Annie Jacobsen

I mean, they are really capable people, intellectually brilliant, physically capable. They go so far out on the limb to do their jobs. And by the way, the reason they're talking to me is because they're still alive. And so many of their colleagues are dead. So it gives them also a wisdom about, you know, life, about sacrifice, not in cliched sort of nationalistic, jingoistic terms whatsoever.

I'm talking like real, real, what is their real truth? You know, when I went to Vietnam with Billy Wah, I mean, so much of it was the details are just, you know, every detail, right? I mean, starting with the fact that he showed up at my house with a giant suitcase and a bunch of clothes, you know, dry cleaning pressed clothes in plastic hangers, carrying them.

I'm talking like real, real, what is their real truth? You know, when I went to Vietnam with Billy Wah, I mean, so much of it was the details are just, you know, every detail, right? I mean, starting with the fact that he showed up at my house with a giant suitcase and a bunch of clothes, you know, dry cleaning pressed clothes in plastic hangers, carrying them.

I'm talking like real, real, what is their real truth? You know, when I went to Vietnam with Billy Wah, I mean, so much of it was the details are just, you know, every detail, right? I mean, starting with the fact that he showed up at my house with a giant suitcase and a bunch of clothes, you know, dry cleaning pressed clothes in plastic hangers, carrying them.

I'm like, Billy, we're going to Vietnam and we're going back into the jungle to find the Oscar VIII battle site. Like, what? Are you, what are you carrying, right? And he got really mad at me, not like anyone correcting him. And I got my husband on the job, like, Kevin, you got to sort this out, right? And what transpired was that Billy Wall had never taken a trip for personal reasons.

I'm like, Billy, we're going to Vietnam and we're going back into the jungle to find the Oscar VIII battle site. Like, what? Are you, what are you carrying, right? And he got really mad at me, not like anyone correcting him. And I got my husband on the job, like, Kevin, you got to sort this out, right? And what transpired was that Billy Wall had never taken a trip for personal reasons.

I'm like, Billy, we're going to Vietnam and we're going back into the jungle to find the Oscar VIII battle site. Like, what? Are you, what are you carrying, right? And he got really mad at me, not like anyone correcting him. And I got my husband on the job, like, Kevin, you got to sort this out, right? And what transpired was that Billy Wall had never taken a trip for personal reasons.

He operated, I think, in 62 countries every single time for the CIA. And it would go like this, Billy, go to there and get to there, right? And that's what he would do. When he arrived, whatever he needed, he would just get. Mm-hmm. you know, it's not a fashion trip, right? So he had no idea how to pack for an overseas trip.

He operated, I think, in 62 countries every single time for the CIA. And it would go like this, Billy, go to there and get to there, right? And that's what he would do. When he arrived, whatever he needed, he would just get. Mm-hmm. you know, it's not a fashion trip, right? So he had no idea how to pack for an overseas trip.

He operated, I think, in 62 countries every single time for the CIA. And it would go like this, Billy, go to there and get to there, right? And that's what he would do. When he arrived, whatever he needed, he would just get. Mm-hmm. you know, it's not a fashion trip, right? So he had no idea how to pack for an overseas trip.

This was like, oh my God, how can you not have the hugest smile on your face going into this? I'm with a guy who's 89 years old. He's got eight bullet, you know, he's got, he's had eight Purple Hearts from Vietnam, right? I mean, he operated against Osama bin Laden 10 years before 9-11. He went after bin Laden in Afghanistan when he was 72. And he went after Gaddafi

This was like, oh my God, how can you not have the hugest smile on your face going into this? I'm with a guy who's 89 years old. He's got eight bullet, you know, he's got, he's had eight Purple Hearts from Vietnam, right? I mean, he operated against Osama bin Laden 10 years before 9-11. He went after bin Laden in Afghanistan when he was 72. And he went after Gaddafi

This was like, oh my God, how can you not have the hugest smile on your face going into this? I'm with a guy who's 89 years old. He's got eight bullet, you know, he's got, he's had eight Purple Hearts from Vietnam, right? I mean, he operated against Osama bin Laden 10 years before 9-11. He went after bin Laden in Afghanistan when he was 72. And he went after Gaddafi

during the Arab Spring when he was 82. And now here he is with me going to Hanoi. The details, those human details. But my husband repacked his bag and got him a proper suitcase that was carryable and small and didn't have the hangers. He wasn't trailing the hangers. But it was the trip home in the taxi that I got at this really big reveal.

during the Arab Spring when he was 82. And now here he is with me going to Hanoi. The details, those human details. But my husband repacked his bag and got him a proper suitcase that was carryable and small and didn't have the hangers. He wasn't trailing the hangers. But it was the trip home in the taxi that I got at this really big reveal.

during the Arab Spring when he was 82. And now here he is with me going to Hanoi. The details, those human details. But my husband repacked his bag and got him a proper suitcase that was carryable and small and didn't have the hangers. He wasn't trailing the hangers. But it was the trip home in the taxi that I got at this really big reveal.

Billy reached into that small suitcase my husband had given him and pulled out a rolled up American flag. And he had taken this flag because I had tried to help him pack and he wouldn't let me. And I just thought it was like an old guy being stubborn. But he didn't want me to see that he was bringing an American flag to Vietnam, which is not legal.

Billy reached into that small suitcase my husband had given him and pulled out a rolled up American flag. And he had taken this flag because I had tried to help him pack and he wouldn't let me. And I just thought it was like an old guy being stubborn. But he didn't want me to see that he was bringing an American flag to Vietnam, which is not legal.

Billy reached into that small suitcase my husband had given him and pulled out a rolled up American flag. And he had taken this flag because I had tried to help him pack and he wouldn't let me. And I just thought it was like an old guy being stubborn. But he didn't want me to see that he was bringing an American flag to Vietnam, which is not legal.

And he wanted to bring that flag and take it around everywhere with him, as he explained to me later, to honor all of his friends who died there 50 years ago. And then when the trip was finished, he gave me that flag, and it's in my office. And that's the kind of