Robert Rheault | Green Beret leader, 87

Robert Rheault, 87, an Army colonel in the Vietnam War who was accused of killing a double agent in what became known as the Green Beret Affair, has died.

His wife, Susan St. John, said Mr. Rheault died of natural causes Oct. 16 at his home in Owls Head, Maine.

Mr. Rheault, who was born in Boston, served 26 years in the Army. While commander of the Green Berets in 1969, he and seven of his men were arrested by the U.S. military, accused of killing a Vietnamese double agent. After the charges were dropped, a photo of Mr. Rheault appeared on the cover of Life magazine.

He retired that year and later moved to Maine. He founded and ran the Outward Bound Program for Vietnam Vets with post-traumatic stress syndrome. - AP