MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Eugene Hasenfus, who played a key role in unraveling the Iran-Contra affair after his CIA-backed supply plane was shot down over Nicaragua in 1986, has died.
Hasenfus died on Nov. 26 in Menominee, Michigan, after a nine-year battle with cancer. He was 84.
Born on January 22, 1941, in Marinette, Hasenfus served with the Marines in Vietnam and later pursued a career in aviation, becoming a significant figure in the Cold War's Iran-Contra scandal. In 1981, the Reagan administration authorized the CIA to support the anti-communist Contras, but when Congress cut military assistance in 1984, the U.S. government began secret supply operations to keep the Contras afloat.
The covert operations, managed by National Security Council aide Oliver North, were exposed after Hasenfus's plane was shot down in 1986, revealing U.S. involvement in the controversial support of Nicaraguan rebels. Hasenfus parachuted into the jungle and evaded capture for over 24 hours before being apprehended and charged with terrorism.
Following his capture, Hasenfus stated that the CIA supervised the flights, leading to a significant controversy and congressional investigation into the affair. He was convicted of charges in Nicaragua and received a 30-year prison sentence, but was pardoned by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega shortly after.
In 1988, he attempted to sue for damages related to the arms deals linked to Iran-Contra, but the lawsuit was unsuccessful. Hasenfus's legal troubles continued when he pleaded guilty to lewd behavior in 2003, resulting in jail time in 2005.
He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
Hasenfus died on Nov. 26 in Menominee, Michigan, after a nine-year battle with cancer. He was 84.
Born on January 22, 1941, in Marinette, Hasenfus served with the Marines in Vietnam and later pursued a career in aviation, becoming a significant figure in the Cold War's Iran-Contra scandal. In 1981, the Reagan administration authorized the CIA to support the anti-communist Contras, but when Congress cut military assistance in 1984, the U.S. government began secret supply operations to keep the Contras afloat.
The covert operations, managed by National Security Council aide Oliver North, were exposed after Hasenfus's plane was shot down in 1986, revealing U.S. involvement in the controversial support of Nicaraguan rebels. Hasenfus parachuted into the jungle and evaded capture for over 24 hours before being apprehended and charged with terrorism.
Following his capture, Hasenfus stated that the CIA supervised the flights, leading to a significant controversy and congressional investigation into the affair. He was convicted of charges in Nicaragua and received a 30-year prison sentence, but was pardoned by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega shortly after.
In 1988, he attempted to sue for damages related to the arms deals linked to Iran-Contra, but the lawsuit was unsuccessful. Hasenfus's legal troubles continued when he pleaded guilty to lewd behavior in 2003, resulting in jail time in 2005.
He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
