Distinguished Intelligence Cross
title: "Distinguished Intelligence Cross" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["awards-and-decorations-of-the-central-intelligence-agency"] topic_path: "general/awards-and-decorations-of-the-central-intelligence-agency" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Intelligence_Cross" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="infobox award"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Distinguished Intelligence Cross |
| image | File:Distinguished Intelligence Cross.png |
| presenter | Central Intelligence Agency |
| country | United States of America |
| eligibility | Employees of the Central Intelligence Agency |
| awarded_for | "For a voluntary act or acts of extraordinary heroism involving the acceptance of existing dangers with conspicuous fortitude and exemplary courage." |
| lower | Distinguished Intelligence Medal |
| related | National Intelligence Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross |
| image2 | File:Distinguished Intelligence Cross Ribbon.jpg |
| :: |
| name = Distinguished Intelligence Cross | image = File:Distinguished Intelligence Cross.png | presenter = Central Intelligence Agency | country = United States of America | eligibility = Employees of the Central Intelligence Agency | awarded_for = "For a voluntary act or acts of extraordinary heroism involving the acceptance of existing dangers with conspicuous fortitude and exemplary courage." | lower = Distinguished Intelligence Medal | related = National Intelligence Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross | image2 = File:Distinguished Intelligence Cross Ribbon.jpg
The Distinguished Intelligence Cross is the highest decoration awarded by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. It is given for "a voluntary act or acts of extraordinary heroism involving the acceptance of existing dangers with conspicuous fortitude and exemplary courage". Only a handful of people have been awarded this medal in the history of the agency, most posthumously. As a consequence, it is one of the rarest awards for valor in the United States.
The cross is the agency's equivalent of the military's Service Cross, i.e., Navy Cross, Army Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross. The agency has two awards for valor; the other is the Intelligence Star, which is analogous to the military's Silver Star.
Known recipients
- Leo F. Baker, posthumously for the Bay of Pigs invasion
- William F. Buckley
- John T. Downey
- Richard Fecteau
- Wade C. Gray, posthumously for the Bay of Pigs invasion
- James Monroe, CIA paramilitary officer during Vietnam War
- Thomas W. "Pete" Ray, posthumously for the Bay of Pigs invasion
- Riley W. Shamburger, posthumously for the Bay of Pigs invasion
- Greg Vogle, paramilitary officer and CIA trailblazer
- Molly Huckaby Hardy, posthumously for the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Nairobi
- David N. Tyson, for actions during the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
References
References
- ''The very best men: four who dared, the early years of the CIA'', by Evan Thomas, published by Simon and Schuster, 1996.
- "Retired CIA Officers Receive Distinguished Intelligence Cross — Central Intelligence Agency".
- "CIA Medals: FACTBOOK ON INTELLIGENCE".
- ''Bush at War'', Bob Woodward, Simon and Schuester, 2002, page 317.
- Gup, Ted (2000). ''The Book of Honor: Cover Lives and Classified Deaths at the CIA''.
- [https://39th.org/39th/aerial/62nd/Crew_51/bakerleo.htm Leo F. Baker]
- "Cold War arrest of US spies offers lesson for Iran diplomacy".
- "Cold War arrest of US spies offers lesson for Iran diplomacy".
- "Pete Ray, Leo Baker, Riley Shamburger, Wade Gray - CIA".
- (November 27, 2023). "CIA at war".
- [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-15-mn-29130-story.html LATimes.com - Bay of Pigs: the Secret Death of Pete Ray]
- (18 September 2017). "The CIA honored the officer who saved Hamid Karzai's life".
- (2021-10-28). "The CIA acknowledges the legendary spy who saved Hamid Karzai's life — and honors him by name". [[The Washington Post]].
- "20th Anniversary of the US Embassy Bombings in East Africa — Central Intelligence Agency".
- Harnden, Toby, "First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11". Little, Brown, 2021. p. 310-311
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