Ex-CIA Disguise Chief to Speak at Cold War Museum

Author and retired CIA officer Jonna Mendez, once the agency’s chief of disguise, will speak at the National Cold War Center in Blytheville on Nov. 4.

Mendez is the co-author of “The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War,” a memoir she wrote with her husband and retired CIA exfiltration specialist Antonio Mendez.

“The Cold War era was one of the most intriguing periods in world history, and Mrs. Mendez is part of a rare group of individuals who can detail the drama of the conflict from first-hand experience,” Seth Holifield, National Cold War Center board member, said in a news release.

John Grisham will provide a video welcome for the event, which serves as a fundraiser. The museum’s annual gala will be held the next day.

The museum last month received $1.9 million in state funds to advance plans to build at the decommissioned Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville. Interactive exhibits, two aircraft and a refurbished alert facility are part of the overall plan. 

The first major on-site exhibit, which explores the base’s history and its impact on the Blytheville community, opened in 2020.