For Immediate Release: May 17, 2024
CIA Honors Fallen Officers in Annual Ceremony Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Memorial Wall's Dedication
Today, the Central Intelligence Agency held its annual ceremony to remember, honor, and celebrate courageous CIA officers who died serving their country. The ceremony took place in front of the Agency’s marble Memorial Wall, which has commemorated fallen officers since its dedication nearly 50 years ago in July 1974. The wall currently bears 140 hand-carved stars, each representing a fallen officer.
No new stars were added to the wall this year.
In remarks to employees, retirees, and family members assembled, CIA Director Bill Burns said, "We never take for granted the safety of our people, and we go to great lengths to prepare for every eventuality. But danger is part of the job, and it has never deterred us from our vital mission…From our very first operation, CIA has never shied away from the difficult, the demanding, or the dangerous.” Following Director Burns’ remarks, Agency leaders read aloud each of the 140 fallen officers’ names.
At the time of the Memorial Wall’s dedication in 1974, it bore 31 stars. CIA began holding the Memorial Ceremony in 1987 and started the tradition of inviting families of fallen officers to the ceremony in 1990. The practice of reading fallen officers’ names aloud began in 1995.
Today the Memorial Wall is an important part of CIA’s culture. New officers take the oath of office in front of the wall, and stories of the fallen officers inspire and instruct officers throughout their careers.
More information about the Memorial Wall is available in the Studies in Intelligence article, “Commemoration of the Dead at CIA.”
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