William “Billy” Waugh

William “Billy” Waugh was the definition of a hardfuck. As the saying goes, “Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.” Billy Waugh is one of those old men.

Born December 1st, 1929, in Bastrop Texas, Waugh always had a passion for the military. He left Texas to try enlisting in the US Marine Corps at 15. To his knowledge, he could join the military at 16 in the state of California. He was arrested while hitchhiking due to not having a proper ID and not wanting to tell the police who he was. After a brief time in prison, he returned to Texas to finish high school. He immediately enlisted into the Army afterwards.

He earned his jump wings in 1948 and went to fight in the Korean war once the conflict broke out. After the war was over, Waugh transferred and joined the Green Berets in 1954.

During the Vietnam war, his unit was tasked with training and supporting counter insurgency efforts against the North Vietnamese. He was shot multiple times during one engagement. Taking multiple shots to the leg, and one to the forehead, Billy Waugh was knocked unconscious and presumed dead by the Viet Cong. By some miracle, he found alive by his friends. Waugh looked back at that day saying, “You know it’s a bad day, when the best part about it, is getting shot in the head.”

He would go from a Green Beret to a CIA agent still working as a military asset. His other accomplishments would include watching the operations of Bin Landen in the 80’s and helping in the capture of Carlos the Jackel in 1994. Later, he would join the hunt for Bin Laden through the mountains of Afghanistan in the early 2000’s.

Through his over 50 years of service, he received 1 silver star, 4 bronze stars, and 8 purple hearts. He passed away earlier this month at the age of 93. Rest easy Warrior.