Editing Richard Secord

Biography of Richard V. Secord
Richard Vernon Secord (born July 6, 1932) is a retired U.S. Air Force Major General whose career spanned military service, covert CIA operations, and private arms dealing, most notably as a central figure in the Iran-Contra affair. A key associate of Thomas G. Clines, Theodore Shackley, and Edwin P. Wilson, Secord was involved with the Egyptian-American Transport and Services Corporation (EATSCO) and other covert logistics operations. Below is a detailed biography of Secord’s life, career, and connections to EATSCO, Nugan Hand Bank, Michael Jon Hand, Air America, Operation Gladio, Le Cercle, and Crypto AG, as relevant to your previous queries.

Early Life and Education
Richard V. Secord was born on July 6, 1932, in LaRue, Ohio, to a middle-class family. Raised in a small-town environment, he developed an early interest in aviation and military service.
	•	Education: Secord graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in military science. He later earned a master’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University, enhancing his strategic expertise.
	•	Military Training: After West Point, Secord trained as a pilot, earning his wings and specializing in tactical air operations, which shaped his later roles in covert missions.

Military and CIA Career (1955–1983)
Secord’s career blended Air Force service with CIA covert operations, particularly during the Vietnam War and post-Camp David arms shipments to Egypt.
	1	Early Air Force Career (1955–1966):
	◦	Commissioned as a second lieutenant, Secord flew combat missions and served in various Air Force roles, including as a fighter pilot and instructor. His assignments included bases in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, where he honed his skills in air operations and intelligence.
	◦	By the early 1960s, Secord’s expertise in special operations drew the attention of the CIA, leading to his involvement in covert missions.
	2	Vietnam War and Air America (1966–1975):
	◦	Secord served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, initially as an Air Force officer coordinating air support for CIA operations in Laos and Vietnam. He worked closely with Air America, the CIA’s covert airline, which airlifted supplies, troops, and operatives for the Hmong war effort and the Phoenix Program.
	▪	Connection to Air America: Secord’s role involved directing Air America flights for logistics and combat support under CIA station chiefs like Theodore Shackley and Thomas G. Clines. Allegations of drug trafficking, particularly opium transport, surfaced, with historians like Alfred W. McCoy suggesting CIA complicity, though Secord denied involvement.
	◦	As a lieutenant colonel, Secord flew over 285 combat missions in Laos and Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, and other decorations. His work included directing air strikes and managing covert air operations.
	3	Post-Vietnam and CIA Assignments (1975–1978):
	◦	After Vietnam, Secord served as the Air Force’s chief of air operations in Iran, overseeing U.S. military assistance to the Shah’s regime. His role facilitated arms transfers and intelligence-sharing, aligning with CIA objectives.
	◦	He worked under Ted Shackley, then CIA station chief in Iran, strengthening their partnership. Secord’s experience in covert logistics positioned him for later private ventures.
	4	Egypt and EATSCO (1978–1983):
	◦	Promoted to Major General in 1978, Secord was assigned to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Assistance Agency, overseeing military aid to Egypt post-Camp David Accords. He facilitated the formation of EATSCO, co-founded by Thomas G. Clines and Hussein K. Salem in 1979, to ship $3 billion in U.S. military equipment to Egypt.
	▪	Connection to EATSCO: Secord was not an owner but played a key role in securing EATSCO’s contract, leveraging his Pentagon position and CIA contacts. The company overcharged the Pentagon by $8 million, leading to a 1983 guilty plea for false statements. Edwin P. Wilson funded EATSCO, and Shackley was linked through his network, though Secord faced no charges in this case.
	◦	Secord retired from the Air Force in 1983 amid scrutiny over EATSCO, transitioning to private arms dealing.

Iran-Contra Affair and Private Ventures (1983–1990)
Secord’s post-military career centered on private intelligence and arms dealing, culminating in his pivotal role in the Iran-Contra affair.
	•	Iran-Contra Affair (1984–1986):
	◦	Secord partnered with Albert Hakim, an Iranian-American businessman, to form Stanford Technology Trading Group International and other companies to sell arms to Iran and fund Nicaraguan Contras, bypassing Congressional bans. Working with Clines, Oliver North, and others, Secord managed a covert network known as “The Enterprise.”
	◦	He oversaw arms shipments to Iran to secure the release of U.S. hostages and diverted profits to the Contras, using offshore accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. Secord personally profited, earning over $2 million.
	◦	In 1987, the Iran-Contra scandal broke, leading to Congressional hearings where Secord testified under immunity. He was indicted in 1988 on nine counts, including obstruction of justice and perjury, but pleaded guilty in 1989 to one count of making false statements to Congress. He received two years’ probation, avoiding prison due to his cooperation.
	•	Connection to Nugan Hand Bank and Michael Jon Hand:
	◦	Secord’s ties to Nugan Hand Bank are indirect, through Edwin P. Wilson and Thomas G. Clines. Wilson used Nugan Hand in 1974 to finance arms shipments to southern Africa, facilitated by Michael Jon Hand, a former CIA contractor. Secord’s involvement with Clines in EATSCO and their shared CIA network under Shackley suggest a parallel structure. Hand’s Laos experience with Air America and Secord’s oversight of similar operations indicate overlapping covert logistics, but no direct evidence links Secord to Nugan Hand.
	•	Other Ventures:
	◦	Secord operated Secord Enterprises, a security consulting firm, and worked with Hakim on ventures like Lake Resources, which managed Iran-Contra funds. His companies supported anti-communist groups in Central America and the Middle East, continuing his CIA-era objectives.

Connections to Air America, Operation Gladio, Le Cercle, and Crypto AG
	1	Air America:
	◦	Secord’s Vietnam and Laos roles directly tied him to Air America, which he used for air support and logistics under Shackley’s command. His coordination of combat missions and supply drops relied on Air America’s aircraft, and drug trafficking allegations mirror those against the airline, though Secord denied complicity.
	2	Operation Gladio:
	◦	No direct evidence connects Secord to Operation Gladio, NATO’s stay-behind networks. His anti-communist operations and ties to Shackley, a Le Cercle member, suggest proximity to Gladio’s networks, but this is speculative.
	3	Le Cercle:
	◦	Secord is not documented as a Le Cercle member, but his partnership with Shackley and involvement in anti-communist arms deals align with the group’s activities. No primary sources confirm his attendance at Le Cercle meetings.
	4	Crypto AG:
	◦	There is no evidence linking Secord to Crypto AG or Operation Rubicon. His expertise was in air operations and arms logistics, not SIGINT. While EATSCO shipped equipment to Egypt, a Crypto AG client, no records tie Secord to encryption operations.

Later Life and Legacy
After Iran-Contra, Secord lived a low-profile life in Florida, working as a consultant and writing his memoir, Honored and Betrayed: Irangate, Covert Affairs, and the Secret War in Laos (1992), which defended his actions. He faced financial difficulties due to legal costs but remained unapologetic about his covert career. Secord is still alive as of the last known records, residing in Florida with his wife, Jo Ann Secord, and their family.
Secord’s legacy is polarizing: supporters view him as a patriot who executed critical covert missions, while critics, citing Iran-Contra and EATSCO, see him as emblematic of unchecked CIA power. His role in EATSCO, ties to Wilson and Clines, and indirect links to Nugan Hand Bank through their shared CIA network underscore his place in Cold War espionage, as detailed in The Crimes of Patriots by Jonathan Kwitny and Blond Ghost by David Corn.
If you’d like further details on Secord’s Iran-Contra role, his Air America operations, or additional sources, please let me know!