▁( J une ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁– ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁diplom at . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁B ots w ana , ▁Sw az il and , ▁Les oth o , ▁and ▁Ch ad . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Donald ▁Roland ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Laur ens , ▁Iowa , ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁on ▁a ▁family ▁farm . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁educ ator ▁and ▁state ▁legisl ator . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Northern ▁Iowa ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁pat rol ▁tor ped o ▁boats ▁and ▁mines we ep ers ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota , ▁with ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁political ▁science ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Foreign ▁Service ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁cultural ▁affairs ▁officer ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Emb ass y ▁in ▁Rab at , ▁Mor oc co . ▁He ▁was ▁charg é ▁d ' aff aires ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁independent ▁nations ▁of ▁Niger , ▁D ah ome y ▁( now ▁Ben in ) ▁and ▁Upper ▁Vol ta ▁( now ▁Bur k ina ▁F aso ) ▁while ▁cons ul ▁general ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁( now ▁C ô te ▁d ' I vo ire ) ▁in ▁ 1