14-00000
104-10111-10076
SECTION A
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
SECRET
(When Filled In)
RECOMMENDATION FOR HONOR OR MERIT AWARD
(Submit in triplicate
-
see HR 20-37)
PERSONAL DATA
11. EMP.SER.NO. 2. NAME OF PERSON RECOMMENDED (Last, First, Middle)
059090
Christ
6. OFFICE OF ASSIGNMENT
ORD
David Lamar
7.OFFICE EXT. (If has) 8.
3486
3. POSITION TITLE
C/AP/ORD/DD/S&T
STATION
4. GRADE
16
5. SD
R
X HEADQUARTERS
FIELD (Specify location)
10. HOME PHONE
9. HOME ADDRESS (No., St.,City, State, ZIP Code)
6212 Maiden Lane, Bethesda, Md., 20034
12. RECOMMENDED AWARD
Intelligence
Medal of Merit
16. RELATIONSHIP
Wife
15. NAME OF NEXT OF KIN
Wilma M. Christ
SECTION B
YES
656-2127
11. CITIZENSHIP AND HOW ACQUIRED
USA, Birth
13. IF RETIRING. DATE OF RETIREMENT 14.
POSTHUMOUS
30 November 1970
YES
x NO
18. HOME PHO!
17. HOME ADDRESS (No..St.,City, State, ZIP Code)
6212 Maiden Lane, Bethesda, Md. 656-2127
NO
RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD FOR HEROIC ACTION OR ACCEPTANCE OF HAZARD
19. WERE YOU AN EYEWITNESS TO THE ACT
PERSONNEL IN IMMEDIATE VICINITY OR WHO ASSISTED IN ACT OR SHARED IN SAME HAZARD:
21. ORGN. TITLE
20. FULL NAME
22. GRADE 23. OFFICE OF ASSIGNMENT.
LIST ANY OF THE ABOVE PERSONS GIVEN AN AWARD OR RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD FOR PARTICIPATING IN ACT:
24. FULL NAME
25. AWARD RECOMMENDED
CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ACT WAS PERFORMED:
26. LOCATION
27.
INCLUSIVE DATES
28. TIME OF DAY
29. PREVAILING GEOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS AND OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED
RETURN TO CIA
Background.Use Only
Do Not Reproduce
32. NOW IN SAME OR RELATED ASSIGNMENT
30. DATES FOR WHICH AWARD RECOMMENDED
SECTION C
31.
ASSIGNMENT COMPLETED
NO
YES
YES
RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT, SERVICE, OR PERFORMANCE
33. DO YOU HAVE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SERVICE OR PERFORMANCE
34. OFFICIAL ASSIGNMENT OF PERSON RECOMMENDED AT TIME OF SERVICE OR
YES
PERFORMANCE
NO
Chief, Applied Physics Division
35. COMPONENT OR STATION (Designation and location)
Office of Research and Development
36.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ASSIGNED POSITION
KO
Direct efforts of 10 professional research and development scientists.
37.
INCLUSIVE DATES FOR WHICH RECOMMENDED
-
38.
ASSIGNMENT COMPLETED
☑ YES NO
39. NOW IN SAME OR RELATED ASSIGNMENT
YES
NO
Nov. 1950 Nov. 1970
PERSONNEL WHO ASSISTED OR CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE SERVICE OR PERFORMANCE
41. ORGN. TITLE 42. GRADE 43. OFFICE OF ASSIGNMENT
40. FULL NAME
LIST ANY OF THE ABOVE PERSONS GIVEN AN AWARD OR RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PERFORMANCE
44. FULL NAME
45. TYPE OF AWARD
FORM 600 USE PREVIOUS EDITION
9-68
SECRET
GHOU
14-00000
SECTION D
(When Filled In)
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION
Award for Heroic Action or Acceptance of Hazard: Was act voluntary? Describe why act was outstanding, and if it was more than normally expected.
Explain, why, and how. If an aerial or marine operation, describe type and position of 
craft, crew position of individual, and all unusual circumstances.
Indicate results of the act. Enclose unclassified citation.
Award for Achievement, Service, or Performance: State character of service during period for which recommended. (Give complete description of admin-
istrative, technical, or professional duties and responsibilities if not covered in Section C; include dates 
of assignment and relief.) What did the individual
do that merits the award? Why was this outstanding when compared to others of like grade 
and experience in similar positions or circumstances? If
What obstacles were encountered or overcome?
appropriate, include production records and assistance rendered by other persons or units.
sults of achievement, service, or performance. Include reference to Fitness Reports, Letters of Commendation, or other documentation already on file which
supports this recommendation. Enclose unclassified citation.
Indicate re-
Mr. David L. Christ is recommended for the Intelligence Medal
of Merit in recognition of his career of especially 
meritorious 
service
which has contributed significantly to the missions 
of CIA.
He
Mr. Christ joined CIA in November of 1950 as the first research
and development electronics engineer in what has evolved 
as TSD.
created an Applied Physics Branch setting high 
standards for 
himself
His 
accomplishments included 
the
and the R&D engineers he recruited.
anti-disturbance mine and the time pencil, both of which are still
As a pioneer 
in audio 
surveillance
☐ Agency stock items, and an İR beacon.
devices, he recognized very early that the use of systems concept
As part of his
would be most productive in meeting Agency needs
.
development program, his efforts led to the establishment of specialized
contract facilities such as Baird Atomic) which 
in 1953 was the first
Agency source of transistorized 
equipment.24
In early 1957, Mr. Christ was made Chief of what is now the Audio
Operations Branch of TSD and, realizing that a drastic upgrading 
of
the caliber of field technicians was required, began 
aggressively 
re-
His high standards 
and
cruiting and training graduate engineers.
efforts in this area are reflected in the fact that the majority of
In 
September
TSD Audio mid-management personnel were recruited by 
him.
1960, he and two associates were apprehended 
while on an 
operation in
☑ CONTINUED ON ATTACHED SHEET
46. ENCLOSURES (List individually) IF ORIGINATOR IS NOT AN EYEWITNESS OR DOES NOT HAVE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACT
OR PERFORMANCE. ATTACH AFFIDAVITS OF EYEWITNESS OR INDIVIDUALS 
HAVING PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS.
1. PROPOSED CITATION
2.
3.
47. RECOMMENDATION INITIATED BY
Robert M. Chipman
Robert M. Chapman
SECTION E
48. TITLE AND SIGNATURE OF EMPLOYEE MAKING RECOM-
MENDATION
49. DATE
Director of Research and
Development
RECOMMENDATION FORWARDED THROUGH OFFICIALS CONCERNED FOR THEIR INFORMATION
2 NOV 1970
50.
R
HEAD OF.
CAREER SERVICE
(Career service of nominee)
51.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAREER SERVICE
52.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPERATING COMPONENT
TITLE AND SIGNATURE
DATE
Carl E. Duckett, Deputy Director
for Science and Technology
TITLE AND SIGNATURE
DATE
Carl E. Duckett, Deputy Director
for Science and Technology
TITLE AND SIGNATURE
Carl E. Duckett, Deputy Director
for Science and Technology
SECRET
DATE
14-00000
Section D (Cont'd)
SEGHET
a denied area. His exemplary conduct and personal courage
during the resulting two and one-half years incarceration
permitted the maintenance of a very difficult cover situation
and successful extraction of all three men.
Upon his return, Mr. Christ joined the Office of Research
and Development soon after its inception, assisting in the
definition and establishment of the various divisions. Under
his early guidance, the over-the-horizon radar program developed
finally into an operational system. His sensitivity to the
needs of Agency operational elements based upon his experience,
his technical expertise and his dedicated desire to broaden
the technological capabilities of the Agency precipitated
his development of a major coordinated program of accelerated
R&D to provide the clandestine services with a number of new
audio surveillance techniques of which the laser probe is an
example, and his conception and direction of the Microtechnology
R&D program. Within this program, the success of the micro-
power transistor led to the award of Medals of Merit to two
scientists under his supervision. Other progeny of the micro-
technology concept are three novel intelligence gathering
systems to function in the air, in space, and in the sea
environments, one of which is approaching operational status.
Mr. Christ has also been responsible for pioneering efforts
in the area of Audio Surveillance Countermeasures, first pro-
posing the application of computers to the problem.
•
Mr. Christ's imaginative leadership and inspiration to
those working with him, his broad scope of interest, his resource-
fulness, and philosophical devotion to the cause of the Agency
and the United States have provided this Agency with an individual
whose unique efforts and accomplishments over his 20 years
service are worthy of this recognition.
SECRET™