Remember Our Cold War Heroes

CIA Book of Honor

The glass-encased "Book of Honor" contains 54 names of the 87 intelligence officers honored on the Memorial Wall. Each name is inscribed using calligraphy, and a gold star is placed before each name. Names of 33 officers cannot be revealed; these officers are remembered in the book by only the gold star. After the inscription is complete, the handmade paper is placed in a black leather book. The "Book of Honor" is hand bound in Moroccan goatskin and has a gold embossed CIA seal on its cover. Harold Vogel designed the original "Book of Honor." The case and Book were replaced in 2004 because unfortunately, more room was needed. The new, larger Book is also made of black leather with a gold CIA seal on the cover.

From the CIA virtual tour

Some of the men and women who gave their lives in war for our United States will never be known. Beyond those we cannot physically identify, memorialized at the Tomb of the Unknowns, there are many we cannot identify because it would be illegal to do so. One example would be the unnamed Star Agents of the CIA. Still more died performing secret duties under less formal arrangements.

Try to give these unnamed heroes a thought this Memorial Day.