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William Francis Buckley

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William Francis Buckley

William Francis Buckley (May 30, 1928 – June 3, 1985) was a United States Army officer in the United States Army Special Forces, and a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station chief in Beirut from 1984 until his kidnapping and killing in 1985. Buckley's cover was as a political officer at the U.S. Embassy. He was kidnapped by the group Islamic Jihad in March 1984, and held hostage and tortured by Aziz al-Abub. Hezbollah later claimed they executed him in October 1985, but another American hostage disputed that, believing that he died four months prior, in June. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery and is commemorated with a star on the Memorial Wall at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Infobox

Birth name
William Francis Buckley
Born
(1928-05-30)May 30, 1928Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died
June 3, 1985(1985-06-03) (aged 57)Lebanon
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Branch
United States Army Central Intelligence Agency
Years of service
1947–1965 (Army)1965–1985 (CIA)
Rank
Lieutenant colonel (Army)Paramilitary operations officer (CIA)
Unit
U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division 11th Special Forces Group MACV Central Intelligence Agency Special Activities Division
Battles / wars
Korean WarVietnam War
Awards
mw- Silver Star Soldier's Medal Bronze Star with Valor device Purple Heart (2) Meritorious Service Medal Combat Infantry Badge Parachutist Badge Vietnam Gallantry Cross Distinguished Intelligence Cross Intelligence Star Exceptional Service Medal
Alma mater
Boston University (BA)
Service years
1947–1965 (Army)1965–1985 (CIA)

Tables

1st row
1st row
Badge
1st row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Silver Star
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Soldier's Medal
2nd row
2nd row
Badge
2nd row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Bronze Star with "V" device
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Purple Heart with 1 Oak leaf cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Meritorious Service Medal
3rd row
3rd row
Badge
3rd row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Prisoner of War Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star
4th row
4th row
Badge
4th row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Korean Service Medal with 3 Campaign stars
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 4 Campaign stars
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Vietnam Service Medal with 2 silver and 1 bronze Campaign stars
5th row
5th row
Badge
5th row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device and "M" device
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Army Service Ribbon
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
6th row
6th row
Badge
6th row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with 1 bronze Service star
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
United Nations Korea Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class
7th row
7th row
Badge
7th row
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960- device
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Cambodia National Defense Medal with 1 Service star
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Korean War Service Medal
Badges
Badges
Badge
Badges
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
South Vietnamese Parachutist badge
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Master Parachutist Badge
Badges
Badges
Badge
Badges
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Special Forces Tab
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
United States Army Special Forces Distinctive unit insignia
Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
1st row
Silver Star
Soldier's Medal
2nd row
Bronze Star with "V" device
Purple Heart with 1 Oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal
3rd row
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster
Prisoner of War Medal
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star
4th row
Korean Service Medal with 3 Campaign stars
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 4 Campaign stars
Vietnam Service Medal with 2 silver and 1 bronze Campaign stars
5th row
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device and "M" device
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
6th row
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with 1 bronze Service star
United Nations Korea Medal
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class
7th row
Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960- device
Cambodia National Defense Medal with 1 Service star
Korean War Service Medal
Badges
South Vietnamese Parachutist badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Badges
Special Forces Tab
United States Army Special Forces Distinctive unit insignia
· Awards and decorations
Intelligence Star
Distinguished Intelligence Cross
Exceptional Service Medal
12 Overseas Service Bars

References

  1. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/27/world/hostages-lebanon-israelis-are-guarded-another-seven-americans-held-hostage.html
  2. Thomas 1989.
  3. Kushner 2003, p. 85-86, Buckley, William Francis (Entries A-Z).
    https://www.archive.org/details/isbn_9780761924081/page/85/mode/2up
  4. "Former Hostage Says Buckley Died Five Months Before Date Given by Captors"
    https://www.apnews.com/article/23e0309c50df4c4e15ce5c6609badd70
  5. Canada Free Press (CFP)
    https://web.archive.org/web/20061109092551/https://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/thomas102506.htm
  6. Prelude to Terror: The rogue CIA and the legacy of America's private intelligence network
    https://www.archive.org/details/preludetoterrorr00tren_0
  7. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/28/world/remains-of-cia-official-are-flown-to-us-for-rites.html
  8. Stoneham High School yearbook
    http://archive.org/details/stonehamhighscho1947ston
  9. Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah's War Against America
    https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9upDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA56
  10. "William Francis Buckley"
    https://spartacus-educational.com/JFKbuckleyWF.htm
  11. Clancy, Stiner & Koltz 2002, p. 239, VIII. The Lebanon tragedy.
    https://www.archive.org/details/shadowwarriorsin00clan_0/page/239
  12. Clancy, Stiner & Koltz 2002, p. 253, VIII. The Lebanon tragedy.
    https://www.archive.org/details/shadowwarriorsin00clan_0/page/253
  13. The Wall Street Journal
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150214035443/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203630604578072452443447568
  14. The battle for South Lebanon: The radicalization of Lebanon's Shi'ites 1982–1985
    https://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/2066/147053/147053.pdf
  15. Violence and Diplomacy in Lebanon: The Troubled Years, 1982–1988
    https://doi.org/10.5040%2F9780755612109
  16. By Any Means Necessary
  17. 1984 (entry 7)
    https://www.archive.org/details/Encyclopedia_of_Espionage_Intelligence_Security_Vol_III_By_Lee_Lerner_Brenda_Ler/page/n341
  18. Washington Post
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150329154713/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3456600093.html
  19. Clancy, Stiner & Koltz 2002, p. 260, VIII. The Lebanon tragedy.
    https://archive.org/details/shadowwarriorsin00clan_0/page/260
  20. Tales From Langley: The CIA From Truman to Obama
    https://books.google.com/books?id=IYpXDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA255
  21. Newsweek
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131221165132/https://www.newsweek.com/death-terrors-pioneer-94113
  22. United States National Security Council, "U.S./Iranian Contacts and the American Hostages"-"Maximum Version" of NSC Chro
  23. United Nations Peacekeeping Missions
    https://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unogilbackgr.html
  24. Picco 1999, pp. 334.
  25. ANC Explorer
    https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgdidWNrbGV5Egd3aWxsaWFtGgFm/
  26. The Daily Republic
    https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-news/opinion/local-opinion-columnists/memory-of-buckley-deserves-better
  27. Report of the President's Special Review Board
    https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP89G00643R001300120001-9.pdf
  28. National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170824231052/https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210
  29. Navigating Iran: From Carter to Obama
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ycHFAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA47
  30. Intelligence and National Security
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02684527.2020.1762298
  31. Clancy, Stiner & Koltz 2002, p. 261, VIII. The Lebanon tragedy.
    https://archive.org/details/shadowwarriorsin00clan_0/page/261
  32. Deseret News
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190829155126/https://www.deseret.com/1988/9/28/18779491/cia-official-tortured-to-death-gave-secrets
  33. SOFREP
    https://www.sofrep.com/news/a-delta-force-encounter-with-a-hezbollah-operative
  34. Memorial in Stoneham, Massachusetts, USA.
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_F._Buckley_Memorial_-_Stoneham,_MA_-_DSC04293.JPG
  35. Wicked Local / Stoneham Sun
    https://stoneham.wickedlocal.com/article/20100601/NEWS/306019295
  36. army.togetherweserved.com
    https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=218637
  37. Afio.com
    https://www.afio.com/pages/WOODWARD_BU_Buckley_ROTC_Hall_of_Fame_Ceremony_2022Apr29-1.pdf
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