Grayston Lynch
Encyclopedia
Grayston L. Lynch was an American soldier and CIA officer. He was one of the two CIA agents who commanded the faction of the army that went to war in the Bay of Pigs Invasion
. The other agent was William "Rip" Robertson.
Lynch was born in Tampa
, Florida
and was the son of an oil driller.
He was wounded at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and Heartbreak Ridge in Korea; served with the Special Forces
in Laos; and received three Purple Hearts, two Silver Star
s and one Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, among other awards. He was selected from the elite to become a Paramilitary Operations Officer in the CIA's famed Special Activities Division
in 1960. For his extraordinary heroism at the Bay of Pigs, Lynch was awarded the Intelligence Star
, the CIA's most coveted award. In the six years after the Bay of Pigs invasion, he ran commando raids into Cuba. Lynch retired from the CIA in 1971.
he was assigned to the Second Division as platoon sergeant. During D-day
he landed at Omaha Beach
and then fought in the Battle of the Bulge
where he was seriously wounded. He served in the Korean War
with the Second Division as Second Lt., promoted to First Lt., wounded at Battle of Bloody Ridge
. Later served in Laos
with 77th Special Forces Group as Captain, retiring from them in 1960.
in 1953.
.
He wrote a book, Decision for Disaster: Betrayal at the Bay of Pigs, based on his experience leading the rebel Brigade 2506
. Lynch is referred to or mentioned in the following books:
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
. The other agent was William "Rip" Robertson.
Lynch was born in Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and was the son of an oil driller.
He was wounded at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and Heartbreak Ridge in Korea; served with the Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
in Laos; and received three Purple Hearts, two Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
s and one Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, among other awards. He was selected from the elite to become a Paramilitary Operations Officer in the CIA's famed Special Activities Division
Special Activities Division
The Special Activities Division is a division in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service responsible for covert operations known as "special activities"...
in 1960. For his extraordinary heroism at the Bay of Pigs, Lynch was awarded the Intelligence Star
Intelligence Star
The Intelligence Star is an award given by the Central Intelligence Agency for a "voluntary act or acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions or for outstanding achievements or services rendered with distinction under conditions of grave risk." The award citation is from the Director...
, the CIA's most coveted award. In the six years after the Bay of Pigs invasion, he ran commando raids into Cuba. Lynch retired from the CIA in 1971.
Military service
Lynch lied about his age and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1938 and was assigned to 5th Cavalry at Fort Clark, Texas. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was assigned to the Second Division as platoon sergeant. During D-day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
he landed at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
and then fought in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
where he was seriously wounded. He served in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
with the Second Division as Second Lt., promoted to First Lt., wounded at Battle of Bloody Ridge
Battle of Bloody Ridge
The Battle of Bloody Ridge was a ground combat battle that took place during the Korean War from August 18 to September 5, 1951.Located in hills north of the 38th parallel north in the central Korean mountain range, the battle was fought between the communist North Korean forces of the Korean...
. Later served in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
with 77th Special Forces Group as Captain, retiring from them in 1960.
Education
Lynch received a BA degree in political science from the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 1953.
CIA career
In 1960 he joined the CIA working under Theodore ShackleyTheodore Shackley
Theodore G. "Ted" Shackley, Jr. was an American CIA officer involved in many important and controversial CIA operations during the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the most decorated CIA officers...
.
He wrote a book, Decision for Disaster: Betrayal at the Bay of Pigs, based on his experience leading the rebel Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506 was the name given to a CIA-sponsored group of Cuban exiles formed in 1960 to attempt the military overthrow of the Cuban government headed by Fidel Castro...
. Lynch is referred to or mentioned in the following books:
- Corn,D. Blond Ghost. 1994 (76, 82, 84, 111-2, 117)
- CounterSpy 1976-12 (11-2)
- Covert Action Information Bulletin 1978-#1 (8, 11-2)
- Dinges,J. Landau,S. Assassination on Embassy Row. 1981 (286)
- Escalante,F. The Secret War. 1995 (64, 137)
- Freed,D. Death in Washington. 1980 (195)
- Hersh,S. The Dark Side of Camelot. 1997 (172, 275)
- Hinckle,W. Turner,W. The Fish is Red. 1981 (vii, 61, 88, 99, 121-2, 341-2)
- Livingstone,N. The Cult of Counterterrorism. 1990 (362)
- NameBase NewsLine 1997-01 (10)
- New York Times 1996-04-29 (A10)
- Prados,J. Presidents' Secret Wars. 1988 (185, 204, 265)
- Russell,D. The Man Who Knew Too Much. 1992 (518)
- Scott,P.D. Marshall,J. Cocaine Politics. 1991 (27, 29)
- Turner,W. Rearview Mirror. 2001 (191, 193, 203)
- Weiner,T. Legacy of Ashes. 2007 (177)
- Wyden,P. Bay of Pigs. 1979 (83-6, 301)
External links
- Miami Herald article (1998)
- War of Wits Publishing Ltd Biographical Data on Lynch's own website
- Spartacus Educational