Thread by @CIA

Billy Jack Johnson, a paramilitary & maritime ops expert, was a talented instructor known for his skill & expertise in unique specialties

FEB 1968, while serving in SE Asia, his vehicle was struck by enemy mortar

Billy was killed instantly

bit.ly/2CGu5fi

#inmemoriam

Billy served for nearly 20 years in the @USNavy as a Chief Quartermaster, with #WWII experience in Japan, Korea, Formosa (now Taiwan), & aboard the USS Mississippi & USS Tangier.

#inmemoriam

Based on Billy’s specialty in Far East maritime supply & support, his paramilitary training, & experiences, he was detailed to CIA from 1952-1956 as a trainer in maritime & paramilitary ops.
After his honorable discharge from @USNavy, Billy joined CIA in August 1956.

#inmemoriam

Billy’s 1st assignment was as a training assistant in the Soviet Division of our Deputy Directorate for Plans.
Over the next 10 years, he served in many positions– training assistant, training officer, & senior instructor –specializing in paramilitary & maritime ops.

#inmemoriam

Billy was also an expert in agent communications & surveillance training. His maritime experiences ran the gamut from navigation, piloting, & ship maintenance to amphibious techniques under combat conditions.

#inmemoriam

By 1965 Billy added ammunition, sabotage, & demolition to his list of specialties.

During the late 1960s, he was considered by many to be among our leading experts in fingerprint ID, escape & evasion, & one of our two best picks & locks experts.

#inmemoriam

Fall 1966: Billy was sent to SE Asia as an operations officer. He served as an advisor to a special police informant program & as the operations advisor to a combined revolutionary development cadre & provincial reconnaissance unit of more than 600 local nationals.

#inmemoriam

Billy was also responsible for intelligence activities in the region, targeting operations against the enemy infrastructure. By this time, he had advanced from senior instructor to agent handler & intelligence collector.

#inmemoriam

February 1, 1968, while making his rounds to conduct surveys, make payroll disbursements, & meet w local tribal leaders, Billy was killed when the vehicle in which he was riding took a direct hit from an enemy mortar.

#inmemoriam

Billy Jack Johnson was 49 years old when he was killed. He was survived by his wife and 3 sons. He is honored with a star on our CIA Memorial Wall.

bit.ly/2CGu5fi

#inmemoriam