OSS

Caltrop (Tire Spike)
"The simplest weapon we ever made" - Dr. Stanley Lovell, OF SPIES AND STRATAGEMS.

No matter how the caltrop is tossed, it will land with one of its four prongs up. Whatever rolls over it will be punctured or injured. They are effective when left along enemy roadways or airport runways.

Historical examples of caltrops have been found in Babylonian tombs, were used against medieval knights on horseback, and were found in archaeological digs at Jamestown.

8.6 cm x 8.6 cm x 8.6 cm
(H x L x W)

Distinguished Service Cross, William Donovan, WWI
William J. Donovan received one of our countries highest honors while a lieutenant colonel with the 165th Infantry.  On July 28-31, 1918 Donovan led his battalion across the River Ourcq and captured important enemy strongholds near Villers-sur-Fere, France.

He was in advance of the division for four days, all the while under shell and machine-gun fire from the enemy, who were on three sides of him, and he was repeatedly and persistently counterattacked, being wounded twice.  His coolness, courage, and efficient leadership rendered possible the maintenance of this position.

General John Pershing presented the Distinguished Service Cross to Donovan on Sept. 7, 1918 in France.

Enigma Machine
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet the Allies were eventually able to crack its code.

The machine was developed by the Dutch to communicate banking secrets. The Germans bought the patent in 1923 for intelligence purposes. Polish intelligence was able to purchase an Enigma at a trade fair and procure a codebook from a French agent. When Poland was overrun in 1939, they realized they wouldn’t have capabilities to solve code. The Poles gave the information and machine to the allies.

By end of the war, we were reading 10 percent of all German Enigma communications at Bletchley Park, in England, on the world’s first electromagnetic computers.

This is a three rotor Enigma. The Germans eventually added two more rotors and with each change, Allies had to obtain a new machine and codebooks.

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. It also is printed with waterproof dyes so the colors would not run if the map got wet.

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. Fairbairn and Sykes designed the weapon to strike at the vulnerable parts of an opponent’s body, especially the vital organs.

Because of its effectiveness, the knife quickly became a favorite of British commandos. Fairbairn was later loaned to the Office of Strategic Services as an instructor. While with OSS, he created a special version of the knife for them. Successors to the weapon were made well into the 1990s.

29.2 cm x 5 cm
(H x L)

M-209
The M-209 is a mechanical cipher device. Designed by Boris Hagelin, the machine was widely used by the US Army during World War II. Compact and portable, it used a series of rotors to encode and decode secret military messages.

13.5 cm x 18 cm x 8 cm
(H x L x W)

“Matchbox” Camera
The Eastman Kodak Company developed and manufactured this camera for use by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). It was made in the shape of a matchbox of that era. It could be disguised by adding a matchbox label appropriate for the country in which it was to be used.

The camera used 16mm film. It was deployed “behind the lines” by resistance personnel in World War II for target recording and propaganda photography. Designed to be operated with a minimum of user-adjustable settings, the Matchbox Camera featured rugged construction and controls that could be operated by “feel.”

Medal of Honor, William Donovan, WWI
General Donovan was the most highly decorated officer of World War I. He was awarded our nation’s top four medals, including this Medal of Honor. He was awarded it for action in France in 1918. Donovan, who was Lieutenant Colonel at the time, stood in front of his men with his rank showing and said, “Men - If they can’t hit me, they can’t hit you!”  With that, Donovan led his men to take the German position. He was eventually wounded in the leg, but refused to be evacuated from the battlefield until his men and the position were secure.

For additional information on General Donovan visit CSI’s Studies in Intelligence or read:

1955-1959
William J. Donovan and the National Security
Summer 1959
Allen W. Dulles

Letter Removal Device
Special devices were used in World War II to take letters from their envelopes without opening the seals. The pincer-like device was inserted into the unsealed gap at the top of an envelope flap. One could then wind the letter around the pincers and extract the letter from within.

29.2 cm x 4.8 cm
(H x Diameter) 

Patch
The patch was designed by General William J. Donovan, founder of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), as the insignia for OSS. In a memorandum dated June 16, 1943, he stated:

"Black is associated with activities which may be performed under cover of darkness. The gold is used for strong contrast and visibility of the insignia. The spear head is taken from the design of force of attack and defense of the nation’s honor and is indicative of opening the way to subduing the enemy’s defenses."

According to an OSS document dated July 9, 1943, anticipating that approval of the patch would be granted, General Donovan procured 195 fully-embroidered cloth shoulder sleeve insignia.  However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff rejected Donovan’s request. Exactly what happened to General Donovan’s unusable patches is not clear. It is thought that most were destroyed.

This patch is thought to be one worn by a CIA courier and based on Donovan’s OSS prototype.

8 cm x 5.5 cm
(H x L)

Pin
To provide identification of the members of OSS, General William J. Donovan arranged for the design and manufacture of insignia and made them available to former members of OSS. The insignia is a lapel emblem, which has the letters "OSS" stamped in gold on a red enamel background. 

Shortly after the end of the war and upon the disbanding of OSS, General Donovan sent OSS veterans a letter offering the pin:

28 September 1945

To Former Members of OSS:

It is my pleasure to forward to you the enclosed certificate commemorating your service in World War II as a members of the Office of Strategic Services. This certificate exemplifies in a tangible way my feeling that some such recognition should be given to personnel of OSS as evidence of the resourcefulness, courage and devotion to duty shown by the men and women of the Agency who provided our Nation with an unprecedented service which hastened the day of victory.

To provide identification of the members of the organization, a group of former OSS associates has arranged for the design and manufacture of insignia available to those who are receiving certificates. The insignia is a lapel emblem which has the letters "OSS" stamped in gold on a red enamel background. At the request of this group there is enclosed herewith a coupon for the use of those who wish to procure such emblems.

I also enclose the text of remarks made at a meeting of OSS personnel held on 28 September, and a copy of President Truman's letter to me. The credit for OSS accomplishments belongs to the superior personnel who made them possible. I am deeply grateful for your loyal and effective contribution.

Sincerely,

William J. Donovan
Director

Stella Uzdawinis Pendent
During World War II, Stella Uzdawinis served as a civilian in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). She was assigned to the Research and Analysis Branch; this office analyzed enemy intentions and capabilities. She then went on to work in the Secret Intelligence Branch (SI) that was directly involved in the secret collection of intelligence.

While assigned to SI, she was stationed in France and worked as a communicator, probably a Lithuanian translator. After the war she was employed as a civilian in the US Army until her retirement in April 1968. She never told any of her family about her career with the OSS. They did not learn of it until after her death when they found photos and this pendent.

3 cm x 1.2 cm
(H x Diameter)

Shortly after the end of the war and upon the disbanding of OSS, General Donovan sent OSS veterans a letter:
 

28 September 1945

To Former Members of OSS:

It is my pleasure to forward to you the enclosed certificate commemorating your service in World War II as a members of the Office of Strategic Services. This certificate exemplifies in a tangible way my feeling that some such recognition should be given to personnel of OSS as evidence of the resourcefulness, courage and devotion to duty shown by the men and women of the Agency who provided our Nation with an unprecedented service which hastened the day of victory.

To provide identification of the members of the organization, a group of former OSS associates has arranged for the design and manufacture of insignia available to those who are receiving certificates. The insignia is a lapel emblem which has the letters "OSS" stamped in gold on a red enamel background. At the request of this group there is enclosed herewith a coupon for the use of those who wish to procure such emblems.

I also enclose the text of remarks made at a meeting of OSS personnel held on 28 September, and a copy of President Truman's letter to me. The credit for OSS accomplishments belongs to the superior personnel who made them possible. I am deeply grateful for your loyal and effective contribution.

Sincerely,

William J. Donovan
Director

Technology

"Belly Buster" Hand-Crank Audio Drill
CIA used the “Belly Buster” drill during the late 1950s and early 1960s. It would drill holes into masonry for implanting audio devices. After assembly, the base of the drill was held firmly against the stomach while the handle was cranked manually. This kit came with several drill bits and accessories.

52.5 cm x 22.5 cm
(H x L)

CIA Semi-Submersible
CIA designed and manufactured this two-man semi-submersible in the 1950s. It carried no weapons, was cramped, had limited endurance, and required a "mother ship" for transport and recovery. However, the vessel could approach areas ships could not.

The semi-submersible was small and quiet. The craft was made of wood and aluminum, with plywood sheathing on bottom, sides, and deck. This construction made sonar or radar detection unlikely. The semi-submersible could be sunk - without personnel - in depths of up to 30 feet. After sinking, it could be left underwater for periods of up to three-to-four weeks. When running in the "deck awash" position, it was almost impossible to see.

Its speed semi-submerged was up to 4.7 knots; its cruising speed was 4.1 knots, and its slow speed was 2.5 knots. With a range of about 110 miles, it could carry 2-to-3 men and 120 pounds of their equipment.

overall length:  19 ft
beam:  5 ft, 3 in
height:  6 ft, 9 in
weight:  3,650 lbs.

Digital X-Ray Detector Panel
This glass panel is a component of a solid-state detector used in an X-ray imaging device.  Etched onto the panel is an array of about 1,100 x 900 picture elements ("pixels"). Each consists of a field effect transistor (FET) switch and a light-detecting diode. X-rays make a (separate) scintillation material "glow" visible light, reducing the total amount of energy needed to create an image. The pixels on this glass panel accumulate the light generated by the scintillation material, for storage and subsequent readout by the controlling computer. Originally intended for digital mammography applications, this glass panel demonstrated enormous dynamic-range and readout-speed improvements over the charge-coupled device (CCD) technology it replaces.

30.4 cm x 25.3 cm
(H x L)

Dragonfly Insectothopter
Developed by CIA’s Office of Research and Development in the 1970s, this micro UAV was the first flight of an insect-sized vehicle (insectothopter). It was intended to prove the concept of such miniaturized platforms for intelligence collection.

Insectothopter had a miniature engine to move the wings up and down. A small amount of gas was used to drive the engine, and the excess was vented out the rear for extra thrust. The flight tests were impressive. However, control in any kind of crosswind proved too difficult.

Lithium-Iodine Battery
The Central Intelligence Agency often develops technology and conducts research that not only advances its mission but, when declassified, can have significant impact on the world. In the 1970s, the CIA shared research it had done on lithium-iodine batteries with the medical community. This same technology is used in heart pacemakers today.

2.6 cm x 4.5 cm (lg)
2.5 cm x 2.6 cm (sm)
(H x L)

Robot Fish "Charlie"
CIA's Office of Advanced Technologies and Programs developed the UUV fish to study aquatic robot technology. Some of the specifications used to develop "Charlie" were:

• speed,
• endurance,
• maneuverability,
• depth control,
• navigational accuracy,
• autonomy, and
• communications status.

The UUV fish contains a pressure hull, ballast system, and communications system in the body and a propulsion system in the tail. It is controlled by a wireless line-of-sight radio handset.

18 cm x 61 cm
(H x L x W)

Seismic Intruder Detection Device
This Cold War-Era intrusion detector was designed to blend in with the terrain. It can detect movement of people, animals, or objects up to 300 meters away. The device is powered by tiny power cells and has a built-in antenna. Its transmitter relays data from the device findings via coded impulses.

3.3 cm x 4.5 cm
2 cm x 10.3 cm
(H x L)

Communication

"Silver Dollar" Hollow Container
This coin may appear to be an Eisenhower silver dollar, but it is really a concealment device. It was used to hide messages or film so they could be sent secretly. Because it looks like ordinary pocket change, it is almost undetectable.

Concealment Device – Modified Ladies Make-Up Compact
A code is a system of communication in which groups of symbols represent words. Codes may be used for brevity or security. Here, a code is concealed inside the mirror of a lady's make-up compact. By tilting the mirror at the correct angle, the code is revealed.

“Dead” Drop Spike
Communication between an agent and his/her handler always poses a risk. A “dead” drop allows secure communication by one person leaving and later the other person picking up material at a prearranged location. This eliminates the need for direct contact. This device is a spike that one could push into the ground. It is hollow in the middle and could contain messages, documents, or film.

20.6 cm x 3.7 cm
(H x Diameter)

One-Time Pads
One-time pads (OTP) are used to encode/decode agent communications. They are issued in matching sets of two: one for the encoder and one for the decoder, and no two pages are alike.  Each sheet contains a random key in the form of five-digit groups. Once a sheet has been used to encode a message, it is torn off the pad and destroyed. If used as designed, encryption by OTP is virtually unbreakable.

OTPs can be made of paper, silk, or highly flammable cellulose-nitrate film that can be destroyed quickly and easily in an emergency. The one-time pad can be as small as a postage stamp.

10 cm x 6 cm
(H x L)

Cameras

Microdot Camera
The secret transfer of documents became very difficult during the Cold War. Agents relied on the microdot camera to photograph and reduce whole pages of information onto a single tiny piece of film. This piece of film could be embedded into the text of a letter as small as a period at the end of this sentence.

Microdots were also hidden in other things such as rings, hollow coins, or other mailed items. The recipient would read the microdot with the aid of a special viewer, often cleverly concealed as well.

1.6 cm x 2.8 cm
(H x Diameter)

Minox Camera
Walter Zapp, a Latvian engineer, developed a portable camera that would fit easily into the palm of the hand and yet take high quality, spontaneous pictures. The Minox subminiature camera, in its various models, was the world’s most widely used spy camera. When it first became available, the camera was considered a marvel of technology; it was originally made from steel in Riga from 1937-1944.

Minox used film one quarter the size of standard 35mm film, with 50 frames loaded in a cassette.  The ultra-light aluminum shell Minox B was produced from 1958-1972. 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 secret photography.

The Minox C was introduced in 1969. It had an electronic shutter and is no longer in production.  Convicted KGB spy John A. Walker, Jr., used a Minox C to photograph sensitive National Security Agency codes.

2.8 cm x 10 cm x 1.6 cm
(H x L x W)

Pigeon Camera
CIA’s Office of Research and Development developed a camera small and light enough to be carried by a pigeon. It would be released, and on its return home the bird would fly over a target.  Being a common species, its role as an intelligence collection platform was concealed in the activities of thousands of other birds. Pigeon imagery was taken within hundreds of feet of the target so it was much more detailed than other collection platforms. (Aircraft took photos from tens of thousands of feet and satellites from hundreds of miles above the target.)

The camera could be set to begin taking photographs after release or after a pre-set delay. The camera took a series of still images at a set interval. A tiny, battery-powered motor advanced the film and cocked the shutter. Details of pigeon missions are still classified.

4.7 cm x 2.2 cm x 2.4 cm
(H x L x W)

Subminiature "Dual Use" Camera
This subminiature camera isn't much larger than its film cassette. It could be used to photograph both documents at close range and building sites at a distance.

2.3 cm x 4.7 cm x 1.5 cm
(H x L x W)

Tobacco Pouch Camera
A miniature 35mm film camera manufactured in Switzerland is concealed in this modified tobacco pouch. A spring-wound mechanism advances the film between exposures.

8 cm x 15.8 cm x 2.5 cm
(H x L x W)

The Well Dressed Spy … Bodyworn Surveillance Equipment

Q: What is the most remarkable feature of an intelligence officer’s appearance?

A: Nothing at all. They are inconspicuous.

Their clothing, accessories, and behavior must be as unremarkable as possible — their lives (and others’) may depend on it. This is a responsibility that operational artisans, technicians, and engineers of the Office of Technical Readiness (OTR) take seriously. America's intelligence officers can safely collect intelligence in hostile environments because they know that quality and craftsmanship have been "built in" to their appearances, leaving no traces to alert the enemy.  Thus, intelligence officers who are "unremarkable" in their daily activities, such as walking to buy a newspaper on a drizzly day, bravely collect "remarkable" intelligence undetected by hostile observers.

Q: What makes an intelligence officer "well dressed"?

A: They wear clothing and accessories skillfully crafted by operational artisans, technicians, and engineers from the Office of Technical Readiness (OTR).

The "well dressed" intelligence officer has confidence, whether attending a formal social event or performing his/her daily routine, because the clothing and accessories he/she wears have been expertly crafted to be secure and stylish.

CIA

Persian Gulf War Leaflets
These CIA-produced leaflets were used during the Persian Gulf War. Copies of the leaflets were air-dropped over a selected area before an Allied bombing run. The leaflets gave the civilian people time to evacuate and encouraged the military units to surrender.

E Street Complex Sign with CIA Seal
“2430 E St. NW” was the address of the original CIA Headquarters. It took over the site from its wartime predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services. The E Street Complex is across from the US State Department in Washington, D.C.

For several years there was no sign at the entrance of the original CIA Headquarters Buildings.  President Eisenhower was on his way to church one Sunday morning. He wished to drop his brother Milton off at CIA for a meeting with the Director of Central Intelligence, Allen Dulles.  Because there was no sign, the White House driver had great difficulty finding the entrance. This upset the President. The following day President Eisenhower called Dulles and ordered a sign placed at the entrance. It was the President’s view that the E Street address was well known as CIA Headquarters and that the absence of a sign fooled no one. The immediate result was that a sign with the Agency name and seal was hung on the fence at the entrance.

When the fence and the North Building bordering the entrance were demolished to make room for the present freeway, the sign was preserved and eventually installed in the CIA Museum.

117 cm x 94 cm
(H x L)

Identification Card of Allen W. Dulles
Allen W. Dulles started his career in the US Diplomatic Service in 1916. He joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII. As a member of the OSS, he directed intelligence operations from Switzerland. Through a series of personal contacts and difficult negotiations, he helped bring an early end to the Italian campaign in 1945. Through his work, he helped save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.

In 1951, Dulles joined the newly created Central Intelligence Agency. President Eisenhower appointed him CIA director in 1953. During his tenure, Dulles approved the development of the U-2 spy plane. He also oversaw the construction of CIA’s Original Headquarters Building at Langley. Dulles retired in 1961. He is the longest serving director in CIA’s history.

15.8 cm x 12.8 cm
(H x L)

For more information, visit Studies in Intelligence:

A Long Look Back
Directors of Central Intelligence, 1946–2005
David S. Robarge

Dulles, Allen, DCI, 1953-1961

Memorial Wall Star Carving Tools and Photos
Shown here are tools used by Tim Johnston to create the stars found on the CIA Memorial Wall.  First, the star is traced on the wall using a template. The hammer and chisels are then used to carve the marble out into the star shape. These tools were used from 1992 to 2003.

See the CIA Headquarters Virtual Tour for more information.

NHB Groundbreaking Shovel
This shovel was used by then-President Reagan at the New Headquarters Building groundbreaking ceremony on May 24, 1984. 

See the CIA Headquarters Virtual Tour for more information.

Pneumatic Tube
Lamson Corporation, Syracuse, NY, installed the pneumatic tube system in the Original Headquarters Building (OHB) during its construction. The system had more than 30 miles of 4-inch steel tubing. At that time, this system was one of the world’s largest.

The original system had about 150 receiving/dispatching stations throughout OHB. The system operated from 1962 until 1989.

36.5 cm x 9.0 cm
(H x Diameter)

Studies in Intelligence Volume 1, Number 1
Sherman Kent created the publication Studies in Intelligence in 1955. Kent – the most renowned analyst in American intelligence history – served as a CIA officer from 1950 to 1967.

Kent envisioned a journal devoted to intelligence theory, doctrine, and techniques. Studies in Intelligence was born from this vision. To help guide this new journal, Kent followed these principles:

• Intellectual rigor
• A conscious effort to avoid unconscious bias
• A willingness to hear other opinions
• The use of outside experts as checks against in-house prejudges
• A candid admission of shortcomings

The quarterly journal is still published today; unclassified issues are published on the CIA’s Web site.

22.8 cm x 15.7cm
(H x L)

For more information on Studies in Intelligence, go to:

Building an “Intelligence Literature”
Fifty Years of Studies in Intelligence
Nicholas Dujmovic

President Eisenhower Trowel
The CIA celebrated the construction of its new Headquarters Building with a cornerstone ceremony on Nov. 3, 1959.  This trowel was used by President Eisenhower to lay the cornerstone.

Select documents and other materials of historic interest are sealed within the cornerstone.  Items include: 

• A 1944 memorandum from William J. Donovan to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The memo discussed the need to establish a permanent centralized intelligence service.
• President Harry S. Truman's 1946 Executive Letter that established the National Intelligence Authority and the Central Intelligence Group.
• An aerial photograph of the CIA building site.

7.2 cm x 27.8 cm
(H x L x W)

To learn more about the Cornerstone go to the CIA Headquarters Virtual Tour.

Truman Seal
On Feb. 17, 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order authorizing this as the official seal of the Central Intelligence Agency. He autographed and presented this rendition to then Director Roscoe Hillenkoetter.

The eagle represents vigilance, a symbol of our nation. The defense shield in the middle signifies Intelligence as being our nation’s First Line of Defense. The 16-point compass rose symbolizes information coming in from all points of the globe and being brought together at one central place.

45 cm x 42.5 cm
(H x L)

Overhead Reconnaissance

A-12 Spurs
The "spurs" were presented to Dr. Albert D. "Bud" Wheelon, the first Director of Science and Technology. They were mementos of his flight aboard the A-12 OXCART in 1964.

Strapped over one's boot heels, each spur was attached to a ball. The ball was attached to a cable under the seat. The cable-ball rig allowed movement of feet during normal flight. However, if the pilot had to pull the "D" ring (ejection handle) in an emergency, the cables would snap the person’s feet back under the seat to insure a compact and safe ejection from the aircraft.

9.2 cm x 14 cm x 6.6 cm
(H x L x W)

For more information on the A-12 program:

"The Oxcart Story" by Thomas P. McIninch, Stud. Intel. V15:1-1-25 (Winter 1971)

Air America Cap
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 Vietnam and various US government agencies contracted with Air America.

Because of the tropical climate, Air America pilots favored comfortable attire – shorts and a baseball cap – rather than their official uniforms.

For more information on Air America:

"Recollections of a Case Officer in Laos, 1962-1964", Stud. Intel. V47:1-1-17 (2003)

U-2 Aircraft "AQUATONE" (1/48 Scale Model)
The development of the U-2 in 1954 signaled the Central Intelligence Agency's entry into the world of overhead reconnaissance. President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized construction of a new aircraft designed specifically to fly over the Soviet Union and collect strategic intelligence. Peacetime reconnaissance flights over the territory of a potential enemy power thus became national policy. To reduce the danger of conflict, the president entrusted this mission not to the armed forces but to a civilian agency – the CIA. Since that time, overhead reconnaissance has been one of CIA's most important missions.

32 cm x 51 cm
(H x L)

For more information on the U-2 program:

Politics and Intelligence
The “Photo Gap” that Delayed Discovery of Missiles in Cuba  
Max Holland

Learning from the Past
Soviet Deception in the Cuban Missile Crisis
James H. Hansen

An Intelligence Success Story
The U-2 Program: The DCI's Perspective . . . George J. Tenet

A "Hot" Front in the Cold War
The U-2 Program: A Russian Officer Remembers . . . Alexander Orlov

The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974 

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

 
CORONA Film
CORONA is America’s first successful photographic reconnaissance satellite. When introduced in the 1960s, it revolutionized the collection of intelligence. CORONA’s first mission in August 1960 provided more photographic coverage of the Soviet Union than all previous U-2 missions.

Satellite imagery was used for a variety of analytical purposes - from assessing Soviet military strength to estimating the size of their grain production. CORONA and its successors made Soviet-American strategic arms control agreements possible.

7.4 cm x 15 cm  (film)
8.1 cm x 16.5 cm (canister)
(H x Diameter)

For more information on the CORONA program:

CORONA: America's First Satellite Program

D-21 TAGBOARD (1/48 Scale Model)
CIA developed the D-21 drone for surveillance missions over enemy territory. It was launched from a modified A-12. The D-21's engine propelled it to speeds over 2,000 mph. During missions, the D-21 would follow a pre-programmed flight path over areas of interest and take pictures.  Then the drone returned to international airspace where it dropped the film canister. A specially equipped aircraft recovered the film canister. The drone would then self-destruct.

Piece of Metal from U-2, Article 341
On Aug. 1, 1955, during a high-speed taxi test in the first U-2, Article 341, Lockheed's Flight Test Pilot Tony Le Vier inadvertently got airborne in a remote test site in Nevada. This 'high speed taxi' test would later be considered the first unofficial flight of the U-2.

Two years later, on April 4, 1957, during Project Rainbow test with Lockheed's Flight Test Pilot Robert Sieker at the control, there was a malfunction and both Article 341 and the pilot were lost.

Forty years later, after five years of searching, the wreck site was rediscovered, but only a handful of small parts were found. These remains were placed into Lucite blocks and flown on an Air Force U-2S aircraft to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of U-2's first flight.

10.1 cm x 7.7 cm
(H x L)

Piece of Metal from A-12
During a routine training flight on Jan. 5, 1967, a fuel gauge failed to function properly, and the A-12 ran out of fuel only minutes before landing. The pilot, Walter Ray, ejected but was killed when he was unable to separate from the ejection seat before impact. The aircraft was completely destroyed. Its wreckage was found on Jan. 6, and Ray’s body was recovered a day later. This is a piece from that plane.

8 cm x 15 cm x 12.5 cm
(H x L x W)

Stereoscope and Case
The stereoscope was used during World War II. This tool helped allied photo interpreters, who analyzed images of enemy territory taken by airplane-mounted cameras, to view the film in 3-Dimension.

8.3 cm x 16 cm x 2.7 cm
(H x L x W)

U-2 Model
On May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down by the Soviets over Sverdlovsk.  He spent 21 months in a Russian prison. In 1962 Powers was exchanged for Soviet intelligence officer Col. Rudolf Abel. Abel had been arrested in New York in 1957.

This is one of two U-2 models crafted for Powers. CIA model makers made this for his March 1962 Senate Armed Services Committee testimony about the downing of his aircraft. The wings and tail are detachable to show the aircraft's breakup after the shootdown.

32 cm x 51 cm
(H x L)

U-2 Pressure Suit & Helmet
Suit - This is a S-1010 pressure suit for an U-2R plane. High-altitude pilots wear pressure suits as protection from cockpit depressurization. At altitudes above 63,000 feet without artificial air pressure, human blood and other fluids boil. In addition to preventing this, pressure suits also protect pilots from low temperatures at high altitudes. The temperature at U-2 mission altitudes is about minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the pilot had to eject, he would free fall for two to three minutes before parachute deployment. The suit provides flotation for a water landing, as well.

Helmet - A coated-fabric face barrier inside this U-2 helmet divides the oxygen supply into two sections. One region covers the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin; the other compartment houses the rest of the head and is linked to the air in the interior of the suit. The barrier fits smoothly to the skin across the forehead, down the side of the face in front of the ears, and under the chin to make an airtight seal. The pilot's breath passes from one region to the other by means of a one-way exhalation valve near the right cheek.

To close the visor, a lever is pulled to lower it and force it against the gasket on the shell. Then, liquid and paste food can be ingested by the pilot through the feeding port located in the front of the helmet on the lever latch. The visor contains a transparent resistive heater to keep it clear of condensation.

26.5 cm x 27 cm x 27 cm
(H x L x W)

Paintings

“Earthquake’s Final Flight”
By Jeff Bass

This painting shows a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar airborne over outpost Isabelle at Dien Bien Phu, in North Vietnam, on 6 May 1954.  The French had insufficient aircraft or crews to supply their forces there and had asked for US aid.

The plane has French Air Force markings, but was operated by the Civil Air Transport (CAT), a CIA proprietary airline.  CAT had obtained the aircraft from the US Air Force.  The pilot was James B. McGovern (nicknamed Earthquake McGoon) and the copilot was Wallace A. Buford.

In the painting, the left engine has been disabled by a flak burst, and the propeller is frozen at operational pitch in a “cross” position. Flak damage to the control surfaces as well as a loss of power has made the aircraft difficult to control.  The ground is dotted with the many parachutes used in earlier airdrops. (CAT alone made 682 airdrops to Dien Bien Phu.)

The damaged C-119 later crashed in Laos, killing McGovern, Buford, and two of the four French crewmen.

75.8 cm x 107 cm
(H x L)

Popular Culture

“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” was a television show on NBC in the mid-1960s. The fictitious international law-enforcement agency, U.N.C.L.E., worked to protect the world from sinister forces like Thrush, another fabricated organization bent on world supremacy.

These artifacts were donated to the CIA Museum in 2000 by The Spy-Fi Archives. The triangular security badge permits entrance into U.N.C.L.E.’s secret headquarters. The business card is from U.N.C.L.E.’s top enforcement agent, Napoleon Solo. The patch bears the insignia of the evil Thrush organization.

58 cm x 42.5 cm
(H x L) 

Afghanistan

Al-Qa’ida Training Manual
In 2001, US intelligence officers picked up this al-Qa’ida training manual outside Kandahar, Afghanistan. The officers found the manual while searching the ruins of a suspected chemical processing site. US ordnance that damaged the site caused the handbook’s burn marks. The manual includes instructions for firing Stinger missiles.

22.8 cm x 18 cm
(H x L)

Gas Mask
Shown here is one of many gas masks found in an al-Qa’ida safe house in Kandahar, Afghanistan in December 2001.

28 cm x 24.3 cm x 15.5 cm
(H x L x W)

Lapis Lazuli
Royal blue lapis lazuli is a semi-precious gemstone. The gem was highly prized by ancient Babylonian and Egyptian royalty. Today, miners recover the gem from only a few deposits around the world. A major site is in the rugged Kokcha Valley of northern Afghanistan; it dates back 6,000 years. The stone has many uses, including jewelry and pigment for ultramarine paints. Some believe lapis lazuli has mystical powers.

Lapis lazuli, in both raw and polished-gem forms, is a known element of al-Qa’ida’s financial network. This piece of raw lapis came from a Taliban stronghold. In today’s market, the value of raw lapis ranges from $250 to $1,200 a kilogram, depending on quality.

6.5 cm x 12.5 cm x 6.2 cm
(H x L x W)