(1917-06-26)June 26, 1917 San Francisco, California
Died
August 13, 1978(1978-08-13) (aged 61) Great Falls, Virginia
Place of Burial
Culpeper National Cemetery
Allegiance
United States of America
Service/branch
United States Army
Years of service
1941–1951
Rank
Lieutenant Colonel
Service number
O-24000
Commands held
1st Technical Service Detachment
Battles/wars
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Awards
Distinguished Intelligence Medal Intelligence Service Medallion Legion of Merit
Other work
Central Intelligence Agency
Peer de Silva
Chief of Station, CIA
In office 1956–1972
Chief of Operations Soviet Russia Division
In office 1951–1956
Deputy Chief CIA base, Pullach
In office 1949–1951
Personal details
Alma mater
United States Military Academy
Peer de Silva (June 26, 1917 – August 13, 1978) was a station chief in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). A 1941 West Point graduate, during World War II he served as an Army officer providing security for the Manhattan Engineer District; this undercover project sought to build the first atomic bomb. After the war, he joined a pre-CIA military intelligence unit. Then, having learned Russian, he worked in central Europe, frequently traveling to Moscow. Resigning from the Army, he rose within CIA ranks, becoming a chief of station (COS). He first held such rank in Vienna, 1956–1959.
He next led the CIA station at the American Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, where he played a role in two major events. First was the democratic April Revolution in 1960. Yet in 1961 a successful May coup d'état installed General Pak Chung Hee (head of state, 1961–1979). De Silva then was assigned to Hong Kong as COS.
Following the November 1963 military overthrow of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem (head of state, 1954–1963), President Johnson personally ratified de Silva as the CIA's new Chief of Station in Saigon. He quickly came to view the Vietnam War as political. He then advocated a counterinsurgency strategy, and took an active role in fostering such programs. The Viet Cong bombed the American Embassy in March 1965; the blast badly wounded de Silva. After an initial recovery, he returned to his post.
For a year de Silva served as the Director's first Vietnam expert (SAVA) at CIA headquarters in Virginia. However, he asked to be sent back to Southeast Asia, and arrived as COS in Bangkok in 1966. His last CIA assignment was to Canberra, Australia, where he served again as COS, until 1972.
PeerdeSilva (June 26, 1917 – August 13, 1978) was a station chief in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). A 1941 West Point graduate, during World...
Oppenheimer already knew. The security chief at Los Alamos, Captain PeerdeSilva, had received the news through the wiretap and Army Intelligence and...
of psychological warfare, to coerce and intimidate rural peasants. PeerDeSilva, former head of the Saigon department of the Central Intelligence Agency...
centers and PRUs were developed by the CIA's Saigon station chief PeerdeSilva. DeSilva was a proponent of a military strategy known as counter-terrorism...
were administratively assigned, was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel PeerdeSilva, and provided security and housing services on Tinian. There were two...
CIA's 'Undertaker'". Newsweek. Archived from the original on June 2, 2017. deSilva, Sub Rosa (1978). Smith (2003), p. 73. "Jack Devine - TIGER 21". Archived...
that Silva did not have any physical or technical problems, but instead a mentality issue. Despite his struggles, Silva was recognised by his peers as being...
Jantzen had been replaced by PeerdeSilva as COS Bangkok. Prados, p. 170. PeerdeSilva, Sub Rosa (1978), pp. 286–288: deSilva claims COS in Bangkok 1966–1968...
Central Intelligence Group". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. PeerdeSilva, Sub Rosa. The CIA and the uses of intelligence (1978), p. 4 (Magruder...
Ecuador Robert Baer, author, former CIA case officer in Middle East PeerdeSilva, author, former CIA Chief of Station in East Asia Richard Helms, author...
to submit their findings for peer-review. DeSilva stated that they did not publish their results in a "so-called peer reviewed journal due to our concern...
of interacting among the urban population. In several peer-reviewed articles, de Souza e Silva has talked about games and their role in enhancing urban...
João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, 1st Viscount of Almeida Garrett (Portuguese pronunciation: [alˈmɐjðɐ ɣɐˈʁɛtɨ]; 4 February 1799 – 9 December...
recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in Düsseldorf (d. 1988); PeerdeSilva, American intelligence officer, chief of station for the Central Intelligence...
Janaka deSilva FRCP FNASSL is a Sri Lankan physician and academic. He is Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of Kelaniya. Janaka deSilva was...
Peer was born on 23 April 1928 in Lavin, in the Lower Engadine, Switzerland. His father, Jon Peer, was a one-time lumberjack, while his mother Silva Wieser...
Cuadernos de Historia is a peer-reviewed academic journal specialising in the history, archaeology and anthropology. It was established in 1980 by Osvaldo...
First Campaign, The Campaign of Marengo and The Campaign of Santiago de Cuba Cornelis DeWitt Willcox, class of 1885 Col. Mark M. Boatner III, class of June...
and began his political career in 1865. He married Adelaide Benvinda da Silva Gordo in Piracicaba in 1866. During the period of the Empire of Brazil,...
Global Information
United States of America
United States Army
Lieutenant Colonel