U.S. Army General Killed in Crash Oversaw Arms Aid to Pakistan

Brig. Gen. Herbert M. Wassom, 49, the Army officer who died Wednesday in the plane crash that killed Pakistani President Zia ul-Haq and U.S. Ambassador Arnold L. Raphel, was a decorated Vietnam War veteran who for the last year had overseen U.S. military aid to Pakistan.

Wassom, as chief U.S. defense representative in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, supervised the approximately $250 million in arms sales, training and other military services that Pakistan was expected to order from the United States this year alone.

“He was extremely effective in dealing with the Pakistani military, and it’s not easy, given . . . the level of support they expect from the United States,” said a congressional aide who had dealt with Wassom. “You have to work through that and around that, and he did that very well.”

Wassom’s position gave him close access to Zia, who was also the chief of staff of Pakistan’s army. Last April, the U.S. officer played a key role in the investigation of a major explosion of a ammunition dump in Rawalpindi that killed at least 100. Zia believed that the blast was caused by sabotage.

Tank Demonstration

At the time of his death, U.S. officials said, Wassom was flying with Zia, Raphel and other officials to Islamabad after attending a demonstration in eastern Pakistan of the American M-1 Abrams tank.

Pakistan is considering a large purchase of the U.S.-made weapon, State Department officials said. Nearing completion of a multibillion-dollar modernization of its air forces, the Pakistani military has embarked on a massive effort to update its army, including plans to buy U.S. tanks and anti-armor missiles, air defenses and artillery weapons.

Before assuming the post in Pakistan in July, 1987, Wassom, who had a master’s degree in international relations from George Washington University here, was assistant commander of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, Ky. A native of Spring City, Tenn., he had served with the 101st in Vietnam and earned a Legion of Merit and a Bronze Star. During his more than 26 years of active-duty service, Wassom graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

He is survived by his wife, Judy; a daughter, Tara, 25, and a son, Douglas, 19.