Tucker Gougelmann
Encyclopedia
Tucker Pierre Edward Power Gougelmann was a United States Marine Corps
captain, World War II
veteran, and a Central Intelligence Agency
officer in their Special Activities Division
who was killed in Vietnam
in 1976.
, participating in battles such as Guadalcanal
. During the Solomon Islands
campaign he suffered a severe wound as the result of being shot in the right leg by a Japanese
sniper while he was helping to move his fellow soldiers who were wounded out of danger.
Although the military doctors told him that his leg would have to be amputated as part of his treatment, Gougelmann was intent on returning to service and therefore refused to give his permission for the doctors to proceed with the amputation. He wound up keeping his leg but as a result his convalescence lasted for two years. During this time he was decorated with a Purple Heart
in recognition of his having sustained the injury in combat.
By the time he had recovered and was returned to active duty the war was drawing to a close. Regardless, Gougelmann remained in the Corps until his honorable discharge in 1949. Wanting to continue in service to his country, Gougelmann joined the then nascent Central Intelligence Agency
, which had been created from the embattled Central Intelligence Group ("CIG") following the National Security Act of 1947
which Truman had signed in to law only two years earlier.
Although the CIG had a track record of difficulty with attracting "the best and the brightest," the newly formed CIA had no such difficulties in its early years. It was in fact a magnet for many of the nation's privileged youth who were recent graduates of top educational institutions, such as Ivy League
universities. It was viewed as presenting a unique set of challenges, interesting work, and the opportunity to serve the country at the beginning of what would ultimately become known as the Cold War
. Known for his personality, charisma, intellect, and "get-it-done" attitude, as well as enjoying a good challenge and the opportunity to serve both his country and democracy
on a global scale, Gougelmann was a great fit for the CIA of that time.
during the Korean War
from 1950–1953, where he participated in many covert operations, such as helping agents to infiltrate the North. His covert operations expertise was put to use and he was subsequently involved with the CIA's attempts to overthrow Fidel Castro
in Cuba
during the mid/late 1950s and early 1960s. Although not officially recognized, Gougelmann was reported to have been not only involved with, but actually at the botched Bay of Pigs Invasion
- a claim that still persists but remains unconfirmed. Following the failed attempts to remove Castro from power and the public relations problems that it caused for the Kennedy Administration, the CIA's role with respect to Cuba was severely curtailed and as far as the Agency was concerned the Cold War's active theater moved from Cuba back to other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia
. His assignments during that time took him to Afghanistan
as well as various locations in Europe
.
. He continued to specialize in covert paramilitary
operations work, coordinating Swift Boat
raids against the North using Taiwan
ese nationals posing as civilians. Following the conclusion of the Swift Boat raiding program, Gougelmann was assigned to the CIA's Saigon Station where his knowledge of covert operations methods was put to use in the domestic counter-intelligence
work of a local governmental entity. Being settled in a location for the first time in a long while, Gougelmann began a family life there with a local woman.
Gougelmann departed South Vietnam in 1975 before the final military capitulation and was living in Bangkok
, Thailand
as a civilian. When his loved ones were unable to be evacuated from Saigon prior to the impending Communist occupation, he ignored the warnings of many and returned on his own. Once there, he established contact with his family, but was having difficulty finding a way to get them out of the country as they had missed the last plane out before the occupation began. In the environment of that time, his presence was very unsafe as the communists had an extensive intelligence network utilizing many civilians, and an American CIA Officer would be a prime catch.
Although his family tried their best to hide him, including stuffing him in an alcove behind a refrigerator, he was eventually found during a search being conducted by the police on the advice of a local informant.
reporter had even seen him being abducted. The totalitarian Communist government of Vietnam denied that they were holding him, despite being presented with evidence to the contrary. Details of his imprisonment are limited and unconfirmed, and what he suffered at the hands of the Vietnamese during his captivity is based on examination of the evidence after the fact.
Gougelmann was removed from the prison several times to be taken for interrogation, and government officials believe he was tortured during this time. The Vietnamese government continued to deny that they were holding Gougelman for the remainder of 1975 and 1976, but in 1977 they finally relented and released his remains to U.S. authorities. Postmortem examination by U.S. government officials revealed that Gougelmann was tortured during his captivity, as evidenced primarily by a very large number of broken bones which appeared to have been broken and re-broken after healing.
Gougelmann's friend kept her promise and by working vigorously and relentlessly, taking such extreme steps as contacting the CIA Director, the White House
, Congress
, and other high-ranking government offices, she managed to get Gougelmann's entire Vietnamese family visas to come to the United States. She had fulfilled her promise.
After Gougelmann's remains were returned stateside and the investigation was finished, he was given a proper Quaker funeral and buried at Arlington National Cemetery
. His grave is next to that of Francis Gary Powers, also a former military man who was recruited by the CIA. While working for the CIA as part of their U-2 program as a pilot, Powers became famous when he was shot down over Soviet
airspace while on a photo reconnaissance mission; but unlike Gougelmann, the Soviets did not lie about Powers' captivity and in fact tried to use it for propaganda
purposes.
CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia
has a Memorial Wall
to honor those CIA staff who died in the line of duty. Although Gougelmann died while not acting on behalf of the CIA but rather as a civilian
, they decided that his death was a result of the official business that he had conducted in the past on behalf of the Agency. Accordingly, one of the stars on the wall honors his sacrifice.
His family now lives in the United States.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
captain, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran, and a Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
officer in their Special Activities Division
Special Activities Division
The Special Activities Division is a division in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service responsible for covert operations known as "special activities"...
who was killed in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 1976.
World War II and entry in to the CIA
During the war he served in the PacificPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, participating in battles such as Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. During the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
campaign he suffered a severe wound as the result of being shot in the right leg by a Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
sniper while he was helping to move his fellow soldiers who were wounded out of danger.
Although the military doctors told him that his leg would have to be amputated as part of his treatment, Gougelmann was intent on returning to service and therefore refused to give his permission for the doctors to proceed with the amputation. He wound up keeping his leg but as a result his convalescence lasted for two years. During this time he was decorated with a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
in recognition of his having sustained the injury in combat.
By the time he had recovered and was returned to active duty the war was drawing to a close. Regardless, Gougelmann remained in the Corps until his honorable discharge in 1949. Wanting to continue in service to his country, Gougelmann joined the then nascent Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, which had been created from the embattled Central Intelligence Group ("CIG") following the National Security Act of 1947
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
which Truman had signed in to law only two years earlier.
Although the CIG had a track record of difficulty with attracting "the best and the brightest," the newly formed CIA had no such difficulties in its early years. It was in fact a magnet for many of the nation's privileged youth who were recent graduates of top educational institutions, such as Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
universities. It was viewed as presenting a unique set of challenges, interesting work, and the opportunity to serve the country at the beginning of what would ultimately become known as the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Known for his personality, charisma, intellect, and "get-it-done" attitude, as well as enjoying a good challenge and the opportunity to serve both his country and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
on a global scale, Gougelmann was a great fit for the CIA of that time.
Cold War service
According to his colleagues who knew him well, Gougelmann served in the CIA with the same energy, enthusiasm, and results that he had displayed in the Marines. He was first assigned to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
from 1950–1953, where he participated in many covert operations, such as helping agents to infiltrate the North. His covert operations expertise was put to use and he was subsequently involved with the CIA's attempts to overthrow Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
during the mid/late 1950s and early 1960s. Although not officially recognized, Gougelmann was reported to have been not only involved with, but actually at the botched Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
- a claim that still persists but remains unconfirmed. Following the failed attempts to remove Castro from power and the public relations problems that it caused for the Kennedy Administration, the CIA's role with respect to Cuba was severely curtailed and as far as the Agency was concerned the Cold War's active theater moved from Cuba back to other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. His assignments during that time took him to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as well as various locations in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Vietnam
In 1962 Gougelmann was assigned to South VietnamSouth Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. He continued to specialize in covert paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
operations work, coordinating Swift Boat
Swift Boat
Swift Boat may refer to:*a Patrol Craft Fast*Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, originally named Swift Boat Veterans For Truth*Swiftboating, political jargon for a particular form of character assassination as a smear tactic...
raids against the North using Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese nationals posing as civilians. Following the conclusion of the Swift Boat raiding program, Gougelmann was assigned to the CIA's Saigon Station where his knowledge of covert operations methods was put to use in the domestic counter-intelligence
Counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...
work of a local governmental entity. Being settled in a location for the first time in a long while, Gougelmann began a family life there with a local woman.
Gougelmann departed South Vietnam in 1975 before the final military capitulation and was living in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
as a civilian. When his loved ones were unable to be evacuated from Saigon prior to the impending Communist occupation, he ignored the warnings of many and returned on his own. Once there, he established contact with his family, but was having difficulty finding a way to get them out of the country as they had missed the last plane out before the occupation began. In the environment of that time, his presence was very unsafe as the communists had an extensive intelligence network utilizing many civilians, and an American CIA Officer would be a prime catch.
Although his family tried their best to hide him, including stuffing him in an alcove behind a refrigerator, he was eventually found during a search being conducted by the police on the advice of a local informant.
Capture, interrogation and torture
He was immediately taken in to custody and kept in the main prison of the area, Chi Hoa Prison. Many Vietnamese prisoners in Wing ED, where he was being kept, saw him. A FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
reporter had even seen him being abducted. The totalitarian Communist government of Vietnam denied that they were holding him, despite being presented with evidence to the contrary. Details of his imprisonment are limited and unconfirmed, and what he suffered at the hands of the Vietnamese during his captivity is based on examination of the evidence after the fact.
Gougelmann was removed from the prison several times to be taken for interrogation, and government officials believe he was tortured during this time. The Vietnamese government continued to deny that they were holding Gougelman for the remainder of 1975 and 1976, but in 1977 they finally relented and released his remains to U.S. authorities. Postmortem examination by U.S. government officials revealed that Gougelmann was tortured during his captivity, as evidenced primarily by a very large number of broken bones which appeared to have been broken and re-broken after healing.
After death
Before he left Bangkok to try to retrieve his family, Gougelmann had asked a friend of his to promise him that if anything happened to him, she would continue to struggle to get his family out of Vietnam and to America so that they would be safe and have a better life than if they stayed in Vietnam. His youngest son, Edward, had not even been born until after Tucker's abduction.Gougelmann's friend kept her promise and by working vigorously and relentlessly, taking such extreme steps as contacting the CIA Director, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, and other high-ranking government offices, she managed to get Gougelmann's entire Vietnamese family visas to come to the United States. She had fulfilled her promise.
After Gougelmann's remains were returned stateside and the investigation was finished, he was given a proper Quaker funeral and buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. His grave is next to that of Francis Gary Powers, also a former military man who was recruited by the CIA. While working for the CIA as part of their U-2 program as a pilot, Powers became famous when he was shot down over Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
airspace while on a photo reconnaissance mission; but unlike Gougelmann, the Soviets did not lie about Powers' captivity and in fact tried to use it for propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
purposes.
CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia
Langley, Virginia
Langley is an unincorporated community in the census-designated place of McLean in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.The community was essentially absorbed into McLean many years ago, although there is still a Langley High School...
has a Memorial Wall
CIA Memorial Wall
The Memorial Wall is a memorial at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. It honors CIA employees who died in the line of service.-Memorial:...
to honor those CIA staff who died in the line of duty. Although Gougelmann died while not acting on behalf of the CIA but rather as a civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
, they decided that his death was a result of the official business that he had conducted in the past on behalf of the Agency. Accordingly, one of the stars on the wall honors his sacrifice.
His family now lives in the United States.