# Apocalypse Now: Who was the civilian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449 "2013-06-20T10:02:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/1 "2013-06-20T10:02:33Z")
In the scene where Willard gets sent on the mission that “does not exist. Nor will it ever.” The Joe Biden-looking guy with the purple necktie. Why would he be there, and what would he normally be doing stateside? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/2 "2013-06-20T10:16:54Z")
I always assumed he was CIA. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/3 "2013-06-20T10:44:59Z")
Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/4 "2013-06-20T11:45:23Z")
CIA is the most likely explanation for the mysterious “Jerry”. Though I suppose he could be a seething bigoted civilian telephone technician, hence his “terminate with extreme prejudice.” ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/5 "2013-06-20T12:57:40Z")
Yep, CIA. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/6 "2013-06-20T12:58:26Z")
Well, I can see that nobody has come up with the answer yet, so it’s up to me: CIA. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/7 "2013-06-20T13:18:00Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Well, I can see that nobody has come up with the answer yet, so it’s up to me Glad to see we have top men working on this. Top. Men. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/8 "2013-06-20T13:26:17Z")
If he wasn’t CIA, he could have been State Department. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/9 "2013-06-20T13:32:20Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Glad to see we have top men working on this. Top. Men. [ButcheredQUOTE]I have no knowledge of any such operation; nor would I be at liberty to discuss such an operation, should it exist.[/ButcheredQUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/10 "2013-06-20T13:43:27Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Glad to see we have top men working on this. Top. Men. So that must be why Indiana Jones was there. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/11 "2013-06-20T14:00:53Z")
[best recognized for the line “terminate with extreme prejudice” in his acting role as ‘Jerry’, a CIA operative…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Ziesmer#cite_note-2) [Look again at the meeting with General GD Spradlin, staff officer Harrison Ford and creepy CIA spook Jerry Ziesmer (“Terminate . . . with extreme prejudice”)](http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2001/nov/02/artsfeatures.londonfilmfestival20011) ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/12 "2013-06-20T14:06:13Z")
Can we get a definitive answer, already? Geesh, 11 posts and we’re just hemming and hawing. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/13 "2013-06-20T15:15:04Z")
Why would someone from the Culinary Institute of America want Kurtz dead? Did he diss somebody’s roux? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/14 "2013-06-20T15:17:14Z")
That explains those creepy-looking whole prawns, or whatever the were… ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/15 "2013-06-20T16:57:39Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > That explains those creepy-looking whole prawns, or whatever the were… You’ll never have to prove your courage in any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/16 "2013-06-20T17:17:37Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Why would someone from the Culinary Institute of America want Kurtz dead? Did he diss somebody’s roux? That’s why they included a chef on the mission. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/17 "2013-06-20T17:52:14Z")
[The scene in question](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjB8z0Bvi14) (2:20) (Joe Biden? Don’t see it.) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/18 "2013-06-20T17:56:49Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > That’s why they included a chef on the mission. A _saucier_, no less! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/19 "2013-06-20T18:03:41Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > [The scene in question](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjB8z0Bvi14) (2:20) > > (Joe Biden? Don’t see it.) I always thought he was South Asian (Indian or Pakistani) – I guess not. Those CIA guys are masters of disguise! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449/20 "2013-06-20T19:39:31Z")
Gee, I’m not sure, but I think maybe he was CIA! 🙂 As for Joe Biden, yeah, not quite, but one middle-aged, gray-haired white guy looks pretty much like the next. Unless they’re exceptionally handsome (John Slattery) or exceptionally homely. And OMG, is there **ever** a Sheen family resemblance! Anyway, thanks to all who replied. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocalypse-now-who-was-the-civilian/661449.md?page=2)