MELVIN R. WETTERGREEN, 77, CIA RETIREE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000706940018-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: May 12, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20 :CIA-RDP90-005528000706940018-8
~:.. r AG?
WASHINGTON TIPIES
12 ~ tay 1986
Melvin R. Wettergreen, 77, CIA retiree
Melvin R. Wettergreen, T, a re-
tired administrative officer for the
Central Intelligence Agency and a
composer of popular songs, died
Thursday in Sibley Memorial Hospi-
tal after a long illness. He lived in
Bethesda.
He joined the Naval Intelligence
Reserve in 1946 after serving in
World War II and retired as a com-
mander in 1969.
Mr. Wettergreen worked for the
Naval Bureau of Ships from 1946 to
1951 and was with the National Pro-
ductionAuthority for three years be-
fore joining the CIA in 1953. He re-
tired from the CIA as an
administrative officer in 1969 and
was awarded the Certificate of
Merit.
For the next several years he
worked part-time as a special agent
in the office of security for the sec-
retary of defense.
He was a member of the Amer-
ican Society of Composers, Authors
and Publishers. Under the nickname
of "Mel;' he wrote music and lyrics
for radio and television shows, in-
cluding programs featuring Fred
Astaire, Arthur Godfrey and Johnny
Green. More than 20 of his songs
have been recorded and one of his
songs, "Don't Ya Think I Oughta
Know;' was listed in Billboard mag-
azine as the top rhythm and blues
song of the year in the late 1940s.
l~tr. Wettergreen had served on
the advisory board of the American
Security Council and was a former
director of the board of governors of
the Men's Republican Club. He was
a member of the Chevy Chase Pres-
byterian Church for more than 40
years, and he was an elder and dea-
con and served on numerous com-
mittees.
He was also a member of the Re-
tired Officers Association and two
honorary fraternities, Beta Gamma
Sigma and Pi Sigma Alpha.
Mr. Wettergreen was born to
Bridgewater, S.D., and graduated
from the University of Iowa in 1926.
He received a master's degree in
public administration from Amer-
ican University.
He worked for International Har-
~ester in Omaha, Neb., in the 1930s
before joining the Midwest offices of
the Federal Land Bank and the Rail-
road Retirement Board. He was
transferred to the board's Washing-
ton offices, and for a year before
World War II was a security officer
for the Civil Service Commission.
Mr. Wettergreen joined the Navy
in 1941 and served as a security offi-
cer and then as a special agent with
the Potomac River Command. He
was transferred to the Pacific where
he served on the intelligence staff of
the 7th Fleet and later on the staff of
Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
He is survived by his wife, Jean-
ette Wettergreen; a daughter, Sonya
'Ilirner of Grangeville, Idaho; a
brother, Harris Wettergreen of Fon-
tana, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and
7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at the Hines-
Rinaldi Funeral Home, 11800 New
Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring.
Funeral services will be held at 11
a.m. Wednesday in Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church, 1 Chevy
Chase Circle, with burial in
Arlington National Cemetery.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20 :CIA-RDP90-005528000706940018-8