ANNUITANT NEWS 2ND QUARTER, 2017
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Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
06953193
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RIFPUB
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U
Document Page Count:
19
Document Creation Date:
October 23, 2023
Document Release Date:
August 9, 2023
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Case Number:
F-2022-01255
Publication Date:
March 31, 2017
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1111111111 2ND QUARTER, 2017
D/CIA POMPEO ADDRESSES CIRA
LUNCHEON
CIA HONORS ITS FALLEN IN ANNUAL
MEMORIAL CEREMONY
GINA HASPEL SELECTED TO BE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF CIA
STATEMENT BY CIA DIRECTOR MIKE
POMPEO ON THE CONFIRMATION OF
COURTNEY SIMMONS ELWOOD AS CIA
GENERAL COUNSEL
CIA ESTABLISHES KOREA MISSION CENTER
A MESSAGE ON LEAKS FROM OUR
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE CHIEF
UNVEILING ONE OF CIA MUSEUM'S MOST
POIGNANT ARTIFACTS FROM
SEPTEMBER 11,2001
THE HISTORY-MAKER: REMEMBERING
AMBASSADOR MONTGOMERY
CHRISTIAN LAMBERTSEN AND THE SECRET
STORY BEHIND SCUBA
PULSE OF THE PUBLIC
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, ANNUITANT
1111111111 REUNION � RSVP PLEASE 18
EAA UPCOMING EVENTS 19
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2
C A POMPEO ADDRESSES CIRA LUNCHEON
On Wednesday, May 10th, DCIA Pompeo addressed
a crowd of 350 CIA retirees and their spouses at the
quarterly Central Intelligence Retiree Association
Luncheon. The DCIA arrived early and spent some time
visiting tables and talking with Annuitants. During his
speech, he thanked the former officers for their years of
service and reminded them that this was a room filled
with incredible experience and intelligence. After a lively
questions and answer segment, he asked that they not be
silent, that they reach out to him and current officers they
know to offer up their insight, advice and expertise.
11111111110iimup,
DCIA Pompeo converses with Central Intelligence
Retiree Association members and receives a plaque
from past Director of the DO John Bennett, CIRA
President Roger Campbell and CIRA Board Member
Tony D.
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3
CIA HONORS ITS FALLEN IN ANNUAL MEMORIAL CEREMONY
On Monday, 24 May 2017 the Central Intelligence Agency
held its annual memorial ceremony to pay tribute to the
men and women of CIA who have died in the line of duty �
courageous Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for
their country. Eight stars were added to the Memorial Wall
this year.
CIA dedicated the Memorial Wall with 31 stars in 1974 to
honor those who had fallen since the Agency's founding in
1947. There are now 125 stars on the wall.
Three of the stars added on Monday pay tribute to the lives
of David W. Bevan, Darrell A. Eubanks, and John S. Lewis.
They came to the Agency by way of the Smokejumpers
� brave firefighters who parachute into remote areas to
combat wildfires. CIA has benefited from the service of
many former Smokejumpers, including for its Air America
program. All three men died when their plane crashed while
carrying out a mission in Laos in 1961.
A fourth star was added to honor Mark S. Rausenberger,
an Agency officer of eighteen years, who died while serving
overseas. The circumstances of his death remain classified.
The names of the other four individuals honored with
newly-carved stars this year remain classified.
In his remarks to those assembled before the Memorial
Wall, Director Pompeo said, "there are now 125 stars on
our Memorial Wall, each representing a life that is dear to
us, and will be for all time. We remain forever devoted to
them, as they were to us. And we will strive to make them
proud of us, as we are of them."
During the ceremony, Director Pompeo presented the
families of the fallen officers with a marble replica of their
loved one's star.
This year marks the 30th annual memorial ceremony. The
ceremony began in 1987 and is attended each year by
hundreds of employees, retirees, and family members of
those who died in service with the CIA.
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GINA HASPEL SELECTED TO
DIRECTOR OF CIA
CIA Director Mike Pompeo on 2 February 2017 announced
that President Trump has selected Gina Haspel to be the
new Deputy Director of CIA.
"Gina is an exemplary intelligence officer and a devoted
patriot who brings more than 30 years of Agency
experience to the job. She is also a proven leader with an
uncanny ability to get things done and to inspire those
around her," said Director Pompeo. "We are fortunate that
someone of her intellect, skill, and experience will be our
Deputy Director. I know she will do an outstanding job,
and I look forward to working with her closely in the years
ahead."
Ms. Haspel is a career intelligence officer, having joined
the CIA in 1985. She has extensive overseas experience and
served as Chief of Station in several of her assignments.
E DEPUTY
In Washington, she has held numerous senior leadership
positions at CIA, including as Deputy Director of the
National Clandestine Service, Deputy Director of the
National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and
Covert Action, Chief of Staff for the Director of the National
Clandestine Service, and in the Counterterrorist Center.
Ms. Haspel is the recipient of numerous awards
including the George H. W. Bush Award for excellence in
counterterrorism; the Donovan Award; the Intelligence
Medal of Merit; and the Presidential Rank Award, the most
prestigious award in the federal civil service.
Ms. Haspel is the first female career CIA officer to be named
Deputy Director.
STATEMENT Y CIA DIRECTOR
CONFI ATION OF COU TNEY
GENERAL COUNSEL
"I am pleased that Courtney Simmons Elwood has been
confirmed by the Senate on 6 June 2017 to be CIA's next
General Counsel. Courtney is a tremendously accomplished
attorney with experience in both private practice and public
service.
She was most recently a partner in the firm Kellogg,
Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, PLLC. She joined the firm
in 1996 after clerking for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
on the Supreme Court of the United States and for Judge
J. Michael Luttig on the United States Court of Appeals for
the Fourth Circuit. From 2001 to 2007, she returned to the
government to serve in a number of positions, including
KE PO PEO ON THE
SIMMONS ELWOOI AS CIA
Associate Counsel to the President, Deputy Counsel to the
Vice President, and Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor
to the Attorney General. She is a 1994 graduate of Yale
Law School, and a 1990 summa cum laude graduate of
Washington and Lee University.
I am thrilled that Courtney is joining our team, and I know
she is excited to be working with us. We look forward to
her swearing-in and first day on the job."
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CIA ESTABLISHES KOREA
IS SISN CENTER
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has established
a Korea Mission Center to harness the full resources,
capabilities, and authorities of the Agency in addressing the
nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by North Korea.
The new Mission Center draws on experienced officers
from across the Agency and integrates them in one entity
to bring their expertise and creativity to bear against the
North Korea target.
A veteran CIA operations officer has been selected as
the new Assistant Director for Korea and presides over
the Mission Center. The new Mission Center will work
closely with the Intelligence Community and the entire U.S.
national security community.
"Creating the Korea Mission Center allows us to more
purposefully integrate and direct CIA efforts against the
serious threats to the United States and its allies emanating
from North Korea," said CIA Director Mike Pompeo. "It also
reflects the dynamism and agility that CIA brings to evolving
national security challenges."
A MESSAGE LEAKS F
C�U TE TELLI ENCE C
Our obligation to protect national security information and
the work of the Agency follows us into retirement. Our
oath of office and the secrecy agreements that we sign
are binding for life. Unauthorized disclosures of sensitive
information pose serious risks to the Agency's mission, and
retirees are not immune from this concern.
Annuitants need to be mindful of efforts by the press
to draw them into discussions regarding leaks. Even a
seemingly trivial conversation could be construed as
confirmation of improperly disclosed information.
We are here to help you honor your oath. Refer all press
inquiries to the Agency's Office of Public Affairs. Likewise,
ensure that you submit all intelligence-related materials
you intend to publish to the Publications Review Board.
Help us protect classified information, our work, and our
currently-serving officers. We owe it to ourselves, each
other, and the American people to honor our commitments
to national security.
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6
UNVEILING ONE OF CIA MUSEUM'S MOST
POIGNANT ARTIFACTS FROM SEPTEMBER
On March 17, 2017 Deputy Director for Talent Wilson C.
officially unveiled one of CIA Museum's most poignant
artifacts. It is a gym bag recovered from Flight 93 which
crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11,
2001. The bag is tattered and torn� its Flight 93 luggage
tag still attached.
Passengers and crew on Flight 93 knew about the terrorist
attacks at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. They
rallied in an attempt to overpower the hijackers and keep
them from reaching their target. The plane crashed in a
field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania just after 10am, and all
aboard died in the crash.
The courage and valor of the Flight 93 passengers and
crew remains an inspiration. On the first anniversary of the
September 11th attacks, then-President Bush described
their decision to fight back together against the hijackers
as "the most vivid symbol" of American unity during the
attacks and their aftermath. Just 15 days after 9/11, CIA's
first team touched down in Afghanistan; they were also the
very first American presence in the warzone. In conjunction
with military and local partners, CIA took the fight to Al-
Qa'ida and uprooted them from this critical safe haven
before the year was out.
The gym bag belonged to Deora Bodley, the youngest
passenger aboard Flight 93. A junior studying French and
psychology at Santa Clara University, Bodley loved children
and volunteered with many charity groups, including
the Special Olympics, a local animal shelter, and the San
Diego Zoo. Aspiring to become a child psychologist, she
was a peer counselor to troubled teens and tutored in an
afterschool program. Bodley was visiting in New Jersey and
was scheduled to return home to California on another
flight. Wanting to get back to friends and family as soon as
possible, she took a standby seat on Flight 93.
, 2001
Gym bag from Flight 93
Bodley's gym bag was donated to the CIA Museum by
her mother, who supports CIA by briefing Career Analyst
Program (CAP) classes at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
Borza's talks, and the inclusion of her daughter's gym bag in
the CIA Museum collection, serve as an ongoing reminder
to Agency officers of the human cost of terrorism and the
need to be ever vigilant to preempt, disrupt, and defeat
those who wish to do us harm.
The gym bag is currently on display in the 1D Corridor in the
Original Headquarters Building. It is located just outside the
entrance to the museum's Afghan Gallery, along with 9/11
artifacts from the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
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7
THE HISTORY-
MAKER:
REMEMBERING
AMBASSADOR
MONTGOMERY
Ambassador Hugh Montgomery
was one of the greatest icons of the
intelligence profession and one of
the greatest American heroes of
our time. From OSS commando, to
legendary Cold War case officer, to
US Ambassador, it's hard to imagine
a more storied or accomplished
career than Hugh Montgomery's�for
an intelligence professional or for
anyone else:
� As an OSS commando in World War
II, Hugh parachuted into Normandy
ahead of the Allied invasion force.
� As one of the first Americans
to enter the Buchenwald
concentration camp, he saw newly
liberated inmates tear down a
black SS banner and present it to
him in gratitude for their freedom.
� Below the streets of postwar
Berlin, Hugh worked with the
legendary Bill Harvey in supervising
the construction of a tunnel
that tapped into Soviet and East
German communication lines,
yielding an enormous trove of East
Bloc messages.
� While in Moscow, he helped
handle Colonel Oleg Penkovsky,
the source of pivotal information
during both the Berlin and Cuban
Missile crises.
� And as a Deputy Ambassador to
the United Nations in the late
19805, Hugh countered Soviet
exploitation of the UN Secretariat,
particularly Moscow's efforts
to disseminate propaganda and
conduct espionage in the United
States.
Hugh was one of our nation's silent
warriors, carrying on the OSS ethos
of consummate skill, remarkable
bravery, and quiet humility. He
was present for the entire modern
history of American intelligence,
from its origins in the wartime Office
of Strategic Services (OSS) to the
creation of the CIA. His story is woven
into the very fabric of this Agency.
The recent passing of Hugh
Montgomery has left a profound
impact on the Agency; for those
who knew and worked with him
personally, and for those who have
only known him through legend.
In memory of the man who was
literally the epitome of the fabled
ideal OSS recruit � "a Ph.D who can
win a bar fight" � we'd like to share
with you some of the exploits of the
legendary Ambassador Montgomery.
The Glorious Amateurs
Hugh Montgomery had been studying
at Harvard University to become a
professor of languages�his mother's
profession�when WWII broke out.
He left Harvard to join the Army in
1942.
Hugh's command of German helped
him become one of General William
"Wild Bill" Donovan's "Glorious
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Amateurs" � a phrase Donovan used to describe his fellow
OSS officers. Hugh used his language ability to excellent
advantage in Germany and Austria by claiming to be the son
of German parents who had emigrated to South America�a
cover story supported by his fluent Spanish.
Once, while hunting down war criminals, Hugh was given
the name and address of a German baron and senior Nazi
official in Munich. A butler answered the door to find a
couple of grungy GIs and told them the baron was not
receiving visitors.
"I do hate to interfere with the baron's schedule," Hugh
replied in perfect German, "but the baron will receive us
now." Moments later, the baron was in the back of Hugh's
Jeep en route to being locked up.
From Spy to Scholar to Spy
After the war, Hugh's OSS supervisor, Richard Helms (who
would later become DCI), urged him to join the newly
established CIA. Hugh decided instead to go back to Harvard
and finish his language degrees on the GI Bill. With fluency
in eight languages and a working knowledge in several
more, he earned his Bachelor's magna cum laude, along
with a Master's and PhD, before joining the Harvard faculty.
Hugh eventually followed Helms' advice, entering on duty at
the Agency in January 1953.
Ambassador Montgomery would spend 24 years of his 50+
year Agency career overseas. He served as Chief of Station
and Deputy Chief of Station in several Eastern and Western
European countries. But his first six years as a CIA officer
were in Berlin before the Wall went up�a city wide open
for espionage and the perfect proving ground for a young
case officer.
The Berlin Tunnel
During the Cold War, monitoring and thwarting the Soviet
Union's influence worldwide was the top priority of the
CIA. Berlin stood on the front lines of the superpower
conflict. The East German capital was the center of a
communications network connecting key European nodes
and extending well into Russia. Soviet telephone and
telegraph communications between Moscow, Warsaw, and
Bucharest were routed through the city.
2ND QUARTER, 2017
flu
Excavating Berlin Tunnel.
By the early 1950s the Soviets had shifted from radio to land
line telephones for most military traffic, transmitting both
encrypted messages and nonsecure voice communications.
CIA assessed that tapping the underground cables could be
done securely and with little notice. Thus the Berlin Tunnel
operation (aka Operation Gold) was born.
Hugh was not immediately read into the Berlin Tunnel
operation, but was told by CIA Base Chief Bill Harvey to
find sources with knowledge of the East German landline
system. Along with maverick case officer Walter O'Brien,
Hugh assembled a network of assets that reached deep
into the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. Without
those crucial sources, there would have been no tunnel.
Once the tunnel was built and the tap installed, Hugh's
job was to take delivery of the tapes used to record the
intercepts and ship them to Washington for exploitation.
The Berlin Tunnel operation would last nearly a year before
the Soviets shut it down in April 1956.
During that time, CIA and our British partners were able to
record 50,000 reels of intercepts covering some 450,000
conversations. Translators worked full-time on transcribing
the recordings into English until 1958�a landmark
accomplishment made possible by Hugh and a small team of
exceptional intelligence officers.
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. . . continued from previous page.
The Powder-Room Caper
Hugh's remarkable success in Berlin
led to his appointment as Deputy Chief
of Station in Eastern Europe, when
tensions with the Soviet Union were at
their highest. Hugh quickly mastered
the elaborate tradecraft methods
required to operate in hostile Cold War
environments. Personal contact with
assets was virtually impossible. Dead
drops were essential.
It was during this time that Hugh was
involved in a caper involving one of the
most valuable assets in Agency history:
Soviet GRU Colonel Oleg Penkovsky.
Oleg Penkovsky.
The US Ambassador threw a Fourth of July party at his
residence, and Hugh was invited. He wasn't there to mingle,
however. Penkovsky planned to leave a package for Hugh
during the celebration. The only catch: Hundreds of Soviets
would also be in attendance.
The plan was for Penkovsky to leave the package inside
the wall of a toilet's flush tank at the residence for Hugh to
retrieve. Simple, quick, and efficient. Except things didn't go
so smoothly.
When Hugh entered the bathroom to get the package, he
realized the tank wasn't a traditional, modern toilet, but
rather an old-fashioned, European tank that was affixed
high up on the wall and not easily reachable. With few
options, Hugh decided to climb up on the wooden toilet
seat to try and reach inside the tank. He was barely tall
enough, but was able to stick his hand inside. Suddenly,
there was a terrible cracking noise as the seat broke and
splintered beneath him. Hugh quickly felt around for the
package, but it wasn't there. It had slid down to the bottom
of the tank and he couldn't reach it.
Unsure what to do now, Hugh eyed the sink, which clearly
was not designed for people to climb on. It was his only
option. Up he went, and sure enough, he could reach the
tank. He felt around the bottom of the tank and found the
package, but as he lifted his soaking wet arm, the sink upon
which he was precariously balanced started coming away
from the wall. He jumped down in a hurry and grabbed the
2ND QUARTER, 2017
sink before it crashed to the floor. Hugh
managed to slip out of the bathroom
without attracting attention. He found
his wife, and they made a hasty retreat,
dripping wet arm and all.
At the next Embassy staff meeting, the
Ambassador said he wanted to know the
name of the Russian S.O.B. who trashed
his wife's powder room.
During the Berlin Crisis of 1961, when
Moscow issued an ultimatum to the
Western powers to evacuate the city,
Hugh received a report from Penkovsky
advising that Khrushchev would back down if the Allies
stood firm�which proved to be the case. Hugh personally
translated and encrypted the entire message and sent
it to the White House through CIA Director Allen Dulles.
President Kennedy expressed his gratitude for Hugh's work.
A Message from Italy
Hugh's mastery of clandestine tradecraft is certainly one
of the elements that made him such an extraordinary
officer, but it is only part of the story. Human intelligence
is very much a social endeavor. Personality, character, and
charisma help forge lasting relationships. Hugh made a lot
of close friends over the years, including important figures
whose personal ties could, on occasion, be of service to our
country.
In 1985, a plane carrying the terrorists who had hijacked the
cruise ship Achille Lauro was forced by US fighters to land
at a NATO airbase in Italy. A tense standoff ensued between
Italian military police and US Special Forces over custody
of the terrorists. Ultimately, the Italians apprehended the
hijackers.
But Rome was upset over how the episode had been
handled and wanted to convey a message to President
Reagan through a mutually trusted and respected
intermediary. Word went out that only one man would be
allowed to receive it: Hugh Montgomery.
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Flying by Concorde to Paris and then by Italian President
Francesco Cossiga's official plane to Rome, Hugh met with
Cossiga away from the limelight in an aide's suburban
apartment and was asked to write down a verbatim text
of the message, which remains classified to this day. It was
sent to Secretary of State Shultz, who relayed it to the
White House. And yet again, Hugh earned the thanks of a
grateful President.
Spy Against Spy
Of course, not everyone Hugh encountered on the job
became a close friend. While serving in Western Europe,
he received a phone call from Philip Agee, the notorious
Agency turncoat who exposed the identities of hundreds
of our officers. Agee demanded to meet with him and
threatened to "destroy" Hugh if he refused.
Hugh's response was direct, succinct, and well within the
capabilities of an OSS commando. "If I could get my hands
on you," he said, "I would gladly wring your neck, so I guess
that makes us even."
Mr. Ambassador
In 1981�after serving as National Intelligence Officer for
Western Europe and receiving the Distinguished Intelligence
Medal from CIA Director Bill Casey�President Reagan
appointed Hugh to direct State Department's Bureau of
Intelligence and Research.
Four years later, Hugh was given the rank of Ambassador�a
rare honor for an Agency officer�and was asked by his
friend and former Deputy Director of CIA, General Vernon
Walters, to serve as his deputy at the United Nations. Hugh
vastly improved intelligence support to the US Mission,
establishing the close relationship that endures to this day.
As Hugh's UN tour was coming to an end in 1989, so too
was the Cold War. In December 1991�the very month
the Soviet Union ceased to exist�CIA Director Bob Gates
appointed Ambassador Montgomery to be his Special
Assistant for Foreign Intelligence Relationships.
An important legacy of Hugh's pioneering work was to
set precedents for the sharing of US intelligence with UN
agencies, especially war crimes tribunals. Having brought
Nazis to justice some fifty years earlier, Hugh ensured that
the international community had the information needed
to indict those who committed atrocities during the violent
breakup of Yugoslavia.
2ND QUARTER, 2017
His efforts also laid the groundwork for the massive
expansion of information sharing and joint operations with
our foreign partners in the wake of the September 11th
terrorist attacks.
Amb. Hugh Montgomery receiving
the Donovan Award from then-
CIA Director Brennan, OSS Society
Dinner, 2015.
A Legacy Like No
Other
After a lifetime in
intelligence � serving
under OSS Chief
General "Wild Bill"
Donovan and 20 CIA
Directors � Hugh
understood the
Agency better than
almost anyone.
That's why former
CIA Director Michael
Hayden chose Hugh to be the Director of the DCIA History
Project in 2007. Hugh made profound contributions to
the Agency's historical record, drawing from his wide
experience from the beaches of Normandy to a post-9/11
world.
In 2014, Hugh was awarded the Distinguished Career
Intelligence Medal, the Director's Award for Distinguished
Service, and the Intelligence Community Seal Medallion. He
retired from the CIA that spring, after 63 years of service.
Retired at the age of 90, Hugh spent his last years
mentoring the younger generation of Intelligence officers.
He also enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and word
jumbles, and acting as chairman of the OSS Society.
Hugh Montgomery passed away on April 6, 2017, after
a brief illness. His beloved wife of 66 years, Annamarie,
passed away a few years prior, but he is survived by his
loving daughter and devoted son.
Ambassador Montgomery was a pioneering intelligence
officer and a great American; one of the finest, most
talented individuals to ever join the Clandestine Service.
He faced risk and ambiguity with valor and purpose, always
embodying the good faith and decency of the country he so
proudly served.
We are exceptionally fortunate and honored to be heirs to
the history that Hugh Montgomery made.
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11
CHRISTIAN LAMBERTSEN AND THE
SECRET STORY BEHIND SCUBA
The men and woman of
the Office of Strategic
Services (OSS) developed
many spectacular
devices for war-time use:
exploding coal, invisible
ink, tasteless poisons,
miniature cameras and
exotic knives.
Some of these
developments advanced
after the war's conclusion
and were integrated into
the military's arsenal.
One such invention was
designed by Dr. Christian
Lambertsen, what we
refer to today as SCUBA.
Dr. Lambertsen was a
US Army and OSS officer
who studied respiratory
physiology at medical
school. He is directly
responsible for most of
the technology used for
Combat Swimming Operations in
Christian Lambertsen testing his Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA).
the United States today.
His inventions laid the groundwork for technology used by
NASA, the Navy SEALs, the Army Green Berets, the US Coast
Guard, and diving enthusiasts around the world. He has
been called the "Father of the Frogmen" and the "Father of
American SCUBA."
Dr. Christian Lambertsen � inventor, environmentalist,
professor, scientist, combat veteran, medical doctor, and
pioneer in undersea and aerospace medicine � is one of the
most influential OSS inventors in history.
Breathing Underwater from an Early Age
Born in May 1917, Christian grew up near the coast in New
Jersey. Realizing early on that he wanted to study medicine,
he attended Rutgers University before enrolling at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Christian spent his summer breaks at the Jersey Shore. It
was during a break that he and his cousins first started
experimenting with underwater breathing devices.
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They used a rudimentary system consisting of a bicycle
pump, a hose, a bag, and a mouth piece.
After tweaking his gadget substantially, Christian notified
his physiology professor, Dr. Henry Bazett. Impressed by
the prototype and seeing real potential, Dr. Bazett began
reaching out to various organizations he felt would take an
interest in his student's invention.
The president of
the Ohio Chemical
and Manufacturing
Company was
intrigued and offered
Christian a high
paying job. He wanted
Christian to use his
company's anesthesia
equipment to develop
his underwater
breathing apparatus
for lifesaving
purposes.
During one test, while
sixty feet underwater,
Christian's eyes and leg began to twitch. He yanked on the
safety rope, an indication he needed to be pulled to the
surface, only to watch the end of the rope fall past him to
the lake's floor.
He and his colleague had never secured the end of the rope
to the boat.
Luckily, Christian was able to swim to the surface and
survived.
He returned to school after that summer as somewhat of
a celebrity, his exploits having been broadcast nationally.
Professor Bazett published a description of the device in the
Journal of the American Medical Association.
In his submission letter Bazett wrote, "The equipment was
successful because it was designed by a man who studied
the physiological principles carefully and is capable not
only of testing it himself but training the users. It could
not have been developed by a physiologist unfamiliar with
the practical side nor by a swimmer without physiological
training."
2ND QUARTER, 2017
Although conceived underwater, Christian initially thought
his device could be used underground, specifically by
trapped miners awaiting rescue. However, with the onset
of World War II, Professor Bazett � himself a former British
Army officer�foresaw its military applications.
In January 1941, Christian and Professor Bazett traveled to
Washington, DC to meet with the Navy Experimental Diving
Unit (NEDU). Their demonstration of the device did not
impress the Navy.
However, Christian was convinced now more than ever that
his device wasn't so much suited for lifesaving as it was for
military use. This meant an overhaul in its design and more
testing.
Covert Swimming
A year later, Christian was back in DC to demonstrate his
reconfigured device. This time there were men from the
British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the OSS in
attendance.
Christian jumped in the swimming pool at the Omni
Shoreham Hotel and proceeded to demonstrate his
invention.
Christian had created what he dubbed a LARU � Lambertsen
Amphibious Respirator Unit � a stand-alone underwater
breathing device. The system contained a carbon dioxide
filter which allowed the diver to re-breath the air he
exhaled while underwater.
Due to the configuration of the device, it did not release any
air bubbles, which inevitably wiggle their way to the surface,
exposing the existence of something below.
The men watched from the edge of the pool as Christian
swam below its surface, producing no evidence of his
presence underwater. He left no air bubbles in his wake.
The ability to swim underwater undetected meant the
difference between mission failure and mission complete.
Using a LARU a diver could swim at a depth of 50 feet and
remain under water for 90 minutes, allowing him time to
swim almost a mile.
continued on next page...
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ANNUITANT NEWS
. continued from previous page.
V111111111111111111111111111,
US Army, 1st Lieutenant
Lam bertsen.
His invention was perfect for
covert operations.
Prior to Christian's discovery,
military divers wore large,
heavy, uncomfortable metal
helmets. The helmets were
supplied with air through a
hose from a boat floating
above, severely restricting
the radius of which a diver
could swim. Christian's device
freed divers from the vessel's
boundaries.
Ironically, Christian wanted to join the Navy, but they
disqualified him because of his allergies.
The OSS, however, was impressed by Christian and
dismissed his affliction. He was commissioned as a 1st
Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps, where he served
from 1944 to 1946.
Christian was in his senior year of medical school when he
began working for the OSS
OSS Maritime Unit
It was around this same time period that the OSS
established a Maritime Unit whose mission was to conduct
amphibious infiltrations, underwater sabotage, agent
infiltrations, and to supply resistance groups by sea.
They were also tasked with developing specialized maritime
equipment and devices.
The OSS appointed Christian to develop the dive element
of the unit, and Christian eagerly accepted. He was still
a medical student when he taught his first class of OSS
Operational Swimmer Groups (OSG) in May 1943 at the
Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
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Ilh[1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111i:i1111111
11,1111E111111000[1.
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Operational Swimmer Group II, a truly joint force, shown in
Cuba in 1944. Of the 32 men posing, 16 were Coast Guard,
seven were Army, five were Navy, and four were Marine
Corps. The dog's service of origin is unknown. Photo Source:
RM1/C John Harrigan (USCGR).
Operation Cincinnati
Upon completion of training, the OSG's were asked to
demonstrate their capabilities at Guantanamo Bay Naval
Base, Cuba in September 1944.
This full scale exercise, codenamed Operation Cincinnati,
was designed to test Navy defenses and evaluate the
effectiveness of the new group's ability to conduct
reconnaissance, infiltration, and sabotage operations from
the sea.
This was the first exercise in an actual maritime
environment.
Equipped with waterproof compasses, sheath knifes,
waterproof flashlights, and fins, the swimmers infiltrated
the bay at night. They easily navigated past the torpedo
nests draped around the harbor. They reached their targets,
attached the explosives, and blew up an old barge.
A top-secret government report credited the success of the
mission to the diver's ability to remain undetected by Navy
sound detection gear.
Shortly thereafter, the OSGs were split up and deployed
to the China-Burma-India theater. Dr. Lambertsen
accompanied the group to Burma to carry out underwater
infiltration and espionage missions.
continued on next page . . .
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ANNUITANT NEWS
. continued from previous page.
Britain Revealm Diving Canoe. s SP R 0F
Called the.svorld'a smallest submarine, tins entAaspH�
er e0uE
oneman craft is no bigger than a canoe.
Britain balk it secretly for wartime attacks
on shipping in enemy harbera. PT a or reg-
ular sobs took it to vicinity of target.
COWLED INSTRUMENT BOARD WITH HIGH
PRESSURE AIR GAUGE, COMPASS, TRIM
INDICATOR, AND DEPTH GAUGE
WATERTIGHT DECK
HATCHES
TRIM
TANK
BATTER
MPER
BALLAST TA K
isigs Escm sw, The MSC�Motorised Submersible Canoe�is only
' 12 feet 8 inches long but has a radius of 30 to 40
sea miles at 35s knots, Craft dives when opened
valves flood baflast tanks. For attacks, always made
at night, pilot was strapped in for 10 hours or more.
SEALED BUOYANCY
TANK
HYDROPLANES
PROPELLER
C MOTOR
CONTROL COLUMN
FLOOD VALVE MOTOR SWITCH
PRESSURE AIR BOTTLE (ONE ON EACH SIDE)
Photo and cutaway drawing of Sleeping Beauty.
Sleeping Beauty
Another underwater apparatus Christian helped advance
was the motorized submersible canoe, nicknamed: Sleeping
Beauty.
The 'Sleeping Beauty' submersible canoe was built by the
British SOE to hold a single frogman to conduct clandestine
reconnaissance or attacks against enemy vessels. It earned
its nickname when a British officer walked past the canoe
and found its creator asleep in the craft.
The canoe was 12 feet 8 inches long and the navigator could
expect to spend 10 hours or more in the vessel when on a
mission.
2ND QUARTER, 2017
The top secret canoe was brought to the US in 1944, and
Christian began an intense program to train the OSS on how
to use the boat; but not before he adjusted its tactical use.
Instead of navigating the vehicle directly up to a target, he
trained the swimmers to anchor the canoe within several
hundred yards of the target. From there the frogman would
swim to the target, place the demolition charge on it and
swim back to the Sleeping Beauty.
This concept paved the way for the swimmer delivery
vehicle � used by the Navy's UDTs and SEALs � years later.
The Father of the Frogmen
In 1945, President Truman disbanded the OSS, but Christian
remained a Captain with the US Army.
Upon his return to the US, he was assigned to an Army
hospital. Still believing that his invention would prosper
with the military, he managed to get the LARU-X
declassified and gave two each to the Navy, Army, and
Coast Guard, along with detailed instructions on how to
operate the units.
Realizing its value for rescue and recovery operations at sea,
the Coast Guard ordered Christian to train a selection of
instructors on the LARU.
The Army was impressed with Christian's education in
respiratory physiology and suggested he work with the
Corps of Engineers on the logistics of river operations.
Christian was released from active duty in 1946 as a Major.
He joined the University of Pennsylvania faculty, where
he studied the physiology of 02 and its toxicity, eventually
becoming a professor of pharmacology.
In 1947, Navy Lieutenant Commander Douglas Fane
reached out to Christian for help in saving his UDTs from
demobilization.
Christian traveled to Norfolk, VA to train the UDTs in OSS
combat swimming operations and tactical diving with the
LARU and Sleeping Beauty. He also demonstrated carbon
dioxide poisoning and collapsing from anoxia (lack of
oxygen).
continued on next page . . .
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ANNUITANT NEWS
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Dr. Lambertsen's preferred teaching method was hands on,
and he let the cadets experience these effects firsthand.
Although significantly reduced in size, the UDTs were not
disbanded and became the precursor to the Navy SEALs.
In the 19505 and 1960s, Christian developed an advanced
version of his underwater breathing system that remained
in use by the Navy SEALs until the 1980s.
He also spent a significant amount of time during this period
studying undersea medicine and researching Hyperbaric
Medicine (medical use of oxygen at levels greater than
atmospheric pressure).
The Last Frontier
In 1952, Christian wrote a paper for the National Academy
of Sciences where he described his invention as a "Self-
Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus" � i.e SCUBA.
Not only did Christian coin the term that we all associate
with diving today, he also developed seven scuba diving
patents.
In addition to his work underwater, Christian served as a
member of the Panel on Medical Sciences at the Office
of the Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1954 to 1961,
and as chairman of the Life Sciences Advisory Board for
McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Corp from 1960 to 1967.
Christian then went from underwater exploration to the last
frontier: space.
He served on President Lyndon B. Johnson's and Richard
Nixon's Space Board from 1967 to 1970, and served as Vice
President of the Aerospace Medical Association. He also
became Chairman of the Board for Man in Space.
Christian continued to work for the federal government
from the 1990s through the 2000s. In the 1990s, he was
on the US Navy's Oceanographic Advisory Committee,
and from 1998 to 2000, he served as chairman of NASA's
Advisory Committee on the International Space Station
Decompression Risk Definition and Contingency Plan.
Christian's impacts on diving physiology, undersea and
hyperbaric research and medical treatments, hydrospace
sciences, biomedical sciences, and environmental sciences
remain unequaled.
2ND QUARTER, 2017
Mission Possible
Most of the information relating to Dr. Lambertsen's
wartime research and inventions remained secret until 1995
when it was declassified.
Christian became known as the "Father of US Combat
Swimming in 2000, when the US Navy SEALs honored
Christian with the title. In 2009, Dr. Lambertsen received
the OSS Distinguished Service Award from the OSS Society
for enabling the OSS to conduct "previously impossible
missions."
In his lifetime, Dr. Lambertsen received major medals and
awards from across the military, intelligence, and scientific
communities, including:
� OSS Legion of Merit
� US Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service
Medal
� US Coast Guard's Distinguished Public Service Award
� US Army Special Forces Green Beret Award
� National UDT-SEAL Association Lifetime Achievement
Award
� New York Academy of Sciences Award for Research in
Environmental Sciences
� Pioneer Award of the Navy Historical Society
� US Special Operations Command Medal and the
establishment of the annual 'Dr. Christian J. Lambertsen
Award for Operational Innovation'
Christian spent his final years on Maryland's Eastern shore
raising cattle and tending to his honeybees and garden. He
died in 2011 at the age of 93.
In a fitting commemoration to the "Father of the Frogmen,"
Christian's ashes were spread over the clear, warm waters
off Key West, Florida.
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The following is a sample of messages the Office of Public
Affairs received from the public in the last few weeks.
People send emails to thank us for our service...
Thank you for everything you do. My entire unit made
it back home safely because of the constant information
provided by the intelligence community. I will forever be
an ally and supporter. You are the true eyes in front of
our military.
I would like to personally thank you for your work. As a
US Citizen, I know you have my back. I feel compelled
to write this thank you letter in the hopes that your
spirits will be fortified.
From the UK: It would be s00000 bloody refreshing
to hear the media talk about all the truly good work
that CIA has done and continues to do, throughout the
world, instead of that horse manure the media is so very
good at!
...and share their thoughts about international
events...
Why not lift sanctions against North Korea? For a
few months, see if they can meet requirements such as
not doing nuke testing. Just give it to them as a good
gesture.
lam an Iranian-American for over 40 years. The
Iranian-Americans would like to see the theocratic
regime in Iran replaced with a diplomatic, secular one.
But there is a right way and a wrong way. Alienating the
80 million people living there is NOT the right way. The
best way is to give the people the tools and know how to
fight the government from within.
Sometimes we get emails from members of the CIA
extended family...
My father, passed away five years ago. Upon his death,
I learned that he wasn't only a pilot for the Air Force
during the Korean war, he was also a member of the
Intelligence Community. I am writing to all of you who
serve especially those who must do so anonymously. I
honor you, I respect you, I am inspired by your courage,
I am humbled by your strength, I am in awe of your
ability to protect and serve us without an ounce of ego,
without a need for public praise, and of the intelligence
you gather as well as possess. Thank you for your
service.
To the CIA. Just when you think nobody cares about
you anymore, along comes somebody to thank you. My
father was Deputy Director of Training before he retired
about forty years ago. He had a rewarding career that
allowed me and my siblings to live in countries and
locales we never would have seen on our own. P.S. Dad
still refuses to tell people he is a CIA veteran. Not out of
shame, but because he swore an oath to never divulge
classified information.
My father was a CIA officer. He never did divulge
secrets to his family. That is one of the reasons we don't
know him as well as we could have. Dad is still as sharp
as a razor. He misses you. Thank you for helping to
raise us. Those were good days.
We also get contacted by people looking for jobs...
Read PLZI I it This message is because lam ALMOST
in sixth grade and I really would like to become a spy.
If you could please contact me back I would have the
most gratitude. You can do a background checks on me
and everything. I really would like to go to one of your
schools to become an agent!
continued on next page . . .
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Finally, OPA receives plenty of fun and head-
scratching communications:
Dear CIA, Since you are monitoring my TV, can you
suggest some amusing TV shows I might be missing?
Was Logan worth watching? While you're at it, what do
you think of the Walking Dead?
Dear CIA, I live in the UK and have heard you have
infiltrated my television, next time you hack into it could
you fix the picture quality, mainly during the football/
soccer, as it keeps getting scrambled. Which may be
due to the hackers heavy handedness... (or the poor
standard of internet connection in this country )... Many
thanks! from GB
Hey guys I forgot my You Tube password could you send
it to me
Just wanted to let you know that once in a while, the
things I order through Amazon, which are labelled as
coming from China, are also labelled as containing
"electronic accessories." The most recent such package
contained a pair of socks. So I have to worry about what
other contents are being shipped to our country with
similarly false and unchecked descriptions. Take care
and thank you for all the things you do.
Some want to work here someday...
Jam nine years old. I have been dreaming of being a spy
and a part of the CIA. Jam going in to the fourth grade and
I live in Canada. My favorite sports are hockey and soccer. I
speak fluent English and Punjabi. I want to be a spy because
'we' get to do cool movements and go on cool missions, 'we'
get cool weapons like lasers, cool hologram watches and to
talk to other agents in the CIA.
I am 12 years old and I follow you on cia.gov. I am obsessed
with growing up and being in the CIA. I was homeschooled
but then I went to public school and my grades dropped.
Once I heard about the CIA, my grades shot back up to A's!
I write one paper every week and I almost passed out when
there was only ONE red mark on my paper about algae! You
guys have boosted my confidence and I want to thank you. I
hope I did not waste your time today, thank you for reading
my letter. (Molly sent a packet of materials to this girl, and a
personalized letter.)
Head scratchers:
When your organization builds a time machine, I want to be
a test subject.
lam not interested in that long application for employment.
Just contact me, Jam ready to go to work. You're the CIA,
I am sure you can access all my records.
My friend thinks that mermaids are real. Now you may think
I am stupid writing to you about this but could you provide
evidence that they are not real. Thank You.
Dear CIA, I have decided to invite you to tea. . . you seem
tired and stressed. Do you like fish fingers?
Baywatch was a CIA front operation. David Hasselhoff is
actually an assassin codenamed "The Shorts."
I would love to filrm your land. . . would that job be
available?
I have been going through the careers section, and I am
wondering? Does the US government have a need for
licensed morticians?
May I ask you for a point of contact for the General
Donovan statue? lam interested in borrowing the statue
for a time agreeable to CIA to display at my High School.
General Donovan is our most distinguished graduate and it
would be an impressive patriotic reminder to students!
My dad ordered a lawnmower to be delivered to me. I
suspect the product might be manipulated with witchcraft. I
hope the lawnmower is not corrupted by witch wannabees.
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2ND QUARTER, 2017
18
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
RETIREMENT ASSOCIATIONS' CONTACT
INFORMATION
Stay connected with your fellow Agency retirees by joining a
retirement association.
Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AF10)
Current and former intelligence professionals and supporters
of the Intelligence Community are eligible to join.
POC: afio@afio.com
Central Intelligence Retirees Association (CIRA)
Current and former officers with more than ten years of
service are eligible to join.
POC: admin@cira.org
Retired Federal Communicators (RefCom)
Former officers serving in the Office of Communications, or
its predecessors, are eligible for sponsorship. All prospective
members must be sponsored by a current member.
Retired Finance Officers (REFIN)
Former finance officers and their guests are eligible to join
and participate in twice-a-year socials and luncheons.
POC: Karen Abraham (abe5226@gmail.com);
ssiskpainter@comcast.net
SIGNA Society
Current and former security officers are eligible to join.
POC: signa-member.orgimember register.aspx
Logistics Retirees Association (LRA)
Current and former logistics and facilities support officers
who served in the Office of Logistics or is successor
organizations are eligible to join.
POC: rpziemba@verizon.net
Technical Service Retirees Association (TSRA)
Current and former officers with five years of service in the
Office of Technical Service, or its predecessors, are eligible to
join.
POC: tsratechs.org
Annuitant Reunion
Annuitant Reunion at CIA Headquarters Auditorium, 10
August 2017, 11 AM � 1 PM
Please RSVP to annuitants@ucia.gov by 27 July 2017 and
include the following information:
First Name, Last Name, Social Security Number, Date of
Birth, and Place of Birth (City and State). If you were born
outside of the United States please attach a copy of your
US passport or Naturalization Certificate. All spouses must
submit the same information if they plan on attending.
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2ND QUARTER, 2017
19
,
Activity As c*1 ion Upe
litSte r pirit Festiva Aug. t ni at er
Post Pavillion. Cited( the Nyebsite t rartist r r
day and 2 day passes available. Ce*Rter c
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The Sound of MUSiC7 Tin Y Cent 1 .1 TI 24th 84,
JulY 15th 2017. 1:30 PM
The King and 1� Kennedy Centel'. August 12th 217
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