Charlie Wilson fast facts

* A former United States naval officer and former Democratic United States Representative from the 2nd congressional district in Texas.

* Became known for leading Congress into supporting the largest ever CIA covert operation, which supplied the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

* Born: June 1, 1933, in the small town of Trinity, Texas, where he attended public schools and graduated from Trinity High School in 1951. While a student at Sam Houston State University, he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy, where he received a B.S. and graduated eighth from the bottom of his class in 1956.

* Naval career: Between 1956 and 1960, Wilson served in the United States Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant. Wilson graduated as a gunnery officer and was assigned to a destroyer involved in searching for Soviet submarines. Following four years as a surface fleet officer, he was assigned to the Pentagon as part of an intelligence unit that evaluated the Soviet Union's nuclear forces.

* Entry into politics: Wilson first entered politics as a teenager by running for office in home town of Trinity. He lived next door to city official Charles Hazard. When Charlie was 13, his dog, Teddy, got into his neighbor's yard. Hazard retaliated by mixing crushed glass into the dog's food, causing fatal internal bleeding. This led Wilson to decide to run for office against his neighbor in the next election. Being a farmer's son, he was able to get a driving permit at thirteen, which enabled him to drive 96 voters from poor neighborhoods to the polls. As they left the car, he told each them that incumbent Hazard killed his dog. After winning by a margin of sixteen votes, Charlie went to his neighbor's house to inform him of his victory and to tell him he shouldn't poison any more dogs.

* Wilson volunteered for the John Kennedy presidential campaign. In 1960, after taking 30 days' leave from the Navy, Wilson entered his name into the race for Texas state representative from his home district. This action was against the regulations of the Navy as service members are prohibited from holding a public office while on active duty. While back on duty, his family and friends went door to door campaigning. In 1961, at age 27, he was sworn into office in Austin.

* For the next 12 years, Wilson made his reputation in Texas as the "liberal from Lufkin," viewed with suspicion by business interests. He battled for the regulation of utilities, fought for Medicaid, tax exemptions for the elderly, the Equal Rights Amendment, and a minimum wage bill. Wilson was also notorious for his personal life, particularly drinking, picking up the nickname "Good Time Charlie."

* In 1972, Wilson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Second District of Texas, taking office the following January.

* In the late 1970s, Wilson was a strong supporter of the Somoza regime in Nicaragua. His admiration for Somoza was unaffected by an unsuccessful attempt by the Nicaraguan leader to offer Wilson a large cash bribe at their first meeting. While many viewed Somoza as a corrupt dictator, Wilson saw him as an abandoned and betrayed U.S. ally. Wilson ran a rearguard action in the House appropriations committee attempting to save Somoza. He even threatened at one point to wreck the Carter administration's Panama Canal Treaty if the US did not resume support for Somoza. Wilson later arranged a meeting between Somoza and Ed Wilson. Ed Wilson offered to form a 1000-man force of ex-CIA operatives to fight on Somoza's behalf. The meeting broke down when Somoza fondled Tina Simons, Charlie Wilson's girlfriend at the time.

* In the early summer of 1980, Wilson read an Associated Press dispatch on the congressional wires that described hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Afghanistan. Wilson placed a call to a member of the US Congressional Appropriations Committee who dealt with "black appropriations" (CIA funds) and ordered a twofold increase in the appropriation for Afghanistan.

* In 1983, he won the approval of $40 million more, with $17 million especially earmarked for anti-aircraft weapons that could take down Soviet Mil Mi-24 helicopters, known as the "Hind," that caused heavy damage and casualties to the Afghan Mujahideen.

* The following year, Wilson was approached directly by CIA officer Gust Avrakotos, who, breaking the CIA's rule against lobbying Congress for money, asked Wilson for $50 million more. Wilson later succeeded in moving $300 million of unused Pentagon funds into the Afghan operation right before the end of the fiscal year.

* Wilson recently underwent a heart transplant. His first public outing after the transplant was to the premiere of "Charlie Wilson's War." Wilson said, after seeing the movie, "They treated me good."

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Charlie Wilson fast facts

* A former United States naval officer and former Democratic United States Representative from the 2nd congressional district in Texas.

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