via Washington Post.
In the foyer of the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters, there is a marble wall covered in stars. They are carved divots that represent those who have fallen in the service of the CIA. Below them, jutting out from the polished rock, is a black book entombed in a case of glass and steel. The book is a guide to the stars, giving the names of some of those who died and withholding the names of others.Jesus.
On the pages of the CIA’s Book of Honor are 111 hand-drawn stars organized by the years those officers died. For 2007, there is a single, anonymous star.
It belongs to Marine Maj. Douglas Alexander Zembiec.
Long thought to be an active-duty Marine when he was killed in Baghdad, Zembiec was actually serving with the CIA’s paramilitary arm. While the CIA would not comment on whether Zembiec worked for the agency, former U.S. intelligence officials said in interviews that he died in an alley in Sadr City on May 11, 2007, as a member of the Special Activities Division’s Ground Branch.
I never knew he was in any way affiliated with the CIA.
All I do know is the guy should have had pure dee' stud tattooed on his forehead.
Want to know what an Officer of Marines should shoot for? Want to know who he should attempt to model themselves after? Look no further than Major Z. The guy is a legend and for good reason.
I had hear about the Maj. a few years ago. There's a few officers and hard asses still around that embody what Maj. Zembiec stood for, led with, and died for. What a Marine, and a man! I would have followed him with a spoon also.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Sol.
His hometown paper ran the story today. My respects and gratitude to the families that raised and supported this man. I hope ABQ does something suitable as a city memorial for him and all his comrades.
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