LBJ Fills CIA Vacancy With Texas Admiral

The first test-fire of the Polaris missile on Jan. 10, 1960, was a spectacular success that put the low-profile career of a Texas admiral into public orbit.

A native of Decatur and a 1928 graduate of Annapolis, William F. Raborn passed the tests of war and peace with flying colors. But nothing could prepare the can-do sailor for his final assignment as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

During the last days of the war in the Pacific, a kamikaze pilot scored a direct hit on the aircraft carrier “Hancock.” Repairing the severely damaged flight deck in an amazing four hours, Executive Officer “Red” Raborn made possible the safe return of a fighter squadron, a remarkable feat rewarded with the Silver Star.

The Texan