Thread by @CIA

January marks 25 years since CIA officers Dr. Lansing Bennett & Frank Darling were murdered outside of our front gate while on their way into work on the morning of 25 January 1993.

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Lansing Bennett, born in Poughkeepsie, NY & raised in Merchantville, NJ, graduated from Mercersburg Academy in 1944. December 1944 he volunteered for the @USMC & after he was discharged, he became a Marine Corps reservist.

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1949: Lansing graduated from @Princeton, cum laude, with a BA in Biology. After graduation, he accepted a commission as a @USNavy ensign.
1953: Lansing graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
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After interning at the US Naval Hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts Dr. Bennett ran a general medical practice for 25 years. He also developed skills in emergency medicine & underwater medicine, & was a member of the Undersea Medical Society.
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1980: After responding to medical journal ad, Dr. Bennett joined our Office of Medical Services. His first assignments were as a Regional Medical Officer oversees. He was responsible for providing medical care to CIA, some military & @StateDept employees & dependents.
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1986 Dr. Bennett returned to HQ, but frequently took temporary duty assignments overseas. He assumed the responsibilities of a branch chief where he developed proposals for revamping our health examination system & policies for granting overseas medical clearances.

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Dr. Bennett became a regional medical officer in South America where he continued to be lauded for his exceptional medical support, which was oftentimes extremely complicated & dangerous. Dr. Bennett’s colleagues characterized him as a consummate clinician.
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Frank Darling grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, attending Council Rock High School in Newtown
1986: he graduate from Spring Garden College w a BS in Electronics Engineering Technology. While in college, he worked as a part-time radio dispatcher & volunteer fireman
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1987: Frank joined CIA & made an immediate impression on colleagues w his ability to trouble-shoot & repair equipment—most of which was Agency-specific & not familiar to him. His skills often matched those of field engineers serving at considerably higher levels.
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Early in his career Frank was chosen as a team leader. His peers viewed him as an adviser, confidant, & leader. Later, managers recognized him for volunteering to write a complex satellite-tracking manual which became a standard part of the system’s operations package
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Frank served in Europe & the Middle East allowing him to showcase his excellent organizational & advanced technical skills as a project manager & team leader, updating & constructing Agency communications capabilities.
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As Frank continued his rapid development as a field engineer, Agency stations called frequently upon his impressive technical capabilities & problem-solving skills. He traveled & worked all over the globe.
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On Monday, January 25, 1993, at about 8:00am, a number of cars were stopped at a red light waiting to turn onto CIA HQ compound, a lone gunman emerged from a vehicle & armed with an AK-47 assault rifle he proceeded to move among the stopped cars, firing into them.
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Within seconds, Lansing & Frank were killed. Three others were wounded.

The gunman fled the scene. In 1997, he was captured in Pakistan & returned to the US, where he was tried, convicted, & sentenced to death. He was executed on November 14, 2002.

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