Wilbur Crane Eveland
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Wilbur Crane "Bill" Eveland (1918 - January 2, 1990) was a World War II veteran, a CIA station chief, and critic of US foreign policy in the Middle East. His autobiographical book, Ropes of Sand (1980), details the many failures of the CIA vis-a-vis the Middle East during the Cold War.
[edit] Early years
Wilbur Crane Eveland, or Bill, the name he was most commonly known by, was born in Spokane, Washington, in 1918. He lied about his age in order to join the Marine Corps Reserve at 17, and spent his first reserve duty summer at Puget Sound Navy Yard. After failing the West Point examinations, Bill took a job in San Francisco and studied at the University of California, Berkely. His studies were interrupted when the Marines moved him to San Diego.
By 1939, Bill grew restless and hitchhiked across the country, enduring a grueling winter-time journey across the northern states. He found refuge in New Jersey, his father's native state. There he learned of his paternal heritage, particularly of his great-grandfather, Major Nathaniel Crane (United States Army). Inspired by his family's history, Bill hitchhiked to Boston and joined the army on February 13, 1940.
His first post as a young soldier was Fort Banks, Massachusetts, just outside Winthrop. While there, Bill took courses at Harvard University to prepare for another attempt at West Point.
