Willem Smit
Encyclopedia
Willem Smit was formerly an operative for the United States
Central Intelligence Agency
in Africa
and South America
. He was widely believed to have perished in Bolivia
in the 1960s, however, in the 1980s a man claiming to be Smit surfaced as a pawnshop owner in Los Alamos, New Mexico
.
Smit was born in 1935, possibly somewhere in South Africa
or South West Africa
(present-day Namibia
. He was the son of a poor family, but one which scraped enough money together in order to ensure a fairly advanced level of education for their son. In his early years, he enjoyed sport and was found to be an especially excellent marksman. This natural ability led him to pursue a career in the military and eventually led to his being recruited to work for the Caribbean Marine Aero Corporation which was later revealed to be a front company for the CIA. While Smit was not a U.S. citizen, he was skilled at his job and so worked continuously in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (Formerly Zaire
), during the tumultuous time the Aero Corporation functioned. Once the conflict finished, Smit found himself in need of a new occupation. The CIA wasted little time in finding new avenues in which to employ his burgeoning set of skills.
The CIA offered a great deal to Smit because of the talent displayed in previous years. He was one of the few who enjoyed the protection of the CIA and began serving US Interests in South America. This, like Africa, was another area where the two opposing sides of the Cold War fought through proxy, they encouraged local divisions and funded opposing sides. Like so many US government operatives of the time, it is here where Smit's story becomes vague and undefined; while on a mission to subdue communist forces in Bolivia, he disappeared. In all likelihood, Smit died in South America sometime in the 1960s.
During the 1970s, however, there were reports that he was working to foment revolution in other parts of the world.
In the 1980s, a man claiming to be Smit was running a pawnshop in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The man explained to a startled researcher that he had retired, using the money he earned over the years to buy the shop in order to “give himself something to do all day”. Unfortunately, the author explained briefly, it was a distinct possibility the man was not in fact Smit. He had little evidence to support the claim except his knowledge of events he would have taken part in, as well as his knowledge of Afrikaans
. Given the limited available factual information on Smit, (much is still thought to be classified), it is impossible to tell whether the man encountered was actually the same man who spent time working for the CIA.
Smit’s possible death remains shrouded in the secrecy of many Cold War operations.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. He was widely believed to have perished in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
in the 1960s, however, in the 1980s a man claiming to be Smit surfaced as a pawnshop owner in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos is a townsite and census-designated place in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States, built upon four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau and the adjoining White Rock Canyon. The population of the CDP was 12,019 at the 2010 Census. The townsite or "the hill" is one part of town while...
.
Smit was born in 1935, possibly somewhere in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
or South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
(present-day Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. He was the son of a poor family, but one which scraped enough money together in order to ensure a fairly advanced level of education for their son. In his early years, he enjoyed sport and was found to be an especially excellent marksman. This natural ability led him to pursue a career in the military and eventually led to his being recruited to work for the Caribbean Marine Aero Corporation which was later revealed to be a front company for the CIA. While Smit was not a U.S. citizen, he was skilled at his job and so worked continuously in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (Formerly Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
), during the tumultuous time the Aero Corporation functioned. Once the conflict finished, Smit found himself in need of a new occupation. The CIA wasted little time in finding new avenues in which to employ his burgeoning set of skills.
The CIA offered a great deal to Smit because of the talent displayed in previous years. He was one of the few who enjoyed the protection of the CIA and began serving US Interests in South America. This, like Africa, was another area where the two opposing sides of the Cold War fought through proxy, they encouraged local divisions and funded opposing sides. Like so many US government operatives of the time, it is here where Smit's story becomes vague and undefined; while on a mission to subdue communist forces in Bolivia, he disappeared. In all likelihood, Smit died in South America sometime in the 1960s.
During the 1970s, however, there were reports that he was working to foment revolution in other parts of the world.
In the 1980s, a man claiming to be Smit was running a pawnshop in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The man explained to a startled researcher that he had retired, using the money he earned over the years to buy the shop in order to “give himself something to do all day”. Unfortunately, the author explained briefly, it was a distinct possibility the man was not in fact Smit. He had little evidence to support the claim except his knowledge of events he would have taken part in, as well as his knowledge of Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
. Given the limited available factual information on Smit, (much is still thought to be classified), it is impossible to tell whether the man encountered was actually the same man who spent time working for the CIA.
Smit’s possible death remains shrouded in the secrecy of many Cold War operations.