A Plane

Crash, Rescue, and Recovery

A Close Call in Africa

Richard L. Hoim

September 1964, I reported to CIA

Headquarters following two-year tour
as a Directorate of Operations (DO)
officer involved in paramilitary work in
Laos and Thailand. I was assigned to a
In

country desk in the DOs Africa Divi

signed up for part-time

sion, and I
French

language training in preparation

assignment. Through my
language training, I came into contact
for my
with

We talked

lot about

one

going

on
Congo and
the fact that our

in the

senior officer in

Stanleyville

of the divisions

officers, who had served

in the

the rebeffion

next

most

senior

Leopoldville
Republic of the Congo. We talked

lot about the rebellion

and the fact that

Congo

officer in

Stanleyville

munications officers

in

going
our

and his
were

on

in the

senior
two com

prisoners

of

the Simba rebels.

and his

two communications
Political Turmoil

Background:

officers

prisoners

were

of the Simba

rebels.

9~

auth~r

The

gained independence from Bel

gium in 1960, the Congo became the
scene of intense political intrigue that
led quickly to rebellion and conflict.

After it

Given its abundant

strategic location,

resources

and its

Hmong

resistance

fighter

prompti~g determination from the

United

the United States

and the USSR and their camps had been

watching carefully as the Congo tried to

and

in Laos in mid-1962. Photo courtesy of the

author.

~tates and its allies to provide all

support

possible

governn~ent.
it

to

Tshombe and his

just that simple, and

out elsewhere in
played
~cenario
world repeatedly during the first
It

was

was a

set

its

course as an

independent

influence

nation.

Both tried

to

strengthen

their interests, but neither

side seemed

dynamic

to

to

events to

realize that there

this

particular

the

decades

~f the Cold War.

A New

Assignment

was a

tribal conflict

that resisted influence from outside

Sources.

One

After

extremely

they posed

pro-Western
Richard L. Hoim served in the Direc
of Operations.

gained

threat

to

the

government in Leopold
Tshombe. Thus, they

by Moise

the support of the Soviet Union,

China, and their client

states,

thereby

called

was

nists, but
ville led
torate

in mid-October, I
mo~rning
the division chiefs office.

ragtag bunch of illiterate

dissidents, certainly were not Commu

The Simbas,

to

no~ting that US policymakers

the Simbas
ment,

be

were

concerned about the threat

posed

to

the central govern

h~ disclosed that US planes would

transporting Belgian

paratroopers

to

Stanley~ille in the next month to liberate

17

Close Call in Africa

CONGO

18

(LEOPOLDVILLE),

LATE 1964 TO EARLY 1965

Close Call in Africa

the

city and

to

especially the rich and the educated, had

fled to the bush during the Simba occu

free the Simbas

hostages.

and

pation

Agency would need

ground in Stanleyville
to provide intelligence. The division
chief surprised me by saying that, proba
bly in December, he wanted me to take
on that assignment on a temporary
basis. I accepted and began preparing
by reading relevant operational files as
well as a couple of books about tribal

After that, the

someone on

the

conflicts in Central Africa. I also

tinued my French

con

language training.

was

on

24 November 1964, the

operation

paratroop

in

few

hours with minimal losses. The three

CIA officers

were

officer,

persuaded

unharmed. Dave, the

soon

returned

Head

to

the powers that be

accompany

me to

running start.

help

On 26

for Brussels, where

briefly with

ing

we

get

to

me

Bunia lies

we

and

was

to return to

Congo Lras known

recontacting

November 1964, six

agents.

discovered, however, that

expect

to meet

former agents

or

other

in

contacts

it

1997.)

Bunia is

an

with either

northeast

our

with many of Daves

Stanleyville. Time after
to

we came

locate

there, but

left

still

was

remained

not

the individ

Our northeastern

sought.

we

Congo
goal

not

Stanleyville.

we

our

be per
He did

was

Stanleyville in early
possibility of
of
area
operations. Spe

to

discussed the

February, we
expanding my
cifically, I proposed
Bunia,
with

on

the

Uganda.

Stanleyville,
city. Virtually every European

had been evacuated, and almost

none

majority was
still in Leopoidville or in Europe. More
over, many of the Congolese population,
vast

short visit

Congos

eastern

We had

one

of our best

drove them from

I found

When I arrived in

could make
In

addition,

information

satisfy

some

or

assets.

towns

in the

in government hands and

were

unknown number of armed

an

often

by Tsh~mbes

government

simply did

not

th~e

manpower or resources to chase

down the Simba units. The northeast

have

Congo~was

in great turmoil.

And

few kilometers

town.

The C-46 in

had arrived unloaded

which

f~r

some

sup

small group of men sta

tioned in Bunia, which included a couple
of
pilots, two mechanics, a radio

plies

our

Cul~an

operator, and

local

to~wn

was

likely

logistics

officer.

largely deserted
to

remain

so

and

until the

only
slept
~ orked, ate,
hptel. We all felt the strangeness of

being in

rea

ghost

town.

to

perhaps

with them in Bunia.

requirements

is

southeast of the

group

might be able to collect

from people in the area to

of the

Stanleyville.

large

north~ast had been completely cleansed

influence. Our
of
Sim1ba presence and
and
in the

When fear

had retreated

Uganda.

contact

liberated

most

Simbas~ roaming the countryside

seemed

of

couple

Stanleyville,

soned, perhaps they

either Bunia

rough

over

wreaked havoc. The mercenaries hired

The

to

border

agents who were originally from Bunia

and still had family there. One had

been

hours drive

mercenary column on 30
days after the Bel

Bunias1 airport

agents about
gence
the presence, activities, and supply lines
of the Simba units.
could from

trip

to

shambles. Our

collect whatever intelli

to

safe, but

Zaire from 1971

the border with

Lake Albert. It had been

terrain,~from

liberate~I by

as

near

When I arrived,

was too

up empty trying
usually, the agents house or
apartment was unoccupied. Sometimes,

time,

we

he could do.

had returned. The

high plateau in the far

portion of the Congo. (The

on a

northeastern

Ugand~, about

CIA officers.

stop

in Bunia

Leopoldville and Stanleyville

during January 1965. In early February,
Headquarters relented and allowed Dave
to make one visit to Stanleyville with me,
in the hope that this would help facilitate

network

would consult

like this directive, but there

deserted

of our agents, but

between

ual

let him

off to

December,

and advised that Dave would

nothing

was

I moved back and forth

no success.

my

for Bunia

receded, I began try

to recontact some

with

someone was

Leopoidville,
immediately began making arrange
ments for a flight to Stanleyville. At that
point, Headquarters switched signals

not

150,000,

Arriving

After the

mitted

Leopoidville
proposa~.
circa 12~ February 1965.

someone;

quarters, where he helped prepare me

for the job ahead. As it turned out, he

next

at

con

now.

As the Simba threat

soon to

Red

Dragon was
city of Stanleyville was liberated

Our

that

near

Dave

policymakers.

gian p4atroopers

launched, and the entire

senior

estimated

nowhere

We

Belgian

to return.

the

by

curred, and Headquarters approved

I left

yet convinced it
The population,

were not

Started

Getting
At dawn

safe

normally

on us

levied

The Simbas

nothir~g

were out

there, but

about their real

tions. Indeed, that

we

strength

was one

knew

orinten

of the

priori

ties of my visitto find out where they

were and what they were going to do.

19

Close Call in Africa

The

T-28 aircraft, which

two

were

from Bunia, would have been

staged

reason

enough for the Simbas to be hostile, bur

far nothing had happened. There
were neither mercenary nor Congolese
so

Army elements in Bunia, but some were

nearby. Although we had some handguns
and

few Uzi automatics, if a Simba

group had attacked

been difficult.

Meanwhile,

I still

with

contact

things would have

us,

hoped to re-establish
couple of agents who

possibly were in Bunia. I had what

passed for addresseshouse numbers
ill-defined streetsand

on

trying

check them

to

Within

day

or

about

set

out.

two, I

was

able

to recon

T-28s in Bunia. Photo courtesy of the author.

agent, who had fled Stanleyville

the Simba forces arrived. He was plan

tact one
as

ning

to return to

Stanleyville within

week, and we arranged

in the month. I

was

to meet

reassured

the

there later
to

hear

him say that the area around Bunia was

safe and that Simba control in general

falling apart. Based on my debriefing

of him, I wrote three reports the next
was

and

morning

sent

them

to

Leopoidville.

The T-28 has

two

other, under the

seats,

same

one

behind the

canopy. It has

range of about 300 miles150 out and

150 back. Because the northeast quarter

Peron had learned

to

of the

while in his

and he became

range

is the size of France, their

Congo
was

region

insufficient

to cover

from Bunia. But

north,

to cover areas

Bunia.

did

They

they were

fly

able

and south of

west,

not

all of that

in

Uganda.

cropduster

I had done

lot of this type of flying in

Laos, and was confident that I would get

Survey

teens,

for

fly light planes

small

rice-growing

company in Cuba. In March 1960,

about a year afrer Castro overthrew

Batista, Peron
up

An Aerial

fly on the T-28 piloted by Juan

sitting behind him.

was to

Peron,

a new

was sent to

Miami

plane. Foreseeing

tros rule would

mean

to

pick

what Cas

for Cuba, Perons

good idea of what, if anything, was

going on along the Sudanese border.

father instructed him

stay in the
United States, and Peron did so. In
to

A few

days later,

officer drove

my communications

me out to

chief of the air unit had

the

airport.

agreed

The

that this

Security was

an

issue, but

knew the Simbas did

would be
look

a good time for me to get a

the terrain, road network, and

at

level of activity visible from the air in

the

north of Bunia

that would
was not

the

lost aircraft

bring
case

to

far

in Laos, where

ground

as we

we

had

fire.

along the border

with Sudan. We suspected some arms
and ammo for the Simbas were being

The Cubans,

Juan

infiltrated via that border. The

Tunon,

young but

area

as

have weaponry
down a plane. That
not

1963, he

accepted employment with an

proprietary company organized by
the Agency and was sent to the Congo
after receiving training in the World War
Il-vintage T-6 fighter. After arriving in
air

the

Congo

in November 1963, he

trained in the T-28 and the C-46.

Peron and

Juan

As

planned,

we

headed north

along

the

thing that moved on the roads. That

day, they had been scheduled to cover

experienced,
and both were good pilots. I went over
maps with them and explained which
areas I wanted to cover, if possible.
My
tasking was second priority; military tar

hour, Peron spotted three trucks near a

junction of two unpaved roads. They
had evidently heard the planes and were

the

gets, if we found any, would

decided

two

daily flights out of Bunia look

military targersalmosr any

28s made

ing

20

for

area

was

interested in.

were

come

first.

Sudanese border. After about half an

pulling

in under
to

some trees.

attack and

Peron

destroy the trucks.

Close Call in Africa

My eyelids were
singed shut, and I
He also

spotted
power plantto
was right at the
trucks

were

be

thought

destroyed

that these

to me

tary targets, but it did not

circled around and started

with

machineguns,

We made

as

well. It

fire, and

runs;

I could

After

anything.

off and resumed

matter.

to

it

cruising,

leveled

we

was

tell

clear

that the weather had

immediately
changed. Heavy clouds and rain were
moving toward us. Juan said we should
Bunia.

our

take.

safety,

to

I worried that I did

and-evasion kit with

flight

wing.

harness

coming when you saw one. Navi

gational aids were few and far between.

managed

Peron told

me

knocked off
ther

pilot

We dont

getting

up

but

We flew

have
we

to

are,

and

go down.
and fuel is

And it will be

Juan

Tunon decided

longer, however,

The

impact

as

picked

made his last

turn,

long time. Suddenly,

abrupt stop.

caused

me to

out a

and

cockpit
in the

was

thrown

from the left

wing.

the

rear

caught

it

the tops of both legs. The splash missed

the front cockpit and Juan was unhurt.

started

The fire

was a

He

losing

would land and

as

well

as a

bit

on

what had

immediately realizing
happened to me and eager to get out of
the T-28 now burning on its left side,
Juan leaped out of the cockpit, jumped
off the wing, and ran.
I

was

stunned and in considerable

My eyelids
could

not

smell fire,
the

great motivator. I half

climbed~ half stumbled

pit,

and I fell off the

out

wing

of the cock

on

the

right

rear side~ Instinctively, I had moved

away frcm the fire. Juan helped me

av~ay from the burning plane

it

as

In Dire Straits

We needed

plane

get as far away from the

possible before dark in case any

as

Simbas

could

to

came to

b~trely

check

things

Juan could
extrem~lyfar.weak.
and I
We

not

me

stopped,

ver~~

think. Bad burns

swelling.

was

carry

tried

to

infection, dehy

meant

lenses, and

out.

walk, however, and

was

I asked

wearing

to help
remove~them because my hands would
I could not get
not
wo~k. Impossible.would
have to stay
They
my eye~ open.
shut u9til we could find help.
contact

Juan

face, left front mostly, left shoul

der, and both hands

have a weapon? he asked,

glided in just short of stalling out. I
felt the Walther 9mm in my pocket and
responded, Yes, and Ill keep it with
me. His question highlighted the fact
that we were going down in what was
likely to be Simba-controlled territory~ I
we

across

two

clearing.

we

lurch forward

stay

altitude. You

confident that

slide. The

to

as we

was

go, brac

and the

wished each other luck.

Peron

seatbelt and

over,

they would

Not

Juan

the left

and then back, and my head jerked up.

At the same instant, a splash of flaming
aviation fuel

open the

push

of my elbows and,
of effort, I started to climb
one

dration, and
Nei

on.

anything familiar,

clearing.

hunched

we came to an

low. Id rather take it in while I

while

pilots

storm,

again
rough

last

iot,

Some

was

slide, probably several hundred yards,

to

one.

Our first touch

bounce. We touched

tight

loft

move

had been

we

said, We

dark soon.
a

that

know where

choose

can

skirt the

course.

saw

Peron

soon

to

but there

ing myself for the end of our

seemed

We

was

as

with

to

hurt

exploded.

and started skidding along the

clearing. Juan saw flames under
I

with

either

not use

m~anaged

release

on

helmet.

us to

nonexistent. You knew there

storm

Juan

I reached up and raised the sunvisor

flying
presented many challenges.
Weather forecasting help was almost
was a

escape-

the canopy and there was a rush

of air. To get a better look at the clearing,

caused
Africa

might
an

opened

were going too fast,

nothing Juan could do.

in the middle of

At that time,

have

radio.

We
Disaster

it

long

not

and I coi~ild

how,

remained

out.

get

severely by the fact that I

really could not use my hands and I still
had the parachute hanging behind me.

however

way

My seat harness
fa~stened.
snugly
My hands
to

outhindered

lose ourselves in the bush and make

my

Approaching

plane.

9~

We

not

I knew I had

out of the

get

mili

were

a strafing run
only weaponry.

our

two more

if we had hit

return to

could not open them.

I could hear and smell

was a

intersection, and the

about 100 yards from it. It

clear

was not

what he

plane.

had been

singed shut,

pain.
and I

open them. I could hear and

and knew I had to get out of
I heard

Juan shouting

at me

It started

only 30~

raining. After staggering

minutes

or

some trees next to a

rained

most

of the

there.

rearing

an

stopped

so, we

small

adverse

circulation, Juan made

stream.

and

night,

we

impact

me move

for

under
It

just

sat

on

my

about

periodically. The pain got worse, and I

for short intervals. We nei
passed
ther
nor heard any sign of patrols
sar
moving in the area. We had absolutely

~ut

no

idea where

When

we were.

daylight finally came,

least discern that much.

I could

at

Juan used his

21

Close Call in Africa

knife

charred skin

to cut

several of my

already bugs

hanging

There

fingers.
on some

from

were

of my burns. We

decided that Juan should leave me

the stream (so I could drink water

by

and try to find help. We both

our chances were far greater if
Juan, moving on his own, could find
help and then get back to me. By the

regularly)

knew that

left, I

time he

took

was

in and

me

in great pain, which

of consciousness.

out

He took my Walther with him.

ever-increasing circles, Juan started to

explore the area around the crash site,
looking for anything that would help us
In

start to

locate ourselves. Sometime

around

midday, Juan

and tried

to

saw some

approach

natives

them, but they

Faustino. Photo courtesy of the author.

Congo, that qualified as a village. There

were people there, mostly women and
children. No one spoke French, English,
or Spanish, and Juan was having trouble
making himself understood. The women
were

wary.

Juan explained
tino

agreed

According

was

relieved

to

receive

response,

English. Juan learned that the vil

chief, named Faustino, had been

water,

and the Central African

had
ders.

no

real

They

Republic. They

for governments or bor

knew little and probably
use

cared less about Tshombe and his govern

ment. The Simbas, however, had killed

Faustinos brother, who

was a

leader of the Azande tribe,

hated the rebels. What
luck for

us.

paramount
and Faustino

stroke of good

The Other T-28

more

than 280

villager had reported

nearby, and Juan

into and

and

can

of the

out
to

remember
stream

drink lots of

lying in the stream gave some

Juan

says he

they found

meters

me.

from the

was

be all

shocked

was

stream.

to

lying

about

You

were

covered with bees, and you looked like a

monster, Juan said. In pain and barely

conscious, I did
he had

come

not

realize

at

first that

back. It had been almost

24 hours since

we

crash-landed. The

the site

Juan
get
be found. The plane had

Based

on

of the

plane,

been

no

stalled
out

air

and the fact that there had

fire, Juan believed that Tunon

out on

speed

rock. The

his final
the T-28

trees,

approach. With
dropped like a

some over

was never seen

me.

to

burned,

its location and the condition

Tunon

journey for

not

his weapon.

the walk back

villagea painful

the way

present location, however, the maps

of much use. Tunon had taken

to

the

on

nowhere

were not

served

to

was

and Juan Peron was able to retrieve

some maps. Without knowing our

cushion the

100 feet

tall,

planes drop.
again.

Months

later, missionary reports confirmed that

he had been captured, killed, and eaten
by the Simbas, who believed that if you
the flesh and vital organs of your
enemy you gain strength. Tunon had
eat

had

22

out

plane

Peron and Faus

Tunon

me.

and Juan fashioned a crude

stretcher from tree limbs and began

villagers

another

down

tino had checked

waiting for Juan,

over me.

20

a tribal group scattered across

central Africa in the Congo, the Sudan,

Tunon. Photo courtesy of

safety.

nearest gov

relief from the bees that seemed

lage

Azaride,

get

Paulis,

several times. I had

when

by British missionaries, who

him
English. These people were
taught

us

to

to

also in

educated

help

situation, and Faus

Faustino, the

post was
kilometers away.

stumbling

and he

to

to

our

ernment

While

Suddenly, a group of unarmed men

appeared and came toward Juan cau
tiously. Juan addressed them in English,

pilot Juan

the author.

fled. Juan walked in the direction they

had gone and came upon a cluster of
about 15 huts. For the northeastern

Cuban

jungle warfare

and escape and

ClOse Call in Africa

evasion

training before coming

the

to

Congo; many thought

had a good chance of getting

In

17

Friendly Village

made

February. Juan

Faustinos

day when I was

village. The trip there

had been awful. Each

movement

crude stretcher caused

scabbing had

ever

open

was

that

on

carried into the

on

with

the 18th, and it

village on

late afternoon

contact

me

taken

pain

place

as

Juan and Faustino rode tandem or

walked in the middle. Juan had given
Walther 9mm, while Juan

The effort had

carried a.45 automatic. Neither Balde

the

out.

We had crashed in the late afternoon

just after the crash while I lay

on
ground awaiting Juans return.
Except for my hands, they were easily
dealt with. Whoever it was systemati
cally dug out every bug he could see.
my burns

he would have

predictable results on the

extensor tendons of my fingers. Many
were cut and no longer function.
(I am
not complaining. I still have fingers that
work, and I can still play tennis, so I will
always be grateful to that individual.)

of the
what

cleaned,

the

ous

village,
got
that I would need help. The

had

no

to

we

doctor and

village
proposed
adopted.

men

had

the

no

was

obvi

village

that

was

ultimately

life. I

and

and

someone

from the

village would stay with me

all times. Faustino and two others

guide Juan

trying

to

for

to

me.

Paulis

to

seem to

seek

treatment

determined

to

But I

was to

be

help

villagers
help

carried into the bush away from

the village and taken to a crude hut that
was

me

from rain. A small

keep out bugs. No one

wanted a Simba patrol to discover me
anywhere near the village. All would
suffer if that happened.
Someone

water

with

and

for my burns. I
washed with warm

came to care

remember

being

someone

cleaning

knife. The bees

on

until

my burns

a
were gone, but
smaller worm-like bugs had gotten into

them from the

rear.

Chri~tie

nor

was

armed. When the

required a decision,

situation

Faustino

made it.
In Bunia, meanwhile, the chief of the air

Bill

Big

Wyrozemski,

the alert when

E4rly

17th.

we

on

look4ng for

the

18 and 19

see

February

after that. With

radio, however,

make any contact or signal

He did have a flare, but,

not

posit~on.

each

on

sui~vival kit and

he could

his

Juan remembers

us.

co~iple of times

out a

sounded

not return on

February, planes were

18

ing search planes

and

did

tirr~e he heard the planes overhead,

his group was traveling in heavily

wooded areas that precluded any
to

attempt

send up the flare.

testedseverely
Bill

soon.

kne~v the

areas we

had

hoped

to sur

vey, but he knew nothing about the

storm that had blown us off course. The

Seeking Help

search

Juan, Faustino, and two other men,

Balde and Christie, took off the morn

ing

of 19

left my para
and told them to

February. Juan

chute with the

would protect
fire seemed to

hang

Paulis and returned with

at

helped
my government would
and protect them.
I

to

saved my

remember

make clear that if the

us,

help.

that this

was

bush outside the

return

coating

question

they would help, they

village,

of protective

a sort

my burns. Essentially, it prevented

both infection and dehydrationthe

that noth

making sure

come on

Faustino~my

out

over

Juan got

and

all of my

greatest dangers for someone who has

suffered severe burns. There is little

to

would

grease

or

and Faustino

medicines. The

meeting,

plan

While

it

protect themselves as well.

Accordingly, I would be hidden in the

had

onto

thoroughly

burns. It turned bluish black, hardened,

and became

When

applied

someone

salve-like substance

again.

could

ing

unit,
When my wounds had been

broke

followed behind,

villagers
spread it out on the ground when a heli
copter came for me. Juan knew nothing
about the

tinos

area,

so

judgment.

he deferred

Faustino

was

to

and resourceful and, in the end,

would both

lives

owe our

to

Faus

intelligent
we

him.

As far

as

site

signals

on

the trail

or

road. Christie

haystack. Hope

Nee

dimmed.

Juan could determine, the crash

and~the village

15

were

or

20 miles

from

th?

Sudanese border. Each

Juan

aril

company moved for

they co~ld. Twice, they were

canoes to cover

as

day,
long

able

as

to use

substantial distances

with

mi~nimal physical effort. Bicycles

loaded on the back, they floated or pad
dled

eas1ily for hours

he felt

During the trip, some of which was on

bicycles, the sharp-eyed Balde went
ahead. He was responsible for spotting
any danger, avoiding it, and warning the
others. He periodically left safety

c~ntinued for several days.

dle in

more

at a

vulnerable

time.

on

Juan said

the rivers

because~ they would have little warning

of

possi~le danger.

A few times,

deserted

they

rode

through huge,
plantations where it was easy

find food and

water

to

without much fear

23

Close Cal! in Africa

ately began firing questions

at

Juan

about my condition and whereabouts,

and Juan explained everything that had
He

happened.

praised Faustino, Balde,

were standing off to

and Christie, who

side.

one

One of the air officers

went over to

thank all three. We will be

sonally
ing you

as

per

help

well, he told them. Juan

emphasized that my condition was poor

and urged that helicopter take off at
once to return to the village to pick
a

me

up.

only helicopters at Paulis were Bel

gian, so there was a flurry of cables back
and forth to Leopoidville to get permis
sion to use them. The Belgian air com
mand quickly gave approval.
Washington was informed that I was
alive but badly hurt.

The

Cuban

Peron

pilot Juan

for their

(on left) and Big Bill Wyrozemski. Photo courtesy of the author.

The few

safety.

Making

remaining

Contact

To the Rescue

natives hated and feared the Simbas and

willing

were

in the

to

help. They usually slept

bush, although there

were

they

night or in the
thought their magic
at

rain, when
would

not

Late in the afternoon

they
work.

Juans

group

manned

were

limited

other Azande. Faustino would

with elders

or

vided and safe

pointed
Only

chiefs, and food

areas

for

speak
was

sleeping were

about 20 miles

them

they then avoided by

hiding in the bush alongside the road or
trail. Juan felt that they had been cover
ing 35 to 40 kilometers each day. They
of traffic, which

any sign of the Simbas.

yet
By the end of the fifth day, Juan began
to believe they would make it to Paulis.

had

24

not

seen

24

east

an

February,
outpost

and mercenaries,

of Paulis. As

soon as

the outpost understood who

the four visitors were, they became

the

men at

By then, hope of our survival

They knew about our crash

and would certainly help, but they could
do nothing until morning.

was

faint.

Within

morning Juan, Faustino, and

companions made a one-hour
truck ride into Paulis. They went
directly to the airfield, where there was a
small contingent similar to the one at
Bunia. Several planes were positioned at
Paulis, and the support crews and pilots
were living there. There were also a cou
ple of Agency air operations officers

The

next

two

there who had direct radio communica

tions with

Leopoldville. They

immedi

two

hours, preparations for the

under way.
Faustino, Balde, and Christie would fly

chopper
in the

rescue

mission

and

helicopter,

were

Juan would fly

in

accompanying T-28. The

original plan also had Juan in the chop
the back of an

per, but the Cuban pilots persuaded him

to fly in a T-28; none of them had any

confidence in the

banana.

Belgians flying

Juans description of my

con

concerned the air ops chief in

Paulis that he requested a C-130 be sent

dition

their

warn

upon

pro

out.

few times did Balde

came

by Belgians

excited.

villagers along their

almost exclusively to

Contacts with local

way

on

few

found empty huts that they

able to use. The Simbas were inac

times

tive

were a

so

immediately from Leopoidville to be

standing by when I was brought into
Paulis. With all

preparations

made and

Leopoldville in hand, the

two aircraft took off just before noon on
the 25theight days after we had
approvals

from

crashed.
aircraft

Heading east and north,

the

flew for 45 minutes with

Juan and

two

Close Call in Africa

any

of consciousness

sort

ishing. Days passed

in

were

dimin
I did

fog.

not

know about the arrivaland crash of the

Belgian helicopter.
air command

immediately
flight pick up
authori~ed
and me early on the 26th. A
their
pi~ots
C-130 l~iad arrived from Leopoldville
with a doctor. It would be standing by.
The

Belgian

second

tl~e location

With

to

of the

village now
experienced and
Belgian pilot on the ground, all

known and with

unhurt

an

confident that the

were

s~ucceed,

would

next

effort

and it did. The second

ar~ied personnel
~nd accompani~d by a T-28
fighter, landed at the village to pick up

helicopter,

also with

aboard

Belgian

rescue

the

courtesy of the author.

I~ii

helicopter.

straining

pick

to

some

up

land

and the

mark that would put them on course.

They flew over small towns that they

riding

intersection of

bridge,

and familiar

sights,

river

even

from

village.
Overhead, Juan was cheering and shout
ing into his headset. They could see
parachute being spread out on the
ground, but the clearing looked small
and the chopper pilot was hesitant.
There was no way to signal the villagers
to change it and nothing that much bet
ter in sight. The pilot decided to land.
the air, that led him

to

their

later, Juan

was

shocked

as

he

watched the

helicopter crash on landing.

One of the

blades had struck

rotor

heavy tree limb

No

one was

and the craft rolled

hurt, but the

badly damaged.

The

chopper

pilot

a
over.
was

used his

with
emergency radio to communicate
He
overhead.
T-28
the
reported
flying
the accident and asked that

chopper

be

sent

in

to

to

pick

us

and

chppper

that the

village

me.

doc

ha~

to

there

the time realized it. The bluish-

at

black color looked ominous.

my condition had been

Meanwhile,

steadily deteriorating. I had only fleet

ing moments of consciousness, and each
seemed more painful than the last. I
had learned the Swahili word for

mai, and that

Certainly,

was

was

water,

all I could think of.

given

water so

up almost

came

strange,

even

immediately.

careening up
was

giant

awful because there

pain

Going

were

would be

until the rollercoaster

came

of the flames and up again. A

tall, menacing African stood by the
tracks and jabbed at me with his spear

back

out

each time I
and

on

and

passed.

put into the

was

for Paulis, where I

and

h~bspiral.

A Debt of Gratitude

rollercoaster

and down its track.

intense flames, and the

excruciating

I had

bizarre, delusions.

imagined myself on

chopper, and we left

was immediately
transfci~red from the helicopter into the
C-130 ~or the long flight to Leopoldville

that

proves someone was there. I could not

eat, and what I did manage to get down

down
Moments

of his T-28 headed back

their

roads,

two

pilot

Paulis.

bicycles
passed
and knew they were headed in the right
direction. Faustino finally saw a village,
while

had

disappointed. Juan

frustrated and

were

was

put on my burns had hardened

enough~ form a coating over my
burns. That was good, although no one
tor

Faustino

an

of the first

crec~i

Whatever it

This would go

on

departure and
precarious state pre
cluded adequate thanks to Faustino and
the vill~gers for what they had done.

I fear that the rushed

concern

Despir~ what I

owe

had tli~ chance

to meet

those

~ho

did

so

them, I have

much

with

to save

drop

planeload

clc~thing

second

did

was

fighting

nor

to save

know it

at

my

life, although I

the time. Periods of

intend~d,
what

never

thank
my life.
to air

of medicines, tools,

for the

village.

received and understood

all up. All

or

A~ency, however, arranged

The

and

on.

for my

to

It

be,

was

well

as

gesture of our thanks for

tF~ey did for

me.

25

Close Call in Africa

I had burns

covering

35 percent of my
body, and my. weight
I learned later that Faustino

much

gained

had

dropped from
165 pounds to 98.

from his adventure. He

prestige

returned several times

Paulis, where

to

he

was given weapons and ammunition

for the defense of his village. He soon

joined a group of Spanish mercenaries

operating in the area of the village and
received

training,

weapon, and

uni

form. Juan has a picture of Faustino in

his uniform, and he looks like a fighter
whom

one

would

The initial odds

were

The Very Best Care

As

rescue

effort. Several months after the

tragic postscript
Bill

February crash, Big

ferred

Albertville

to

on

concerned about

the

and Bill got

west,

Leopoidville
sance

else

to

of the

instructed
was

Meanwhile, doctors

not to

Albertville, he
was

Army

truck

of the

narrow

go

alone, but

available.

was

no one

Returning

to

killed when his Land

by

on

Congolese

the wrong side

road. Juan piloted the

speeding

plane

that

on

brought

Bills

Hospital

Army plastic

the US

body

Leopoldville.2

in

at

Louvainium

Leopoidville

were

taking

sion

He

room.

to a

senior

reported

his conclu

Embassy officer who was

standing outside my room. A second

doctor approached. He was an older
Belgian doctor with much experience in
the Congo. He realized that after 11
in the bush without

days

immediate

treatment.

care

I needed

He put IVs into

both my ankles and then flooded

with antibiotics and nutrients. It

me
was a

my

news

reached

at

of

to

would be

me to

ing

the National Burn

get
Center in San Antonio, Texas. McCone
called

Secretary

of Defense Robert

McNamara, who
rized the

use

immediately

of a US Air Force 707

26

and corpsmen

to care

for

jet

me.

to

take

me to

Texas. The

the Atlantic headed for the northeast

tip of Brazil for refueling. About mid

way

across,

related this

according
to

treatment

Army

considered the

facility

in the

United States, if not the whole world.

I had burns

about 35 percent
and
body,
my weight had dropped
from 165 pounds to 98 pounds. The ini

covering

of my

tial odds
I

on

my survival

straight

was sent

were

30-70, and

intensive

to

care.

Gradually, the odds began to shift in

favor. Early on, the doctors decided

my

that my left eye had to be removed, and

it eventually was. (The cornea of my

regain

my

vision.) Once

ready for the

transplants.

first in

long

my
was

series of skin

my

to

father,

the

pilot who

my condition

The

host

hospital played

stream

to a

medical

personnel

about the

interested in

treatments

of the visitors

came

doctor observed that the

black substance used

on

like

remedy

an

rural

age-old

areas

of its

Many

from abroad. An

Ethiopian

Belgian doctor had

pumped into me during my short stay in
Leopoidville. He is another individual
to whom I would like one day to say
thanks.
The changes caused the prog

learning

used there.

one

signs improved slightly. No

knew why. I believe it was the result

steady

of visiting doctors and other

and vital

of all that the

autho

liner for this mission. It would carry

burn team composed of a doctor,
nurses,

best burn

Brooke

center was

me to

took all my vital signs and carefully

assessed my condition. We were cross

John McCone and told

only hope of saving my life

to

Hospital.

The

the heart of the

at

team

DCI

him that the

was

National Burn Center.

707 arrived

Paulis, Dick

Helms, then the Deputy Director for

Plans (DDP, now the DO), went

straight

surgeon
Research Unit

charred skin had been removed, I

Headquarters

and arrival

by a
assigned to

other eye had been scarred, but a subse

quent corneal transplant would enable

Less than 24 hours later, the Air Force

rescue

examined

was

jolt I sorely needed, and it helped

prepare me for the long flight to the

High-Level Support
When

Armys Surgical

(SRU). The SRU

stock of my condition. An American

doctor took one look, saw no hope, and

left the

short reconnais

He had been

hit head

Rover

from

approval

make

area.

readily

transport
back to

Congos

toward Albertville from

moving

~9

arrived,

National Burn Center

Shortly after his arrival,

a possible rebel

border.

he

force

the

was trans

the

eastern
was

to

soon as

young
was one

on a

to shift in my

favor.

There

arrived in San Antonio late

we

Saturday evening.

about 30-70 percent

Gradually the odds

began

shift from

really lousy
might just make it. The doctor
reported the changes to the pilot, who
decided to fly straight through to Texas,
me to

he

and

my survival

avoid.1

want to

on

nosis for
to

tribal

my burns look
used in

of Africa. He had heard that

ingredients

was

boiled snake.

Several months later,

two

Air Force doc

one

tors were sent to

Africa

to

investigate

Close Call in Africa

The

Agency gave

least

at

one

person per
week roundtrip air

They evidently found

include snake oil, plus tree

the substance.
that it did

tickets to San Antonio

could

be identified.

not

Visitorsand

to

steady stream
of

them~would read

pers and

reality.

During
spent

the

more

Brooke, I had

at

in addition

tors

to

9~

least

one person
Agency gave
per week roundtrip air tickets to San
Antonio to visit me. That gave me a

at

welcome link

Agency
me

up

By

the

to

date

spring

One of my
Dave, who brought

was

in the

on events

was

My

time

make

to

going back

work.

from newspa
In December 1965,

had moved up to be
Director of Central Intelli
He asked about my

me.

and what I wanted

~ould go back

when I

other senior

Agency

Congo.

goal in mind, after my first

began physical therapy. My
prescribed routine included pushing and
pulling on my fingers and working
straightening my bent left elbow. The

With that

of 1965, the Simba rebel

operation

do

to

work.

to

Many

officials also visited

04e encouraged me to sign on

with CF~ina Operations in the Far East
me.

Division. When I decided

all but crushed.

lion

possible. My general goal was to

some progress each day so that I

would be that much closer

to

reality.

to

visitors

conditk~n
soon as

coileagues. Many

H~lmswho

gence~visited

visi

numerous

by a

to me

magazines.

Dep~ury

the

members of my fam

The

ily.

two

months I

visited

was

of family members,

friends, and Agency

Dick
than

u~dergo surgery, I

could

That gave me
a welcome link

Transfer

to

eye

to visit me.

bark and herbs. Some of the herbs

the year while I waited for my

recover to the point where it

During

quickly made
nese

instructor

to

teaching

to start

do

to

arrangements for
visit

me

me

twice

he

so,

Chi

a
a

week

Mandarin Chinese.

on

at

the burn

center

stabilize my condition and

plish the initial skin grafts.
would be Walter Reed

ington,

surprised

tion

sessions lasted

My next stop

Hospital

at

give
ity I

Walter Reed, I

for senior

was to

terms,

be the

military

start

is called the

an

hour. For my elbow, it

took six months and

in Wash

was

learn that I had been put in

room in the VIP ward nor

This

medical

to accom

to

private
mally reserved
cers.

to

DC.

When I arrived

served

offi

of what, in

me

operation to
100-percent flexibil

my

transplant surgery,

it took

i~nonths until my vision reached

the 20/40 level. I would not make it
several

one

have today. The therapists carefully

explained what they were doing and
why. During my time with them, I
learned a lot about my hands. Despite

back

to

normal.1

20/20, but my vision was pretty

There were some drawbacks,

however. One

k~oked.

how I

was

that

There

now

was

I could

nothing

doctors could do about that,

the

decided1 I would

not

their best effort, however, my manual

dexterity remains limited, and I lost my

jump

reconstruc

the almost

Following

so

see

or

worry about it.

shot.

Alls

Well That Ends Well

In the

spring of 1967, after

period

of 28 months, I

report

t~

period.
Waiting

To See

Again

The Long Road

Walter Reed has state-of-the-art

care

One

in

reputedly was the best plastic surgeon at

the hospital. He was particularly adept
at hand surgery,
needs. We were

corneal

me was

the

transplants. Recognizing
of the

one of my greatest
to become close

friends.

My biggest frustration was time itself.

wanted to complete my recovery as

strength and rep

utation of its eye clinic. My doctor was
one of the nations
leading surgeons for

selected for

virtually every field of medicine. My

doctor, a young lieutenant colonel,

Walter Reed had been

reason

the

China

was

Operations.

sion chief welcomed

me

back

by taking

li~nch with the DCI and several

the Agencys senior officers.

of

fin~al observation. The Congo epi

rein
force tn~T belief that the CIA in general,
One

sode and its aftermath served

operated

to

my eye.

to

The divi

me to

operation, however,
importance
the Agency had insisted that it be per
formed by the best surgeon in the
United States. That was Dr. Harry
King, and he lived in Washington; he
on

recovery

able

and

the~ DOmy

own

to

directoratein

is made up of bright, sensi

and wonderful people. I was lucky

particu~ar,
tive,
be

hart of it.

27

Close Call in Africa

NOTES

1.

Juan Peron rested for

a while in
and then resumed flying
until the operation was terminated
several months later. Many thought
he would hang it up after his narrow
escape, but Juan never considered
stopping. With a zest for flying, over
the next three decades he flew for
companies in the Canary Islands,
Puerto Rico, Aruba, and Miami.

Leopoidville

2.

Bill

Wyrozemski was a Polish Army

officer when World War II began, and
he soon realized that defeat was immi
Determined not to end up in a
German concentration camp, he shed
his uniform and made his way to
nent.

Istanbul. Once there, he signed onto

a ship headed to England, where he
reported to the Polish Embassy in
London. Fiercely loyal to Poland, he
wanted to fight against the Germans.
Bill claimed he had been a pilot in the
Polish Air Force. (He apparently had
flown a small plane in younger days.)
He

joined

other Poles and flew

Spit

fire in the Battle of Britain. After the

war, Bill made his way to the United
States and

gained employment

CIA, where he

with

involved with the

U-2 program. After 18 years as a con
tract officer in Agency air operations,
Bills eyesight weakene I and he could
no longer fly. There was a need for air
ops officers on the ground in the
Congo, however, and soon he was in
Africa.

28

was