Thread by @CIA

At this week's annual memorial ceremony we paid tribute to CIA officers who've died in the line of duty.
#inmemoriam
bit.ly/2qXs36d

Our Memorial Wall started w 31 stars in 1974.
Eight stars were added this year for a total of 125 today.
#inmemoriam

This month marks the 30th anniversary of our first memorial ceremony.
#inmemoriam
bit.ly/2rRxBPE

July 1974: Memorial Wall created, but there was no dedication ceremony, no photos taken, & no fanfare. Stars simply appeared.
#inmemoriam

1986: a counterintel officer suggested a ceremony be held annually in front of Wall.
1st Memorial Ceremony was held in 1987.
#inmemoriam

DDCI Robert Gates presided over the simple event attended by small number of Agency officers.
50 stars were on Wall at that time
#inmemoriam

Prior to this ceremony, employees were honored in small private services, typically just immediate family & a senior official.
#inmemoriam

First 2 ceremonies, only Agency employees allowed to attend.
1989: Richard Welch’s widow & son attended.
#inmemoriam
1.usa.gov/1RELc6r

1990: all surviving family members who could be found were invited to attend ceremony.
Many return year after year.
#inmemoriam

1995: names of all fallen officers, including those undercover, are read aloud.
Proposed by an ops officer, this continues today
#inmemoriam

2009: DCIA Panetta presented a replica star to brothers of Douglas Mackiernan, 1st CIA officer killed.
#inmemoriam
bit.ly/2qh7UqF

Today, each family receives a replica star sculpted by same artist who engraves them on Memorial Wall.
#inmemoriam
bit.ly/2rRxBPE