William Colby

William Egan Colby (January 4, 1920–April 27, 1996) became Director of Central Intelligence on September 4, 1973, after James R. Schlesinger. It was Colby who launched the Accelerated Pacification Campaign during the Vietnam War. He later would reveal a large amount of information to Congress, such as CIA attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro. He was fired by President Gerald Ford and replaced with George H.W. Bush on January 30, 1976.

Death

On April 27, 1996, Colby died in an apparent boating accident near his home in Rock Point, Maryland. He reportedly did not mention any canoeing plans to his wife, nor was it normal for him to go boating at night. Colby's body was not located, but later found underwater on May 6, 1996, lacking his usual lifevest. It was found 20 yards from the canoe, after the area had been thoroughly searched multiple times. The subsequent inquest found that he died from drowning and hypothermia after collapsing from a heart attack or stroke and falling out of his canoe. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on May 13, 1996.

Related Topics:
Rock Point, Maryland - Arlington National Cemetery - May 13 - 1996

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