Medal of Honor, William Donovan, WWI
General Donovan – Director of the Office of Strategic Services – was the most highly decorated officer of World War I. He was awarded the medal for action in France in 1918. Donovan led his men to take the Germ... more
Untouchable
by Dru Blair.Mixed Media on Illustration Board, 2007.Donated by Daniel K. Hilton.Under the highly secret Project OXCART, CIA developed the A 12 as the U-2’s successor, intended to meet our nation’s need for a v... more
Peacekeeper
By Dru Blair.2010.Mixed Media on Illustration Board.Donated Courtesy of Richard J. Guggenhime and Donald Elster..On 23 January 1968, North Korea seized the US Navy Ship Pueblo while it was on a signals intellig... more
The Day the Wall Came Down
by Veryl Goodnight.Bronze, 2004.Donated by Sarah and John Lindahl, Jr..Veryl Goodnight watched raptly with the rest of the world as the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989. That night, she says, in a dream, her... more
Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife
Introduced in 1941, this knife is named after its two British designers, Captains W. E. Fairbairn and E. A. Sykes. While serving with the Shanghai Police, they gained experience in close-combat fighting. Fairba... more
Afghan Saddle
Joint CIA and US Military Special Forces teams inserted into Afghanistan found the local terrain challenging. The joint US teams and their Afghan military allies found local transportation networks offered oppo... more
Piece of Metal from U-2, Article 341
On 4 April 1957, during a Project Rainbow test with Lockheed's Flight Test Pilot Robert Sieker at the control, a malfunction occurred, and both the plane and pilot were lost. Forty years later, after five year... more
Piece of Metal from A-12
During a routine A-12 training flight on 5 January 1967, a fuel gauge failed to function properly, and the aircraft ran out of fuel only minutes before landing. The pilot, Walter Ray, ejected but was killed whe... more
Continental Air Service's Pilatus Turbo Porter Landing Up Country in Laos, 1969
Keith Woodcock.Oil on Canvas, 2010.Donated Courtesy of Owen Lee Gossett.Continental Air Service, Inc. (CASI) provided essential contract flying during the war in Southeast Asia in support of the CIA and other U... more
Earthquake’s Final Flight
by Jeffrey W. Bass.Oil on Canvas, 2006 .Donated by the Fairchild Corporation.This painting commemorates air operations of Civil Air Transport (CAT, an Agency proprietary) and its CIA contract pilots in support ... more
Seven Days in the Arctic
by Keith Woodcock.Oil on Canvas, 2007.Donated by Gar and Audrey Thorsrud.The painting depicts an Intermountain Aviation B-17 successfully catching Lt. (jg) Leonard A. LeSchack, USNR while Maj. James F. Smith, U... more
An Air Combat First
Keith Woodcock.Oil on Canvas, 2007.Donated by Marius Burke and Boyd D. Mesecher.Known as “Site 85,” the US radar facility perched atop a 5,800-foot mountain in northeast Laos was providing critical and otherwis... more
William J. Donovan’s Duffle Bag
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Ammunition Clip and Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Air America China
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Air America China
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand. A service included this dinner plate as well as a small plate, coffee cup and saucer....For more information on ... more
Air America China
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand. ..For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
A-12 OXCART Flight Suit Gloves
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
A-12 OXCART Flight Suit Boots
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Elephant Counter
CIA technicians invented and used this unusual device in the 1960s to keep track of the enemy in Southeast Asia. The mission was to count people and supplies moving down the Ho Chi Minh Trail from North Vietnam... more
Beginner’s Flaps and Seals Kit
These tools were used for learning how to clandestinely open, read, and reseal envelopes or packages without the recipient’s knowledge. ...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.... more
A-12 OXCART Helmet
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Air America Challenge Coin
During the Vietnam War, Air America, a CIA proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the Far East. These missions ranged from undercover CIA operations to overt air transportation. The Republic of Viet... more
Air America Challenge Coin
During the Vietnam War, Air America, a CIA proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the Far East. These missions ranged from undercover CIA operations to overt air transportation. The Republic of Viet... more
Air America Formal Pilot Hat
During the Vietnam War, Air America, a CIA proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the Far East. These missions ranged from undercover CIA operations to overt air transportation. The Republic of Viet... more
Blood Chit
Blood chits are carried to request aid from people in enemy territory. An unspecified reward is promised to anyone helping the person to safety. This blood chit is made of waterproof Tyvek for use in Afghanis... more
Admiral Calland’s Desert Combat Uniform Top
Vice Adm. Albert “Bert” M. Calland III was the first US military flag officer to set foot in Afghanistan in 2001. He served as commander of all Special Operations Forces for US Central Command during Operation ... more
Escape & Evasion Survival Kit
Designed for use by special operations personnel, this kit contains a number of survival tools, including a diamond wire to cut metal, fishing equipment, a ceramic blade, a can opener, lock picks and a mini-Lea... more
Afghan Hat
A gift from Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to former DCI George Tenet...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Mine Probing Tool
In December 2001 a team of CIA/DS&T officers used this tool to uncover a 2,400-pound Improvised Explosive Device (IED) buried in the dirt-covered roof of the governor’s palace at Kandahar—rendering it safe just... more
PRC-112B1 Survival Radio
The PRC-112B1 is a hand-held radio providing line-of-sight voice, text, and data communications. It contains a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, which also allows it to transmit the user’s geographic l... more
Special Operations Forces Laser Marker (SOFLAM)
US Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan used the AN/PEQ-1A SOFLAM to direct exact delivery of ordnance. The SOFLAM was an important tool in the battle for Tora Bora where a CIA US Special Forces team direc... more
US Army Lensatic Compass
US Military forces have used this basic compass since the 1950s with only minor modifications. With its olive-drab aluminum case, sighting wire, magnifying eyepiece, and luminous dial, the compass enables the ... more
Pointy-Talky Language Chart
Dari is the language commonly spoken by the tribes of northern Afghanistan. Americans not fluent in Dari could use this chart to communicate basic words and phrases in written and spoken phonetic Dari by speak... more
Shrade Tool
A CIA medic carried this multi-purpose tool in Afghanistan. He used it to perform numerous surgical procedures, including three lower-leg amputations...For more information on CIA history and this artifact ple... more
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 specifies that CIA Headquarters compound is to be named after former Director of Central Intelligence and President George H. W. Bush. This is the legislatio... more
Civil Air Transport Souvenir Bag
CAT travelers received flight bags as complementary gifts...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Civil Air Transport Wicker Basket
Civil Air Transport (CAT) baskets were promotional handouts for CAT travelers...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Civil Air Transport Picture
This graphic is from one of the Tang Horse calendars published by CAT. It is a reproduction of a stone rubbing of a miniature replica of one of the six bas-reliefs adorning the entrance to the tomb of Emperor ... more
Civil Air Transport Cigarette Lighter
This Civil Air Transport (CAT) lighter is from the Hong Kong-to-Bangkok inaugural flight of Civil Air Transport on July 20, 1957....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov... more
Civil Air Transport Bottle
This Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly bottle contained medicinal wine (intended for a strong and healthy heart) that was served on some CAT flights....For more information on CIA history and this artifact pleas... more
Office of Strategic Services Blood Chit
This silk blood chit was issued for use by the Office of Strategic Services in the China-Burma-India Theater. Written in several native languages, it reads, “This foreign person (American) has come to China to... more
Office of Strategic Services Compass
This was used by an Office of Strategic Services (OSS) officer who served with OSS Detachment 202 in the China-Burma-India Theater. After first commanding an OSS base at Kunming, China, he then established a n... more
Office of Strategic Services Escape & Evasion Knife
This knife was used by British and American demolitionists during WWII. A member of an Office of Strategic Services Jedburgh team carried this on his first mission as he parachuted into Nazi-occupied France...... more
DCI Allen W. Dulles’s Stamps
Former OSS officer Allen W. Dulles was the longest serving DCI from 1953 to 1961. To many, this period was the “Golden Age” of the CIA, for it was under Dulles that the Agency matured and developed its charact... more
William J. Donovan’s Belt
Belt from the New York National Guard Calvary Trooper’s dress uniform of Office of Strategic Services Director William Donovan...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( ... more
William J. Donovan’s Metal Match Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Uniform Jacket
Office of Strategic Services Director William Donovan wore this jacket during World War I when he was with the 165th Infantry Regiment of the 42nd Division—renamed from the renowned "Fighting 69th" of New York’... more
William J. Donovan’s Eyeglass Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Les Marguerites Fleuriront ce Soir
by Jeffrey W. Bass.Oil on Canvas, 2006.Donated by Richard J. Guggenhime..When France fell under the Nazi boot in June 1940, Great Britain stood alone against the enemy. Fearing a similar fate for his country, ... more
William J. Donovan’s Whistle
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Monogrammed Leather Shoulder Bag
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Saddle Blanket
Office of Strategic Services Director William Donovan’s 165th Infantry saddle blanket from WWI....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Boots
Office of Strategic Services Director William Donovan wore these boots during his pre-World War I service with the New York National Guard Calvary Troop....For more information on CIA history and this artifact ... more
William J. Donovan’s Saddle Bag
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Razor and Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Mirror and Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
William J. Donovan’s Desk
Gen. Donovan used this desk while he was Director of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII. OSS offices were located at 2430 E Street, NW, in Washington, DC....For more information on CIA history ... more
Distinguished Service Cross, William Donovan, WWI
William J. Donovan –Director of the Office of Strategic Services – received one of our countries highest honors while a lieutenant colonel with the 165th Infantry. On July 28-31, 1918 Donovan led his battalion... more
William J. Donovan’s Boot Hooks
Used to pull up tall cavalry boots....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Miniature Volume of Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago
Copy of the original Russian-language edition of Doctor Zhivago, covertly published by the CIA. The front cover and the binding identify the book in Russian; the back of the book states that it was printed in ... more
Distortion Measuring Set
Atlantic Research Corporation’s distortion measuring set was used to analyze the percentage of distortion on a communications circuit in Bangkok. ..For more information on CIA history and this artifact please ... more
Concealed Compass
American servicemen going into harm’s way had a variety of ingenious places to hide small, even miniature, compasses for escape and evasion—in combs or razors, uniform buttons or, as seen here, in cufflinks. . ... more
Sculpted Clay Ear
Artistic skill and an eye for detail are needed when reproducing three-dimensional subjects like this, a "test" ear sculpted as part of the screening process for disguise-specialist applicants...For more inform... more
One of the Last Flags to Fly Over Checkpoint Charlie
The most famous crossing point between East and West during the Cold War, the iconic outpost in Berlin known as “Checkpoint Charlie” was a symbol of the post-World War II conflict between the Free World and the... more
CAT Notepad
Given as a souvenir to guests on CAT’s Mandarin Jet, this notepad includes a calendar from 1967. ..For more information on CIA history and these artifacts please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Eloise Page ID
Eloise Page began her intelligence career in 1942 as a secretary to OSS chief William Donovan. A Virginia native, she transferred to the newly formed CIA in 1947 and rose steadily through its ranks—while never ... more
FBIS Text Message Announcing Yugoslavian President Tito's Death
Filed on 4 May 1980 from the FBIS Austria Bureau, this message regards the Bucharest Radio announcement of President Tito’s death. It states:..“The LYC Central Committee of the presidium of the Socialist Feder... more
Advanced Flaps and Seals Kit
In this “flaps and seals” kit for advanced users, tools handmade of ivory in a travel roll were used for the surreptitious opening of letters and packages during the 1960s. ..For more information on CIA hist... more
Helms Letter
A future director’s note to his son. As Americans celebrated victory in Europe in May 1945, Office of Strategic Services (OSS) officer Richard Helms wrote this touching and eloquent letter to his young son on ... more
Letter from President Kennedy
President Kennedy wrote this letter to CIA Director John McCone commending the Agency for its role in the peaceful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis...For more information on CIA history and this painting ... more
Minox B Camera
The ultra-light aluminum-shell Minox B was produced from 1958 to 1972. Because of its small size, it was easy to conceal. It could take excellent photographs of documents at close range and was a natural for se... more
FBIS Central Eurasia Program Mongolian Typewriter
A Mongolian typewriter used on the Central Eurasia Program of FBIS during the 1950s...For more information on CIA history and this painting please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Gap Jumping Antenna Out of US Embassy in Moscow
What looked like a concrete ball was actually a “gap-jumping antenna” removed from one of the preformed concrete columns in the embassy office building. US investigators called it “gap-jumping” because it coupl... more
Golden Cigar Connector Out of US Embassy in Moscow
This gold- and silver-plated connector was an integral part of the collection system at the embassy office building. It was apparently placed near the top of a column in a dense rebar cage where items that refl... more
OSS Escape and Evasion Map
Printed on silk, which is durable, this map doesn’t rustle at night and can be folded up very compactly to be more easily concealed. The map is printed with waterproof dyes so the colors would not run if it got... more
First Sting
Stuart Brown.2008.Oil on Canvas.Donated Courtesy of Richard J. Guggenhime and Donald Elster..First Sting depicts the turning point in the Afghan war with the first of many shoot-downs of Soviet helicopter gunsh... more
Irrawaddy Ambush
Stuart Brown.2010.Oil on Canvas.Donated Courtesy of Michael DeSombre...The painting depicts one of OSS Detachment 101’s many guerrilla operations staged to disrupt Japanese supply and reinforcement routes in Bu... more
Cast of a Few, Courage of a Nation
by James Dietz, .Oil on Canvas, 2008 .Donated by Alan Seigrist and Christopher Exline.Cast of a Few, Courage of a Nation commemorates the Intelligence Community’s collaborative paramilitary intelligence collect... more
The Airmen’s Bond
Keith Woodcock.2008.Oil on Canvas.Donated Courtesy of the Air America Association Board..When President Kennedy decided in 1961 to forcefully resist rising Communist aggression against the remote but strategica... more
Radio Receiver Concealment
A subminiature radio receiver is concealed in this modified pipe. The user hears the sound via "bone conduction" from the jaw to the ear canal...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please vis... more
FBIS Central Eurasia Report Glossary of Selected Russian Social Science Terms
FBIS Central Eurasia Report Glossary of Selected Russian Social Science Terms...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
“Studio Six Productions” Logo Items
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... more
“Studio Six Productions” Portfolio
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... more
U-2 Film Canister
Original canister of U-2 film from one of the first flyovers of Russia on 5 July 1956. U-2 cameras had the finest lenses in the world and could see objects on the ground just two feet across from an altitude of... more
Saigon Evacuation Facilities Map, Instructions and List of Assembly Points
Saigon Evacuation Facilities Map.By early 1975, the US had prepared for a possible evacuation from Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, then under threat from the North Vietnamese Army. This map identifies t... more
Woodsman's Pal Knife
An essential part of the survival kit for American forces in the Philippines, China and Burma, this knife was ideal for cutting through jungle brush. It also had potential as a combat knife—its manufacturer pro... more
Ambush in Manchuria
Dru Blair.Mixed Media on Illustration Board, 2010.Donated Courtesy of Alan Seigrist.November 1950 marked the entry of Chinese Communist military forces into the Korean War. The Truman Administration tasked CIA ... more
Argo Ads and Articles in Variety
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... more
Artist’s Concepts for Argo
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... more
Argo Producer Notes
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... more
Former Soviet Pilot Viktor Belenko’s Military Identity Document
Soviet Lt. Viktor I. Belenko carried two personal items – this military identity document and a knee-pad notebook with flight data – on his dramatic flight to freedom in a MiG 25 Foxbat fighter from the USSR to... more
Former Soviet Pilot Viktor Belenko’s Knee Pad Notebook with Flight Data
Soviet Lt. Viktor I. Belenko carried two personal items – this knee-pad notebook with flight data and a military identity document – on his dramatic flight to freedom in a MiG 25 Foxbat fighter from the USSR to... more
Black Rhythm
Gene Davis.c.1964.Vincent Melzac Collection.Washington Color School.This is the Agency’s only work by Gene Davis, one of the most noted of the Washington Color School artists. In a conscious effort to “purify”... more
Civil Air Transport (CAT) "Lucky Dragon" Pin
Given as a souvenir to guests on CAT’s Mandarin Jet, the write-up that accompanied the pin states:..“This is one of the famous Oriental symbols of CAT (Civil Air Transport) – the five-toed dragon. In olden days... more
Tessina Camera Concealed in Cigarette Pack
Miniature spring-wound 35-mm film camera in a modified cigarette pack. The Tessina’s small size and quiet operation provided more options for concealment than most commercially available models....For more info... more
9/11 Commendation Bar
This service pin was awarded to the Agency’s Security Protective Service (SPS) officers who served during the period of heightened alert between 11 September 2001 and 24 March 2002 in recognition of their extra... more