Page 69 - Alumni Horae: Vol. 93, No. 3 Spring 2013

Hunt ’57
Preserver of
American Security
For years, David Hunt ’57 was unable to
speak about his deep passion for his work,
except to a close circle of friends. In fact,
he was not authorized to speak of it until
two years prior to his 1995 retirement
from the Central Intelligence Agency,
where he enjoyed a 32-year career as an
undercover operations officer.
Shortly after his return to Washington
from New York City in 1994, Hunt was
appointed the CIA director’s special assist-
ant for counterintelligence.
“At that time, my position was announced
publicly and I officially came out from
under cover,” says Hunt. “It was wonder-
ful to be authorized to say I worked for
the CIA.”
Hunt followed his father into the Agency
and was one of the first officers of the next
generation to do so. In 1954, the Hunt family
had been deployed to Paris for an assign-
ment with the American Embassy there.
At that time, David Hunt was in his first
term as a Third Former at St. Paul’s, and
he ended up spending time at a school in
Switzerland before returning to Concord.
“That exposure to Europe stimulated my
interest in foreign affairs and convinced
me to go into the CIA,” recalls Hunt. “I
figured out early on that I was restless
in nature, and I didn’t want to be stuck
in a desk job in New York for my career.
It worked because I never got bored,
never had a dull day, was always learn-
ing. I was constantly working with all
kinds of people, from con men to people
who wanted to help the U.S. discreetly to
everyone in between.”
Hunt’s three-decade career saw him
serve extensively overseas, with tours
in Italy (1965-68), Saigon (1969-70),
Mogadishu (1973-75), Oslo (1975-78),
Paris (1984-87), and New York City
(1991-94). He twice served as deputy
chief of station (Oslo and Paris) and twice
as chief of station (Mogadishu and New
York). He developed expertise in Soviet
operations, European affairs, and coun-
terintelligence.
After his first tour in Italy, Hunt was
sent to Vietnam. Because of the security
situation in Saigon, families were not
allowed to accompany officers. For his
next assignment as chief of station in
Mogadishu, Hunt had to “resign” from the
CIA and was integrated into the State
Department to train for his cover job as
the U.S. consul. From then on, he was able
to say he was “with the State Department.”
While Hunt was in Paris in the 1980s,
the station became aware of a French
intelligence effort to surreptitiously
acquire American commercial and
proprietary information. The program
targeted high-ranking American busi-
nessmen, whose documents were copied
or stolen from their luxury hotel rooms.
“We went to work, got lucky, and learned
that the French service was acquiring each
week the list of VIP visitors to the Ameri-
can Embassy, affording easy targeting
information,” he recalls. “Eventually, we
shut down the program.”
At the conclusion of his career, Hunt
was honored with the CIA’s Donovan
Award for Excellence and the Distin-
guished Intelligence Medal, the Agency’s
highest award.
Today, Hunt remains interested in
world affairs and often lectures on intel-
ligence issues. Recognizing the value of
foreign exposure, in 1996 he established
the Hunt Fund at Colby College, his alma
mater (1963), which sends college students
on overseas research projects.
When he looks back on his career and
his contribution to American security,
Hunt reflects on the overall importance
of American intelligence efforts.
“While the need for an intelligence
capability will always be questioned by
some in American society, I think the
profession has gone mainstream,” he
says. “There is recognition now, particu-
larly after 9/11, that we need a profes-
sional service to better understand the
world around us, to track and thwart
efforts of those who wish us harm, and
to advance our interests abroad where
appropriate. I was most fortunate to have
been part of that effort”
COURTESY DAVID HUNT ’57
THINKSTOCK.COM
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