Michael Echanis
Encyclopedia
Michael D. Echanis was a former United States Army Special Forces
and 75th Ranger Battalion enlisted soldier, ultimately working for the CIA as a contractor. He was killed while working for the CIA
in Nicaragua
in 1978 in a plane crash along with his colleague Charles Sanders and members of the Nicaraguan armed forces, due to a bomb placed on board. Jon Ronson
, author of The Men Who Stare At Goats
, cites associates of Echanis who contend the explosion in the aircraft was from Echanis's own attempt to bomb a Sandanista camp with hand gernades and that the recovered aircraft showed evidence of a hand gernade going off inside the cockpit. Ronson also quotes sources that Echanis was peripherally involved with the US Army's First Earth Battalion
and Echanis was also credited being the person who succeeded in stopping a test-goat's heart with projected psychic energy. Ronson also quotes another close associate describing Echanis "as basically psychotic".
Echanis was born in Ontario, Oregon
and was of Basque
descent. He enlisted in the US Army in 1969 and received the Purple Heart
and Bronze Star
with "V" device for his service in a LRRP in the Vietnam War
. Echanis served only 3 weeks "in-country" in Vietnam before being wounded in the foot and ankle when the truck he was in was ambushed in the An Khe pass in May of 1970. There is no record of Echanis having any other combat experience prior to his mercenary service in Nicaragua. He was eventually promoted to the rank of Specialist 4
.
Echanis was well-known as a hand-to-hand combat instructor for the Special Forces, SEALs
, and other military groups. He was a high-ranking black sash
in Hwa Rang Do
and the author of three military-oriented hand-to-hand combat books based on it. Echanis' rank as a "Sulsa", or the Hwa Rang Do equivalent of a Ninja
, was given to him by Hwa Rang Do founder Joo Bang Lee. Echanis' involvment with Lee and Hwa Rang Do was less than three weeks duration, with most of his instruction provided by Lee's senior student, Randy Wanner. The Sulsa designation was more of an honorific, apparently so Echanis could introduce Hwa Rang Do to the US Military's Special Forces. The three books on hand-to-hand weapon combat, published by Ohara Press, are almost entirely Joo Bang Lee's composition with Echanis posing for the pictures as well as taking authorial credit. Many hand-to-hand combat instructors, then and now, find the techniques too complicated and "flashy" for real-world use. Echanis had previously studied Judo
and Tae Kwon Do. He served as the Martial Arts Editor of Soldier of Fortune
magazine from 1974 to 1976.
Echanis is buried at St. Johns Catholic Cemetery (a.k.a. Sunset Cemetery) in Ontario.
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
and 75th Ranger Battalion enlisted soldier, ultimately working for the CIA as a contractor. He was killed while working for the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
in 1978 in a plane crash along with his colleague Charles Sanders and members of the Nicaraguan armed forces, due to a bomb placed on board. Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson is a Welsh journalist, documentary filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author, whose works include The Men Who Stare At Goats. His journalism and columns have appeared in British publications including The Guardian newspaper, City Life and Time Out magazine...
, author of The Men Who Stare At Goats
The Men Who Stare at Goats
The Men Who Stare at Goats is a book by Jon Ronson about the U.S. Army's exploration of New Age concepts and the potential military applications of the paranormal. The title refers to attempts to kill goats by staring at them...
, cites associates of Echanis who contend the explosion in the aircraft was from Echanis's own attempt to bomb a Sandanista camp with hand gernades and that the recovered aircraft showed evidence of a hand gernade going off inside the cockpit. Ronson also quotes sources that Echanis was peripherally involved with the US Army's First Earth Battalion
First Earth Battalion
The First Earth Battalion was the name proposed by Lieutenant Colonel Jim Channon, a U.S. soldier who had served in Vietnam, for his idea of a new military to be organized along New Age lines.-Principles:...
and Echanis was also credited being the person who succeeded in stopping a test-goat's heart with projected psychic energy. Ronson also quotes another close associate describing Echanis "as basically psychotic".
Echanis was born in Ontario, Oregon
Ontario, Oregon
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It lies along the Snake River at the Idaho border. The population was 10,985 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 11,245 in 2006...
and was of Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
descent. He enlisted in the US Army in 1969 and received the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
and Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with "V" device for his service in a LRRP in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Echanis served only 3 weeks "in-country" in Vietnam before being wounded in the foot and ankle when the truck he was in was ambushed in the An Khe pass in May of 1970. There is no record of Echanis having any other combat experience prior to his mercenary service in Nicaragua. He was eventually promoted to the rank of Specialist 4
Specialist (rank)
Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
.
Echanis was well-known as a hand-to-hand combat instructor for the Special Forces, SEALs
Seals
Seals may refer to:In military:* United States Navy SEALs, the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force* Royal Thai Navy SEALs, part of the Royal Thai NavyIn sport:* Florida Seals, a minor league ice hockey team from 2002 and 2007...
, and other military groups. He was a high-ranking black sash
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in Hwa Rang Do
Hwa Rang Do
Hwa Rang Do is a Korean martial art that was created by Dr. Joo Bang Lee and his brother Joo Sang Lee. This martial art teaches fighting techniques, weapons, spiritual training, intellectual enhancement, and artistic pursuits. It has a very evolved technical structure.-History:The name Hwa Rang Do...
and the author of three military-oriented hand-to-hand combat books based on it. Echanis' rank as a "Sulsa", or the Hwa Rang Do equivalent of a Ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
, was given to him by Hwa Rang Do founder Joo Bang Lee. Echanis' involvment with Lee and Hwa Rang Do was less than three weeks duration, with most of his instruction provided by Lee's senior student, Randy Wanner. The Sulsa designation was more of an honorific, apparently so Echanis could introduce Hwa Rang Do to the US Military's Special Forces. The three books on hand-to-hand weapon combat, published by Ohara Press, are almost entirely Joo Bang Lee's composition with Echanis posing for the pictures as well as taking authorial credit. Many hand-to-hand combat instructors, then and now, find the techniques too complicated and "flashy" for real-world use. Echanis had previously studied Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and Tae Kwon Do. He served as the Martial Arts Editor of Soldier of Fortune
Soldier of Fortune (magazine)
Soldier of Fortune , The Journal of Professional Adventurers, is a periodical monthly magazine devoted to world-wide reporting of wars, including conventional warfare, low-intensity warfare, counter insurgency, and counter-terrorism...
magazine from 1974 to 1976.
Echanis is buried at St. Johns Catholic Cemetery (a.k.a. Sunset Cemetery) in Ontario.
External links
- Article from Black Belt magazineBlack Belt MagazineBlack Belt is an American magazine covering martial arts and combat sports founded in 1961 by Mitoshi Uyehara. During the early years of the publication, Uyehara was a hands-on owner and publisher...