CIA Memorial Wall facts for kids
The Memorial Wall is a special place at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters. This building is located in Langley, Virginia. The wall honors CIA employees who have died while serving their country. It reminds everyone of their brave actions.
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The Memorial Wall
The Memorial Wall is found in the main lobby of the CIA's Original Headquarters Building. It is on the north wall. There are 135 stars carved into the white Alabama marble wall. Each star stands for a CIA employee who died while on duty. Many of these heroes were paramilitary officers from the CIA's Special Activities Division. These officers often work in dangerous areas.
Under the stars is a special book called the "Book of Honor." It is bound in black Moroccan goatskin. The book shows the stars, listed by the year the person died. It also lists the names of employees when possible. However, the identities of some people remain secret, even after their death. These are shown only by a gold star. In 2020, 93 entries had names, but 42 did not.
The wall has an important message carved into it. It says: "In honor of those members of the Central Intelligence Agency who gave their lives in the service of their country." The flag of the United States is on one side of the wall. On the other side is a flag with the CIA's official seal.
Adding New Stars
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When a new hero is added to the Book of Honor, a stone carver adds a new star to the wall. The current carver, Tim Johnston, learned this skill from Harold Vogel. Vogel created the first 31 stars and the main message in 1974.
The wall was first planned as a small plaque. It was meant to remember those who died in Southeast Asia. But the idea grew quickly. It became a memorial for all CIA employees who died while serving.
Here is how a new star is added:
Johnston creates a star by first tracing the new star on the wall using a template. Each star measures 2¼ inches tall by 2¼ inches wide and half an inch deep; all the stars are six inches apart from each other, as are all the rows. Johnston uses both a pneumatic air hammer and a chisel to carve out the traced pattern. After he finishes carving the star, he cleans the dust and sprays the star black, which as the star ages, fades to gray.
Who Gets a Star?
The Honor and Merit Awards Board (HMAB) suggests names for the wall. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency then approves them. The CIA says that a star is given to employees who die while serving their country in intelligence work. This can happen in another country or in the United States.
The death must be inspiring or heroic while on duty. It can also be from a terrorism attack while working. Or it could be from a planned attack against an employee because they work for the CIA. A star is also given if someone dies while on duty in dangerous areas. After approval, a new star is placed on the wall.
Some Honored Individuals
The Memorial Wall honors many brave people. Here are a few examples of those who have stars:
| Date of Death | Name | Cause of Death | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | |||
| March 20, 1947 | Lieutenant John W. Creech | Killed when their plane crashed in bad weather. They worked for the Central Intelligence Group (CIG), which came before the CIA. | |
| Daniel C. Dennett, Jr. | |||
| 1950 | |||
| April 29, 1950 | Douglas Mackiernan | The first CIA employee killed on duty. He was shot by Tibetan border guards while trying to escape China. | |
| 1952 | |||
| November 29, 1952 | Norman A. Schwartz | Pilots killed when their plane was shot down over China during a mission. | |
| Robert C. Snoddy | |||
| 1961 | |||
| April 19, 1961 | Leo F. Baker | Four CIA pilots killed while supporting the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba. | |
| Wade C. Gray | |||
| Thomas W. Ray | |||
| Riley W. Shamburger | |||
| 1965 | |||
| March 30, 1965 | Barbara Robbins | Killed in a car bomb attack at the U.S. embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam. | |
| 1983 | |||
| April 18, 1983 | Robert Ames | Died in the 1983 Beirut embassy bombing in Lebanon. | |
| Phyliss Faraci | |||
| Kenneth E. Haas | |||
| Deborah M. Hixon | |||
| Frank J. Johnston | |||
| James Lewis | |||
| Monique Lewis | |||
| William Richard Sheil | |||
| 2001 | |||
| November 2001 | Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann | A paramilitary officer killed during a Taliban prison uprising in Afghanistan. | |
| 2009 | |||
| December 30, 2009 | Harold Brown | Killed in the Camp Chapman attack in Afghanistan. | |
| Elizabeth Hanson | |||
| Darren LaBonte | |||
| Jennifer Matthews | |||
| Dane Paresi | |||
| Scott Roberson | |||
| Jeremy Wise | |||
| 2012 | |||
| September 11–12, 2012 | Glen A. Doherty | Killed during the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. | |
| Tyrone S. Woods | |||
Many other brave individuals are honored on the wall, including those whose names remain secret to protect ongoing operations or their families.
Civil Air Transport and Air America
Some pilots who worked for CIA-linked airlines like Civil Air Transport and Air America were also killed. For example, James B. McGovern, Jr. and Wallace Buford died in 1954 when their plane was shot down in Vietnam. While they worked for companies connected to the CIA, they do not have stars on the Memorial Wall. Other Air America crew members, like John M. Bannerman and Eugene DeBruin, also died during the Vietnam War.
