William "Chief" Carlson
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William Francis "Chief" Carlson | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 17, 1959 |
| Died | October 25, 2003 (aged 43) Shkin, Paktika Province, Afghanistan |
| Other names | Eseen Amakan |
| Occupations | U.S. Army soldier; CIA paramilitary officer |
| Known for | Service with Delta Force and CIA Special Activities Center |
William Francis "Chief" Carlson (Eseen Amakan) (November 17, 1959 – October 25, 2003) was an American military veteran and a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) paramilitary officer who died in Shkin, Paktika Province, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2003. Carlson had served as a member of the elite Delta Force, a special operations unit of the U.S. Army, before joining the CIA's Special Activities Center. He went by "Chief" in deference to his Blackfeet Nation heritage.[1][2]
William Francis Carlson was raised in Northern California by his mother and father, a former Marine, in a family from the Blackfeet. He had an older brother and an older sister. His father and grandmother taught him the Plains Algonquian language, and his tough upbringing helped shape his resilience. Although he wasn't an exceptional student, he excelled in art and enjoyed football, developing a keen interest in military history.[1]
U.S. military career
In 1979, Carlson chose to join the U.S. Army instead of attending college. He earned Airborne and Ranger qualifications and served with the 75th Ranger Regiment. After leaving the Army, he reenlisted in 1985, joined the Special Forces, and earned his Green Beret and Combat Diver qualification. His military career eventually led him to Delta Force.[1][2] Carlson had a reputation as "one of the toughest of the tough."[3]