MAJ Willie Merkerson, Jr. was commissioned as an Engineer Officer upon graduation from Engineer Officer Candidate School Class 09-66 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 28 October 1966. His first duty assignment was XO, ODA 233, Van Canh, Republic of Vietnam.

His subsequent duty assignments were: Commander, 21st Mobile Strike (Mike) Force, Pleiku, Vietnam; S-4, 10th SFG (Abn), Fort Devens, Massachusetts; Commander, Company K, 75th Ranger Regiment, Vietnam; CO, Recon Company CCC, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group (MACVSOG), Kontum, Vietnam; CO, Recon Company (Brightlight), MACVSOG, Vietnam; Student, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Fort Knox, Kentucky; Assistant Professor of Military Science, 1st ROTC Region, Polytechnic Institute, Brooklyn, New York; Student, Foreign Area Officer Course, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Instructor, SF Officer Qualification Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Student, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia; Assistant Army Attaché, Lagos, Nigeria.

MAJ Merkerson's highest military awards include: Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star (Valor), Bronze Star (Merit) w/2 OLCs, Purple Heart, Air Medal w/2 OLCs, Army Commendation Medal w/ OLC, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, RVN Cross of Gallantry w/ Palm, RVN Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star, RVN Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, RVN Special Forces Jump Wings, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Following his military career, in September 1980, he joined the Central Intelligence Agency as a Paramilitary (Special Operations) officer and later served as a National Clandestine Service (NCS) Senior Operations officer. He served in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, working extensively with U.S. Special Operations Command and Joint Special Operations Command units in the U.S. and overseas. In 2002 he obtained a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the USAF Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. From July 2003 through July 2005, he served as the CIA’s senior representative to USASOC, JSOC, and the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In this capacity he coordinated, facilitated, and de-conflicted CIA operations and other activities in SOCOM units’ tactical areas of responsibilities. As Chief of Operations of CIA’s Special Operations Group from March 2009 through September 2011, he participated in high-level discussions and activities between CIA and USASOC senior officials to synchronize joint planning and the implementation of Unconventional Warfare tactics and procedures.

In September 2011, he retired from the CIA after over 54 years of distinguished U.S. Government service. In January 2012, he founded Bright Light International, a global security and intelligence consultancy in the Washington, D.C area, and he continued to work with U.S. Special Operations Forces and other Department of Defense entities. In 2013, he was inducted into U.S. Army Special Forces Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment. In 2018, he was among the inaugural class of the CIA’s Special Activities Division Ground Branch Hall of Fame as a Standard Bearer for his covert and paramilitary operations as well as 31 years of exemplary service.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS CITATION:  for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment A-223, Company B, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. First Lieutenant Merkerson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions as senior Special Forces advisor to a Vietnamese task force conducting a search and destroy mission in Binh Dinh Province. Lieutenant Merkerson repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire and led the two-company force against two North Vietnamese Army battalions. His unit was brought under heavy machine gun and mortar fire, and he moved along his lines, shouting encouragement, rallying the troops, and personally firing machine guns, mortars and grenade launchers. He fearlessly led an attack through the encirclement of the enemy and, under intense sniper fire, set up an evacuation and treatment center for his wounded troops. While rendering first aid to the wounded, he received word that one of his companies was trapped and a fellow advisor had been wounded. He refused airstrikes in the area and proceeded through 250 meters of enemy infested jungle before finding the wounded sergeant. He carried his comrade through intense machine gun and sniper fire to the evacuation area. While in the evacuation area, Lieutenant Merkerson directed air strikes on the enemy positions and called in a Medevac helicopter. He again exposed himself to enemy fire while going back and forth to the helicopter carrying the eleven wounded and five dead soldiers. His fearless leadership and sacrifice turned a possible disaster into a decisive victory. Lieutenant Merkerson's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.