Columbarium make for Wilfred J. A. Charette in Section
8-YY, Row 7, Site 4, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington (Arlington
county), Virginia.
Wil's cremains were inurned in the
Columbarium at
Arlington Cemetery on 10 November 2010. [courtesy
of Sue Downhill]
Wilfred J. A. Charette (Squeak) born 14 November 1936, passed away 9 May
2010 at his home in Tampa, FL. Wil is survived by his beloved wife
Amy Charette of Tampa, FL. He was a devoted and loving father of Wilfred J.A. Charette, Jr., of Gainesville, VA, Joseph A. Charette of Nashville,
TN, beloved brother of Carol Moran of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and
loving uncle of Steven, Jill, Jane and Ellen Moran all of Rhode Island.
Wil was preceded in death by his proud and loving parents Wilfred and
Philomena Charette.
Wil Charette, a native of Rhode Island served 11 years
of military service followed by service with the Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) from 1964 until his retirement in 1996. His first CIA
assignment was as a paramilitary Staff Officer at CIA Headquarters and
its domestic training facilities. He then served in Laos and Thailand as
a Paramilitary Case Officer, Chief of Operations, and Chief of a Laotian
irregular paramilitary unit for 8 years. Mr. Charette was then assigned
to Ethiopia and Ghana from 1974-1979. In late 1979 Mr. Charette was
posted to Swaziland until 1982 when he was assigned to Kampala, Uganda.
Following a two-year tour in Uganda, Mr. Charette attended the US Naval
War College in Newport, RI, where he received a Master’s Degree in
National Security and Strategic Studies. In 1985, he was appointed
Chief, CIA Counter Terrorist Center, Foreign Liaison Training and
Terrorist Incident Response Team (IRT). From 1992-1994, Mr. Charette
served as the Agency’s Deputy Chief, Office of Field Deployment. His
last U.S. Government assignment was that of Director of Central
Intelligence Representative at U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill
AFB, Tampa, Florida, retiring in 1996 as a member of the Senior
Intelligence Service. Mr. Charette, in post retirement, continued to
serve the intelligence community as a senior advisor to SOCCENT at
MacDill AFB and as a senior consultant to Telemus Solutions of Falls
Church, VA. Mr. Charette was a founding member and continued to serve on
the board of directors of the Special Operation Memorial Foundation,
MacDill AFB.
Mr. Charette had extensive military experience, having
served domestically and overseas with the 508th Airborne Regimental
Combat Team (ARCT), the 101st Airborne Division, the 1st Calvary
Division, and Special Forces. Mr. Charette was a charter member of the
US Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights). He was the first
Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of the Special Forces
Training Group High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) Committee, which
included Fulton Recovery Systems (SKYHOOK) Operations. In 1961, he was
selected to train the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment’s military free
fall cadre at Hereford, England. Mr. Charette was a member of the Joint
Army/USAF HALO Test Team in the early 1960’s that established much of
the HALO operations doctrine and training which is still in use today.
He also participated in the record breaking 43,500 foot jump to
establish a world record “FAI Class G-II-C, group of nine with delayed
opening”. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his
participation in the HALO Test Program and his subsequent use of HALO
insertion techniques. He is the author of the United States Parachute
Association (USPA) Publication, “Jumping in the Troposphere”, and is the
recipient of the USPA Golden Wings representing 1,000 free fall
parachute jumps. Mr. Charette’s last military assignment was with the
5th Special Forces Group.
During his stellar and distinguished career, Mr.
Charette received many awards and commendations of which some are listed
below:
Donovan Award for Excellence (CIA)
Career Intelligence Medal for Exceptional Achievement
Director of Central Intelligence award for exceptional service
under conditions of hazard and hardship, (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (DOD)
Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service
There will be a viewing at Sacred Heart Church, 509 N
Florida Ave Tampa, FL, on Wed. 26 May from 6-8 pm. A Memorial Ceremony
will be held at MacDill AFB on Thurs. 27 May at 9 am. In lieu of
flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Special
Operations Memorial Foundation (P.O. Box 6696 MacDill AFB Tampa, FL
33608-0696) or the
American Heart Foundation.
Wil (Squeak) Charette will be remembered for his
commitment to service, to his country and to his family. He will always
be remembered as a patriot and the epitome of what it means to be a true
American hero. In the words of his brothers and sisters in the
clandestine service “he was a legendary warrior…a legend in his own
time. The things he survived, his mentoring, his leadership, and his
unwavering patriotism is and will forever be a flame that goes on
burning; we will never forget him. He was our commander… our General.” |
CHARETTE, Wilfred J. A. "Squeak," who was born November
14, 1936, passed away May 9, 2010, at his home in Tampa. Wil is survived
by his beloved wife, Amy Charette of Tampa. He was a devoted and loving
father to Wilfred J. A. Charette Jr. of Gainesville, Va., and Joseph A.
Charette of Nashville, Tenn.; beloved brother of Carol Moran of
Cumberland, R.I.; and loving uncle of Steven, Jill, Jane and Ellen
Moran, all of Rhode Island. Wil was preceded in death by his proud and
loving parents, Wilfred and Philomena Charette.
Wil Charette, a native of Rhode Island, served 11 years
of U.S. military service, followed by service with the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1964 until his retirement in 1996. His
first CIA assignment was as a paramilitary staff officer at CIA
Headquarters and its domestic training facilities. He then served in
Laos and Thailand as a paramilitary case officer, chief of operations,
and chief of a Laotian irregular paramilitary unit for eight years.
Mr. Charette was then assigned to Ethiopia and Ghana from
1974-1979. In late 1979, Mr. Charette was posted to Swaziland until
1982, when he was assigned to Kampala, Uganda. Following a two-year tour
in Uganda, Mr. Charette attended the U.S. Naval War College in Newport,
R.I., where he received a master's degree in national security and
strategic studies. In 1985, he was appointed chief, CIA Counter
Terrorist Center, Foreign Liaison Training and Terrorist Incident
Response Team (IRT). From 1992-1994, Mr. Charette served as the Agency's
deputy chief, Office of Field Deployment. His last U.S. government
assignment was that of director of Central Intelligence Representative
at U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa,
retiring in 1996 as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service. Mr.
Charette, in post retirement, continued to serve the intelligence
community as a senior advisor to Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT)
at MacDill Air Force Base and as a senior consultant to Telemus
Solutions of Falls Church, Va. Mr. Charette was a founding member and
continued to serve on the board of directors of the Special Operation
Memorial Foundation, MacDill Air Force Base.
Mr. Charette had extensive military experience, having
served domestically and overseas with the 508th Airborne Regimental
Combat Team (ARCT), the 101st Airborne Division, the 1st Calvary
Division, and Special Forces. Mr. Charette was a charter member of the
U.S. Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights). He was the first
non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of the Special Forces
Training Group High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) Committee, which
included Fulton Recovery Systems (SKYHOOK) Operations. In 1961, he was
selected to train the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment's military free
fall cadre at Hereford, England. Mr. Charette was a member of the Joint
Army/U.S. Air Force HALO Test Team in the early 1960s that established
much of the HALO operations doctrine and training which is still in use
today. He also participated in the record-breaking 43,500 foot jump to
establish a world record "FAI Class G-II-C, group of nine with delayed
opening." He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his
participation in the HALO Test Program and his subsequent use of HALO
insertion techniques. He is the author of the United States Parachute
Association (USPA) Publication "Jumping in the Troposphere" and is the
recipient of the USPA Golden Wings, representing 1,000 free fall
parachute jumps. Mr. Charette' s last military assignment was with the
5th Special Forces Group.
During his stellar and distinguished career, Mr. Charette
received many awards and commendations of which some are listed below:
Donovan Award for Excellence (CIA); Career Intelligence Medal for
Exceptional Achievement; Director of Central Intelligence award for
exceptional service under conditions of hazard and hardship, (2);
Distinguished Flying Cross (DOD); and the Secretary of Defense Medal for
Meritorious Civilian Service.
Wil "Squeak" Charette will be remembered for his
commitment to service to his country and to his family. He will always
be remembered as a patriot and the epitome of what it means to be a true
American hero. In the words of his brothers and sisters in the
clandestine service, "He was a legendary warrior, a legend in his own
time. The things he survived, his mentoring, his leadership, and his
unwavering patriotism is and will forever be a flame that goes on
burning; we will never forget him. He was our commander our General."
[TampaBay.com, 24 May 2010] |