James Lewis Wheeler

FORMER CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR Of FINANCE AND IWO JIMA VETERAN James Lewis Wheeler Was born in San Gabriel, CA on February 14, 1926 to Ralph Joseph Wheeler and Alice Doyle Wheeler. On November 20, 2012, Mr. Wheeler passed away from metastasized squamous cell carcinoma at 86 years old in Falls Church, VA where he has lived for over 40 years. Mr. Wheeler enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17, February 7, 1944. He was in action on the battle of Iwo Jima from February 19 – March 16, 1945 as artillery observer assigned to the Fifth Amphibious Corps, C Battery, 2nd 155th Howitzer Battalion. He was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency shortly thereafter graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, in 1951. Mr. Wheeler then served twelve of thirty years of service in numerous countries overseas in the Far East and in Paris; where he met his bride, M. Patricia Wheeler, of Biddeford Maine, also with the Central Intelligence Agency. They then relocated to Washington, DC after their final tour abroad. During the time of his career with the CIA, he earned two Master of Science degrees from American University and M.I.T. While at the Agency, Mr. Wheeler was an Elite Senior Intelligence Service officer and received the Intelligence Medal of Merit as well as other commendations. During his oversees assignments, he was involved in many projects, such as Project Azorian, the Agency’s secret mission to life a sunken Russian submarine from the bottom of the ocean. He also took part in the operation to dig up hundreds of gold coins buried across Germany. They had been placed there by US intelligence personnel during World War II to aid downed pilots and allied troops evading capture. He retired as the deputy director of Finance for Liaisons Plans and Systems. Following his retirement from the CIA, he became instrumental in the inception as vice president at Usatrex International, Inc.; a world wide security company. In recent years, Jim served as a media consultant and speaker on the subject of Iwo Jima; he frequently provided lectures based on his experience as an Iwo Jima Veteran. His oral history has been recorded for use at the World War II museum in New Orleans, LA and in the Iwo Jima documentary by Freund productions LCC. His love of his garden his flowers and tomato plants were his pride and joy as were his family. He loved being with friends and family; he had great pride in his daughter’s professional accomplishments while raising her three boys. As a former athlete himself, he was a regular spectator - watching his three grandsons play Reston football, varsity lacrosse and varsity hockey at O’Connell High School. Jim was a member of the American Legion in McLean and member of Saint John the Beloved Catholic Church in McLean, VA. Donations may be made in his honor, to The National World War II Museum in New Orleans, or the Skin Cancer Foundation. Skincancer.org Mr. Wheeler is survived by his wife of 46 years, M. Patricia Wheeler, His daughter, Suzanne Doyle Wheeler Klein, his grandsons James Robert Klein, Matthew Liam Klein and Prescott Chandler Klein and his son-in-law Robert Aloysius Klein of Reston, VA. He had one brother who is deceased, Kevin Ralph Wheeler of Garden Grove, CA. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. An Internment burial will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.