When you walk through the main doors of the CIA headquarters in Langley, the first thing that hits you isn't a high-tech gadget or a giant screen. It’s the silence. That silence is anchored by a massive slab of white Alabama marble on the north wall of the lobby. If you’ve ever seen photos, you know the one. It’s covered in simple, five-pointed stars.
People call them the CIA stars on wall, but officially, this is the Memorial Wall. As of early 2026, there are 140 stars etched into that stone. Each one represents an officer who died in the line of duty. No names are carved into the marble itself. Just the stars. It’s a stark, heavy sight that reminds everyone who works there exactly what the stakes are.
What those stars actually mean
Honestly, the wall is a bit of a contradiction. It’s a public-facing memorial inside one of the most private buildings on earth. Each star is precisely 2.25 inches tall and 2.25 inches wide. They are spaced exactly six inches apart. To the casual observer, they look identical. To the Agency, they are everything.
The criteria for getting a star are surprisingly strict. You don't get one just for dying while employed by the CIA. The death has to be "of an inspirational or heroic character" or the result of terrorism or premeditated violence targeted at the person because of their job.
Most of these people were paramilitary officers, but the list includes analysts, doctors, and scientists too.
The Book of Honor
Right below the stars, there’s a glass case holding a black Moroccan goatskin book. This is the Book of Honor. If you look inside, you’ll see some names listed next to gold stars. But then you’ll see something else: blank spaces.
As of right now, 32 of those 140 stars remain anonymous. Even in death, their names are classified to protect ongoing operations or their families. It’s a weird kind of tragedy to think about—dying for your country and having your name kept out of the history books because the work you did was that sensitive.
📖 Related: Great Barrington MA Tornado: What Really Happened That Memorial Day
The man who carved the first stars
The wall wasn’t there when the building opened in 1961. It didn't show up until 1974. A master stone carver named Harold Vogel was the guy who started it all. He didn't just show up with a hammer and hope for the best; he actually created a template that the Agency still keeps in a safe today.
Vogel carved the first 31 stars by hand. There was no big ceremony. No press release. No ribbons cut. One day the wall was blank, and the next, the stars and the inscription were just there.
The inscription reads:
"In honor of those members of the Central Intelligence Agency who gave their lives in the service of their country."
Since Vogel, a few other carvers have taken up the mantle. For years, Tim Johnston was the man responsible for adding new stars. He uses a pneumatic air hammer and a chisel, and it takes about an hour to finish a single star. He’s said in interviews that it’s a heavy job—literally and figuratively. You aren't just carving stone; you're finishing someone's story.
Why some names are still secret
You might wonder why we still don't know who some of these people are. Take the 1950s or 60s—surely that's long enough ago? Not always. Sometimes, revealing a name could reveal a specific "cover" that is still being used by other officers today. Or it could endanger local assets in foreign countries who helped that officer.
👉 See also: Election Where to Watch: How to Find Real-Time Results Without the Chaos
However, the Agency does occasionally "declassify" a star.
For instance, in recent years, names like Keith Allen Butler and Robert Wilson Brown Jr. were finally added to the Book of Honor. Butler was a paramilitary contractor who died in Afghanistan in 2014. It took years before the Agency felt it was safe to publicly link him to the mission.
The first star
The very first star belongs to Douglas Mackiernan. He died in 1950, but he didn't get his name in the book until 2006. He was a physicist turned intelligence officer who was trying to escape China on horseback after the communist revolution. He was accidentally shot by Tibetan border guards who didn't know who he was.
For over 50 years, he was just a nameless star.
The annual ceremony
Every May, usually around Memorial Day, the CIA holds a private service in the lobby. This is the only time the families of the fallen are invited into the building. It’s also the only time the names of the "undercover" stars are read aloud—but only to the people in that room.
The Director of the CIA usually gives a speech. In 2024, Director William Burns talked about how the wall is a "sacred constellation." It’s a rare moment of transparency in a place that thrives on the opposite.
✨ Don't miss: Daniel Blank New Castle PA: The Tragic Story and the Name Confusion
- The Honor Guard presents the colors.
- Taps is played.
- A wreath is placed.
- Marble replicas of the stars are given to the families.
Modern losses and the changing wall
The wall has grown much faster since 2001. If you look at the layout, you can see how the pace of loss accelerated during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2023, the total hit 140. In 2024 and 2025, the Agency remained quiet about any new additions, though they occasionally reveal names of officers who died decades ago. It’s a living monument. It’s never "finished," which is probably the saddest part about it.
Facts you might not know
- The youngest person on the wall is Barbara Robbins. She was only 21 when she was killed in a bombing in South Vietnam in 1965.
- The stars aren't gold. People often think they are, but they are just carved into the white marble. Only the stars inside the Book of Honor are gold leaf.
- The template for the stars is kept under lock and key to ensure every star added in the future matches the ones Vogel carved in the 70s.
- Contractors count. It’s not just "blue badge" staff officers. Paramilitary contractors who die on CIA missions are also eligible for stars.
What you can do to learn more
You can't exactly buy a ticket to go see the CIA stars on wall. The lobby isn't open to the public. However, the CIA has started being a lot more open on their website.
- Check out the virtual tour: The CIA website has a "Legacy" section where they've posted high-res photos of the wall and the Book of Honor.
- Read the "Fallen" profiles: For the 108 names that have been released, the Agency has posted short biographies. Reading about people like Johnny Micheal Spann (the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan) gives the stars a human face.
- Visit the Arlington National Cemetery: Many of the officers represented by stars on the wall are buried there. While you can't see the stars in Langley, you can pay respects to the individuals in person.
The wall is a reminder that while intelligence work is often portrayed as a game of tech and shadows, it's ultimately about people. Those 140 stars represent lives cut short, many of which we will never fully understand.
If you are interested in the history of US intelligence, you can research the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) memorials, which predated the CIA wall, or look into the stories of the "Ghost Soldiers" from the Vietnam era whose stars were among the first 31 carved.