Charlie Wilson's War

Good Time Charlie -- As a congressman from Texas, Wilson earned that nickname by his actions -- drinking, women and wild antics.

Wilson was born in 1933 in of Trinity, Texas.

Education: He graduated from Trinity High School in 1951 and attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas

He received his B.S. in 1956 from the United States Naval Academy. He graduated 8th from the bottom of his class.

Politics: When Wilson was a teen, his neighbor, city incumbent Charles Hazard, killed his dog by putting ground glass into dog food. The 13 year-old, ran for office against Hazard. He recruited and drove 96 people (mainly poor African-Americans) to the polls. (He had a driver's permit.)

He told the people at the voting station to vote for who they wanted and that Hazard had killed his dog. He won the election by 13 votes and promptly went to Hazard and told him he better not kill any more dogs.

He later joined John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960 and at the age of 27 became a representative for the State of Texas.

While serving, he fought for Medicaid, tax exemptions for the elderly, the Equal Rights Amendment and a minimum wage bill. He was also Pro-choice.

Wilson was elected 12 times to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Second District of Texas. He resigned October 8, 1996.

George Crile was an award winning reporter -- a specialist in the coverage of international affairs. He was both producer and reporter for CBS during the 70's and early 80's. In 1985, he joined 60 Minutes.

He is famous for his documentary, The CIA's Secret Army, which chronicled the previously untold story of the CIA's secret wars on Castro after the Bay of Pigs.

For his reports, The Battle For South Africa, Craig won a Peabody Award. He also produced The uncounted Enemy, a Vietnam Deception, which ended up in a court. General William Westmoreland brought a libel action against CBS News and Crile for the reports.

In 2003, Crile began researching the Afghan War, which later led to his book, Charlie Wilson's War.

After 9/11, Crile's contacts in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Near East provided behind the scenes look into Osama bin Laden and militant Islam.

Crile died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 61.

This work is covered by copyright and can not be reprinted
in any matter (physical or digital) without prior written consent.

Copyright 2008-2012 Frankie Kangas All rights reserved.