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2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

KENT EXTRACT

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Mr. William M. Kent joined the Agency in December

1951. He had previously received a degree in diplomatic

and public relations from the Latin American Institute,

New York City and had served time in the U.S. Army from

1946 to 1948.

He graduated from the Latin American

Institute with the highest honors

"and 4 awards.

Mr. Kent was initially assigned to the Office of

Special Operations as a clerk typist and, yafter six

months, in June 1952, was assigned to Panama as an

intelligence officer under non-official cover.

In July

1956 he returned to Headquarters where he worked as an

area operations officer in the Western Hemisphere Divi-

sion.

After a successful stint in the Cubasection he

as. After

selected to join JMWAVE in Miami. There he really shone

as attested to in the following quote from his fitness

report: "He has been placed in most difficult positions,

particularly in the handling of incompatible people and

groups which he has managed without alienating either

side and on various occasions accomplishing the impossible

by satisfying everyone concerned."

After his tour in Miami,

he headed several sections in Headquarters in the Western

Hemisphere Division.

In 1967 he was transferred to New

Orleans and then to the Washington Base..

In both places

he worked under non-official cover 24From 1970 until his

retirement he served in several capacities ranging from

the planning and guiding of Covert Action programs to

occupying managerial positions.

During these eight years

he received seven

strong and three outstanding overall

ratings:

Of special note are the various commendation

and laudatory reports concerning Mr. Kent's performance during

the "Chilean crisis".

Because of his excellent performance

during the Chilean crisis he again was asked to help the

Latin American Division during several investigations.

He

performed admirably as reflected in a commendation: written

by the Deputy Chief of LA Division on 5 December 1975:

"When confronted with a need

to produce a paper on Chile in

a short timeframe, I instinctively turned to him. It was not

only because he had expertise on Chile, but to service in

the Chile

Branch, but because he is highly skilled in written

presentation.

it in a lucid, highly readable manner.

On the first occasion,

he helped us prepare a paper that was eventually used by the

Director in his presentation before the Senate Select Com-

mittee on 14-15' July. On the second occasion his contribution

COX

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was used by the DDO in his appearance before the Senate

Select Committee on 28 October.

Both of these papers

were excellent and have withstood critical scrutiny."

Mr. Kent has now left the Agency after 26 years of

distinguished service as an operations officer and as a

manager both in the field and at Headquarters.

On the

occasion of his retirement, it is appropriate that Mr.

Kent's career achievements

suitably recognized.

•It

is recommended that he be awarded the Career Intelligence

Medal in recognition of his long and distinguished service.

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