missions of the entire war.<ref name="State Dept" />