Birth Name: Antonio Joseph Mendez
Place of Birth: Eureka, Nevada, United States
Date of Birth: November 15, 1940
Ethnicity:
* Mexican (father)
* 1/4 Italian, Dutch, English, French, Irish, Scottish, some Cornish, remote Belgian (Flemish), remote Welsh (mother)
Family Info:
Tony Mendez is an American CIA technical operations officer, now retired, who specialized in support of clandestine and covert CIA operations. He is best known for his role in Canadian Caper during the Iran hostage crisis. His father, John George Mendez, was of Mexican descent. His mother, Neva June Tognoni, was of 1/4 Italian, Dutch, English, French, Irish, Scottish, some Cornish, remote Belgian (Flemish), and remote Welsh descent.
Tony’s paternal grandfather was José “Joseph” Méndez Navarro (the son of ? Méndez and ? Navarro). José was a Mexican immigrant.
Tony’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Russell Tognoni (the son of Giuseppe Cristoforo “Joseph Christopher” Tognoni and Myrtle Jesse Jaques). Giuseppe was born in Lombardia, Italy to Giacomo Tognoni and Madalena Pavachini. Myrtle was the daughter of Ernest Jesse Jaques and Mariah H. Usher.
Tony’s maternal grandmother was Ina Belle Cates (the daughter of Nelson Louis Cates and Emma Augusta Donnelly). Nelson was the son of William Cates and Eliza Ann Nordyke. Emma was the daughter of Michael Reed and Marietta F. Smith.
Sources:
* Tony’s birth record: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25462-20579-86?cc=2053817&wc=M6PJ-KM9:351141001,351148601
* Death record of Tony’s father: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25462-16063-69?cc=2053817&wc=M6PJ-GP8:351141301,351213101
* Birth record of Tony’s mother: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25464-626-94?cc=2053817&wc=M6PJ-K29:351141301,351154601
* Tony’s mother on Find a Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=20628266