Join AFIO Member Login
You are logged in as Logout DONATE
Demetrio “Joe” Perez passed on 20 July, joining his wife, Elena. Joe was recruited by CIA to use his access and skills as a Cuban Air Force pilot to participate at our direction in the Bay of Pigs. When Kennedy retreated, the combatants who survived were able to become U.S. citizens. Joe not only became an American, he wanted to serve in the U.S. military. He gained his officer’s commission and cross-trained as a helicopter pilot. He served multiple combat tours in Vietnam. After a full career in the military, he came on board as a paramilitary (PM) officer in SAD, where we sent him to Somalia during Blackhawk Down. When he came back alive, his wife told him that if he didn’t give up combat missions, she’d divorce him……. So…… he asked SAD what else he might use with his PM skills. SAD sent him to EUR/PRO where he became a plankholder in the ten year operation against AQ Khan. There were only seven who were the “core” team during those ten years.
Joe played key roles keeping us funded, focused, authorized, legal, and ready for anything - to include over 30 surreptitious entries. Nothing phased him. After the denouement of the AQ Khan op, he retired and moved to Williamsburg with his wife. He did contract work for several years — mostly with and for DOE, but fully retired about ten years ago.
He was called CIA’s Cuban Forrest Gump. He was ALWAYS involved in key world events. May he rest in peace.