WHITE-EMIL

TERRORIST  MURDER  VICTIM

On December 3, 1979, a Navy bus occupied by 18 unarmed enlisted personnel assigned to the Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico, was carrying the group to a communications transmitter on the eastern end of Puerto Rico.  During the journey a truck ahead of the bus suddenly blocked its path and another vehicle carrying five men pulled up alongside and opened fire with powerful assault weapons.  The bus was caught in a hail of bullets lasting about 30-seconds, “A lifetime” according to one survivor, and when the chaos subsided two men were dead and ten others in the bus were wounded.  One of the fatalities was Emil Etienne White, RM3, USN, a native of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands.  He graduated from school there in 1977, followed by attendance at Navy radioman school in San Diego.  He was assigned to Sabana Seca on May 9, 1978, where he reportedly gave his time and talents by performing disco shows and improving the quality of entertainment.  Associates described him as a true professional involved with all facets of radio communications, and constantly seeking more knowledge and experience in his field.  He was additionally known to have contributed significantly to recruiting efforts in the Virgin Islands.

Credit for the attack was claimed by the Los Macheteros (Puerto Rican Popular Army), a militant nationalist movement that campaigns for and supports independence from the United States.  The FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) conducted a joint investigation lasting for a number of years but the case proved difficult to break due to the group’s secrecy, their use of codenames and disguises, and the refusal of anyone to cooperate with investigators.  Eventually the case went cold and no one was charged for the killings.  However, in 2001, following a decision in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to apply cold case homicide methodology to terrorist events, NCIS took over sole jurisdiction of the investigation and renewed efforts to identify and convict the terrorists who were responsible.  With the help of technological advances NCIS was able to obtain DNA from some of the evidence collected inside the bus and the militants’ vehicles, such as ear buds, gloves and nylon pantyhose which the terrorists used on door handles to eliminate fingerprint traces.  The evidence led investigators to the identity of 13 militants who orchestrated and took part in the attack.  In July 2013 one of the militants finally admitted to NCIS agents his involvement in the ambush and agreed to cooperate.  Although he was not one of the shooters, he participated in the planning, was in the car when the attack occurred and pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, murder and robbery conspiracy, for helping to plan and carry out the ambush.  In May 2014 a Federal Judge sentenced the man to serve time in Federal Prison.  At the time of this writing, NCIS has identified additional suspects and investigation is continuing in order to bring them to justice.

A bronze memorial statue honoring the service of RM3 White is located on the shore front of his native St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.  In addition to his picture the memorial carries the inscription, “A native son who gave his life for his country.”

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)