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Last Updated March 10, 2004
This article appeared in
Sonoma News Online on July 1, 2003
Anthony Alexander Poshepny - CIA agent
07/01/03 - Anthony Alexander "Tony Poe" Poshepny, 78, died June
27, 2003, in San Francisco after a lengthy illness.
In keeping with what would be his lifelong duty to God and country, the
day after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, Tony tried to enlist
in the U.S. Marines but was rejected because he was only 17 years old and
he had to wait another year. Wounded in the Marine assault on Iwo Jima in
the South Pacific, Tony received two Purple Hearts and was honorably
discharged. After completing high school, he enrolled at St. Mary's
College in Moraga, where he was class president and was in the Who's Who
Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for 1947-48.
He transferred to and graduated from San Jose State University the
following year.
In 1951, Tony joined the Central Intelligence Agency and was posted to
Korea. He later helped train Tibetans at Camp Hale in Colorado in the late
1950s. Following that assignment, he worked in Thailand with his newly
formed Thai Police Aerial Resupply Unit. He had assignments in Tibet,
Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Laos. In the latter, Tony worked
extensively with many Hill tribes, from the Plane des Jarres in northeast
Laos to Long Tieng to Nam Yu, in their efforts to remain free of Communist
Vietnamese and Pathet Lao control. He was seriously wounded three times
during this extended period and received high awards for his exceptional
bravery from both the Thai and U.S. governments, including a CIA Star on
two different occasions, the CIA's highest award, from directors Allen
Dulles in 1959 and William Colby in 1975.
Mr. Poshepny was considered by his peers to be one of the most outstanding
officers in his field.
Noted for his courage, leadership, resourcefulness and willingness to meet
any challenge, he became a legend among the Hmong and the Mien with whom
he worked.
His ready ability to recite Omar Khayyam and Rudyard Kipling, as well as
his good humor, further attested to his persona.
In a civil ceremony performed by ambassador Charles Whitehouse, himself a
veteran World War II Marine pilot, in Vientiane, Laos, Tony was married to
Princess Sheng Ly in 1964. Mr. and Mrs. Poshepny resided in northern
Thailand until they moved to the United States in 1992. Tony brought joy
to his family's lives, and he will be missed by all.
Mr. Poshepny is survived by his wife, Sheng Ly; and children Usanee,
Domrongsin, Maria and Catherine.
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 3, followed
by a vigil at 7 p.m. at Duggan's Mission Chapel. Visitation will continue
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, July 4. A funeral Mass will be said at
9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 5, at St. Francis Solano Church. Interment at
Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sonoma.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Arrangements under the direction of Duggan's Mission Chapel.
This article appeared in
Sonoma News Online on July 1, 2003
