“We at CIA remember our heroes—the men and women commemorated 

by stars on our Memorial Wall. Each of them, in their own way and own 

time, strengthened America and helped spread freedom across the globe.”

Director Leon E. Panetta

June 2009
Director and Mrs. Panetta at the June 2009 Memorial Service.
4

The Memorial Wall today. The artist’s concept emphasizes the unity of the stars on the Wall. 

They stand as a field. No individual star belongs to a particular honoree.

The men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) work 

around the clock and around the globe to make the United States more 

secure. We put Country first and Agency before self. We are dedicated 

to the mission; we take the necessary risks to obtain the information 

our country needs to protect itself in a dangerous world.

It is important to reflect on how few stars appear on the CIA Memorial 

Wall, given the role the Agency plays as the nation’s forward line of 

defense. We accomplish what others cannot accomplish and go where 

others cannot go. Our officers are frequently first on the ground in areas 

of unrest, often without the benefit of additional support, always in 

harm’s way.

The men and women of CIA do their work with no expectation of 

recognition, knowing that if they make the ultimate sacrifice, the details 

of their efforts are likely to be known to just a very few. 

We honor those Agency officers who have come before us.
7

“These stars are testament to our past and 

our present. To our history and our spirit. 

To a defining trait of the CIA and the nation 

it protects: devotion to duty in pursuit of 

freedom for all.”

The men and women of CIA are united by a mission essential to our 

country. They act as a team, often living overseas and working long 

hours to help our nation meet difficult security challenges. When 

an officer dies in the line of duty, it is only fitting that there be a 

place to remember and pay tribute to that colleague, and friend. 

For the people of CIA, that is the Memorial Wall. It is dedicated 

to those we have lost and it is a lasting reminder of their heroism, 

the risks inherent in the intelligence profession, and our pledge 

to put service before self. The Wall—and the stories of the people it 

commemorates—inspire all who carry the mission forward. It affirms 

our own commitment to the American people.

Remembering

Director George J. Tenet 

May 2004
Director Hayden saluting field of stars. 9

The stars carved in marble in CIA’s Headquarters 

Lobby are a simple, silent memorial to employees 

who have died in the line of duty. The inscription 

above the stars reads, “In honor of those members 

of the Central Intelligence Agency who gave their 

lives in the service of their country.”

Those remembered with stars performed every 

aspect of the Agency’s mission, from covert action 

and collection to analysis, support and technical 

capabilities. They came from every Directorate, 

either as staff officers or contractors. They served 

in every corner of the world, many of them in 

war zones and other places of great danger. They 

worked against every national security challenge 

faced by the United States since CIA’s founding in 

1947. The men and women came from a variety 

of backgrounds reflecting America’s rich diversity. 

While many had years of service, others were young; 

the youngest was 21 at the time of her death. 

Who gets a Star?

Not every fallen employee receives a star. The CIA’s 

Honor and Merit Awards Board will recommend that 

the CIA Director approve a star if the nomination 

meets specific and current criteria:

•	 Death may occur in the foreign field or in the 

United States. 

•	 Death must be of an inspirational or heroic 

character while in the performance of duty; or

•	as the result of an act of terrorism while in the 

performance of duty; or

•	as an act of premeditated violence targeted 

against an employee, motivated solely by that 

employee’s Agency affiliation; or 

•	in the performance of duty while serving 

in areas of hostilities or other exceptionally 

hazardous conditions where the death is a direct 

result of such hostilities or hazards.

Once the Director endorses a nomination, the Office 

of Protocol arranges placement of the star on the 

Memorial Wall.

“The Americans commemorated by these stars came 

from all walks of life. They heard the call to duty and 

chose to serve in an agency unlike any other. Quiet 

patriotism was their hallmark. They would advance 

freedom and build a better world, not for public acclaim, 

but because it is the right thing to do.” 

Director Michael V. Hayden

May 2008
10 11

“The stars on the Memorial Wall are to us more than symbols, 

more than history. They are a priceless part of who we are. 

They are the colleagues and leaders who define us—in 

dedication and in sacrifice. It is in this new century their 

mission we seek to accomplish. And it is their commitment 

of which we seek to be worthy.”

Deputy Director John E. McLaughlin

June 2001

Early photo of the Memorial Wall showing 33 stars.

In February 1973, Agency officers proposed that a memorial plaque be placed at CIA Headquarters to 

honor employees who had died in Southeast Asia, primarily in Laos and Vietnam. The Honor and Merit 

Board expanded the concept to recognize all CIA officers who had fallen in the line of duty. Agency 

officer Edward Ryan, then Chairman of the CIA’s Fine Arts Commission, met with a representative from 

the American Foreign Service Association to discuss the criteria used for the Memorial Plaques in the 

lobby of the US Department of State. Later, the US Commission of Fine Arts recommended Master Stone 

Carver Harold Vogel to design the CIA Memorial. Vogel had extensive experience—including having 

carved the lettering on the marble walls at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Vogel’s design inspiration for the Memorial Wall came from the Bauhaus style—a modernist concept 

also known as the International Style—which is marked by the absence of ornamentation and by harmony 

between the function of an object and its design. Vogel’s goal was to make the memory of the fallen 

an integral part of the building which, to many, represents the Agency’s mission. His vision of the CIA’s 

Memorial emphasized the unity of the stars on the wall, standing as a field. 

His concept was approved in November 1973 and the original 31 stars were approved by Director 

William E. Colby in April 1974. Three months later, Vogel carved the Memorial. It was done without 

fanfare. No ceremony was held; no pictures were taken—the stars and inscription simply appeared.

History of the Wall
12

“When we move on—whether to another 

chapter in our careers or our lives—we 

never lose the distinct sense of pride in 

belonging to such a storied and exceptional 

organization. Nor do we ever forget having 

been in the company of such remarkably 

talented men and women, especially those 

we honor today, whose deeds are immortal. 

We see, in our mind’s eye, these deep-cut 

stars engraved in marble, and we know 

that we always will be part of something 

noble and worthy.”

Director Porter J. Goss

May 2006
14

The Stone Carvers—Their story

Master Stone Carver Harold Vogel was born in Detroit, Michigan 

to an immigrant family from Ansbach, Germany. After the stock 

market crashed in 1929, the family returned to their home town 

in Bavaria and the family business—stone quarries and carving. 

During his formative years, he spent a great deal of time with his 

grandfather, a restoration sculptor, who taught Vogel how to use a 

hammer and chisel. In 1945, he began a stone carving apprenticeship 

in Nuremberg, and, after receiving his master craftsman certificate, 

came back to the United States and volunteered to serve in the US 

Army. Vogel eventually settled in Washington, DC and studied at the 

Corcoran School of Art (now The Corcoran College of Art + Design) 

and George Washington University. Vogel worked on the National 

Cathedral, the US Capitol building, and completed all the lettering

on the marble walls of The John F. Kennedy Center for the 

Performing Arts. 

Designer of the Memorial Wall—Harold Vogel.
17

“When Harold Vogel designed the original 

wall, it was not intended for the large number

of stars that appear today. It is a very sad 

thought, all those sacrifices.”

Stone Carver Tim Johnston learned his craft as an apprentice to 

Vogel. Johnston watched Vogel carve stars on the Memorial Wall 

for several years before he was allowed to carve a star with his 

own hand in 1989. 

Johnston was born in Denver, Colorado. His father worked for the 

Department of Agriculture and moved to Northern Virginia in 1966 

when Johnston was a young boy. At the age of 12, Johnston began 

working during the summers in the marble and tile industry. After 

graduating from high school, he worked full time for a tile company, 

but his interests shifted to stone setting, and finally, stone carving.

The Memorial Wall is a bittersweet project for Johnston. He is proud 

to help recognize CIA’s mission and the sacrifices made by Agency 

officers on behalf of the nation. Yet each time he must come to CIA, 

he does so with a heavy heart aware that an officer has fallen.

Tim Johnston

Stone Carver

Stone Carver Tim Johnston.
19

Johnston uses Vogel’s original 1974 template—which, when not in 

use, is locked in a safe—to ensure that every star is the same. Each 

one is first drawn by hand; the carving itself takes about one hour. 

Each star measures 21⁄4 inches tall by 21⁄4 inches wide and half an inch 

deep; the stars are six inches 

apart from each other, as are 

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 dark 

gray, which with age, acquires 

its own patina.

Johnston approaches his task with exceptional care. He describes the 

experience in his own words: “I only have one shot to carve the star—

marble is unpredictable, you can never be sure how it will act—it’s a 

scary situation. But at the same time it’s a fantastic thing to do.”

Tools used by both stone carvers.

Stone Carver Tim Johnston at work: “Once I begin my work the rest of the world is blacked out.” 
20 21

The Book of Honor—on display in front of the Memorial Wall at 

all times—contains the names of employees who died while serving 

their country. Each is next to a 23-carat gold leaf star. For reasons of 

security—to protect intelligence sources and methods—the names 

of some of those on the Wall must remain secret, even in death. 

Each of these officers is remembered in the book by a gold star alone.

The Book of Honor

“The stars are what made this country great and their names 

should be in a Memorial book, not as signage on the wall.”

Harold Vogel 

Master Stone Carver

Original Book of Honor used from 1974-2004.
22

Original Book of Honor used from 1974-2004.

Current place of rest for the Book of Honor.

Part of Vogel’s concept for the Memorial Wall included a display 

case to house the Book of Honor. The cover of the book, never seen 

by the public, displays a 22-carat gold embossed Agency seal. 

Vogel selected Levant leather—from Morocco—with a soft pebblegrain texture commonly found in fine book binding. The inside 

cover is light tan silk end sheets. The original book is small in size, 

25 inches x 9 inches. Sadly, by 2004, the 83rd star had been 

added to the original book and it was poignantly apparent that 

a larger book and case were required. Vogel and his apprentice, 

Johnston, designed and built the current case out of Carrara marble 

(measuring 36 inches x 22 1⁄2 inches), leaving a resting place for 

the original book to lie underneath. 
25

The second book is almost double the size of the original, but in all 

other ways an exact duplicate. The outside of the book is 20 inches 

x 32 inches and the page size is 18 inches x 29 3⁄4 inches. The Arches 

paper—selected for its high archival quality and calligraphy receptive 

surface—has rough, deckled edges typical of handmade paper.

LEFT: Outside cover of the Book of Honor with embossed Agency seal.

NEXT PAGE: The Book of Honor from above.
26

The book is a work of art thanks to the skill of a professional calligrapher—a CIA 

employee—who writes each name and draws each star. She uses a dip pen, not a 

fountain pen; black sumi ink is used for its ease and glossy finish; a Mitchell round 

hand square nib, size three and a half, is reserved exclusively for the book; the gold 

stars are hand drawn with a Gillott number 303 nib; the shell gold is made in France 

from a hundred-year-old recipe. The stars are polished using an agate burnisher.

The style of lettering was selected by the calligrapher for its functionality and 

readability. “The importance is in the names, not the lettering,” she said.

When a star is added to the Wall, the Book of Honor is updated concurrently. 

Professional calligrapher at work.
28 29

Calligraphy tools used for the Book of Honor.
30

The first annual Memorial Ceremony was held in 1987, 13 years after 

the Memorial Wall was created. The suggestion to hold a yearly 

commemoration came from an Agency officer. The idea came to him 

after he showed his son the Memorial Wall.

At the time of the first ceremony, the Agency was in its 40th year and 

there were 50 stars on the wall. Deputy Director Robert M. Gates 

presided. It was a simple event, attended by a small number of Agency 

officers. The officer who made the suggestion to hold a ceremony said, 

“...having been born abroad, in a communist country at that, my small 

contribution to this memorial meeting makes me especially proud 

of being an officer of this great Agency.” 

Memorial Ceremony

“Ceremonies that honor the dead are, in truth, for the living. 

They remind us of our mortality but also celebrate the 

lives and memories of those we have loved, trusted and 

respected. Certainly, we mourn their loss—but we also 

glory in the knowledge of their extraordinary contribution 

to our service and to our country.”

Deputy Director Robert M. Gates

May 1987
33

Deputy Director Gates placing wreath before the Wall during the 1987 Memorial Ceremony.

The Memorial Wall with 50 stars.

Each year since then, the Agency has gathered to remember its fallen in 

a solemn setting closed to the public. Though the themes of the service 

and sacrifice are constant, the event has changed over the years:

•	In 1990, under Director William H. Webster, non-Agency family 

members were invited to the ceremony, which until then had been 

for employees only. 

•	In 1995, Director John M. Deutch, had the names of all officers 

remembered on the Wall, including those still undercover, read aloud, 

a practice that continues to this day. 

•	In 2009, Director Leon E. Panetta presented the family of each 

fallen officer with a replica of a memorial star. Each keepsake star 

is carved by Tim Johnston out of the same type of marble used 

in the Memorial Wall. 

Keepsake star presented to the families.
34 35

The Memorial Ceremony is one of the largest annual events at CIA. It is open only 

to Agency employees and the family members of our fallen officers. 

The ceremony is held in the Headquarters lobby in the late morning. It begins 

with the audience standing for the presentation of colors by the CIA Honor Guard, 

the National Anthem, and an invocation or opening prayer. 

The Director of the CIA typically presides over the event and delivers remarks. Those 

comments highlight the sacrifices made by Agency officers in defense of this nation 

and often profile specific individuals honored with a memorial star. The names of the 

fallen are then read by four senior Agency officers, representing each Directorate. 

Following the roll call, a wreath is placed before the Wall. The ceremony concludes 

with a benediction and the playing of “Taps.”

Preparing for the Memorial Ceremony.
37

The design for the Memorial Wall is approved—

a memorial dedicated to Agency employees who lost 

their lives in the line of duty.

Master Stone Carver Harold Vogel carves 31 stars into 

marble at CIA Headquarters.

First annual Memorial Ceremony is held.

First time non-Agency family members of the fallen 

are invited to attend the Ceremony.

First time all the names on the Wall are read aloud 

regardless of cover status.

The family of each fallen officer receives a replica 

of a memorial star.

Timeline

1973

1974

1987

1990

1995

2009

In May 1996, the Memorial Ceremony 

was held outside to mark the formal 

opening of the Memorial Garden 

located on the Headquarters compound. 

Through the quiet beauty of living 

nature, the garden is a tribute to all 

deceased intelligence officers and 

contractors who served their country. 

The garden was professionally designed 

and features a small pool, waterfall, and 

lighting. A plaque nearby reads: In 

remembrance of those whose unheralded 

efforts served a grateful nation.

The Color Guard at the Memorial Garden.
A publication of the Central Intelligence Agency

Office of Public Affairs

www.cia.gov

June 2010