AMERICAN MERCENARIES IN ANGOLA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000100840001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 18, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100840001-9
RADIO TV REPORTS, IN
4701 WILLARD AVENUE, CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND 20815 656-4068
FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF
STATION WJLA TV
Syndicated
DATE December 18, 1982 7:30 PM CITY Washington, DC
American Mercenaries in Angola
JACK ANDERSON: The Central Intelligence Agency,has been
conducting secret subterranean wars around the world. The CIA
has sponsored rebellions in such faraway places as Cuba and
Cambodia, Laos and Iraq. One of. the most secret operations was
run in the remote African nation of Angola.
Gary Acker, an ex-Marine, signed on to fight communists
in Angola six years ago. He was then 21 years old. He was
captured by the communist forces before he saw any action. He
was sentenced to 16 years in an Angolan prison.
Last month Acker was released as part of a prisoner
exchange with the Soviets. He described his experience in an
exclusive interview with my associate Indy Badwar.
GARY ACKER: The
prison clothing, what they
gave us
--
one time they gave us what
brown overall type thing,
we
and
called
this I
a monkey
refused
suit.
to wear.
It was a
When I was released, I refused to wear the clothing that
they provided, because during my time in prison, they didn't give
me sufficient clothing. Two and a half years, I was barefoot. I
had no shoes. I had a pair of shorts that rotted, literally
rotted off me. The guards would laugh and say "a white mercen-
ary." And when I asked for clothes, they refused to give me
clothes.
So when my time came, I refused to wear their clothes.
INDY BADWAR: What about medical treatment? They had
refused it to you once.
=C -_E Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100840001-9