This is a part of our series about CIA employees who have made the
ultimate sacrifice. Here we will look at the lives of the men and women who
have died while serving their country.
Currently, there are 89 stars carved into the marble of the CIA Memorial
Wall. The wall stands as a silent, simple memorial to those employees “who gave
their lives in the service of their country.” The CIA has released the names of
54 employees; the names of the remaining 35 officers must remain secret, even
in death.
A positive attitude is a quality that is admired in a
person. This is one of many attributes that James (Jim) A. Rawlings brought to
his career as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) logistics officer. In January
1975, Jim was on board a cargo plane that crashed over Vietnam. He was
declared missing. A year later, the CIA issued a “presumptive determination” of
death.
Patriotic Duty
Jim was a native of the Washington,
D.C. area and attended Benjamin
Franklin University
(which is now part of George
Washington University)
where he earned a bachelor’s degree in commercial science.
Armed with his degree and looking for a way to make a
difference in the world, Jim joined the CIA in May 1955 as a clerk in the
Records Integration Division of the Directorate for Plans (now the National
Clandestine Service). It was a historical and exciting time to be joining
the Agency, which was in the midst of its formative years.
Jim’s son, James A. Rawlings, Jr.—who is currently an Agency
employee—felt that his father’s reasons for joining the Agency at the time were
purely patriotic.
“It was the mission and what the Agency was responsible
for,” James said. “It was a way to do something that was important.”
During his career at the CIA, Jim wore many different hats.
He worked as an Agency courier and a property and supply officer in the Office
of Logistics. Jim also served in logistical positions around the world, and he
often volunteered for overseas tours for the good of the mission.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Jim developed a reputation as a hard worker and someone who
could get the job done. He considered no job too large or too difficult to
accomplish.
“My father knew how to get the job done, but at the same
time, he had a good sense of humor,” James said. “He liked to keep things light
as much as possible.”
Jim also was known for his dedication to the mission and his
integrity. And he never failed to help out a friend in need.
“My father had a real sense of family in that if other folks
needed help, he would always be there, especially overseas,” James said.
Another portrayal of Jim’s determination and perseverance
was his aptitude for bowling. While serving overseas, Jim bowled in several
leagues and tournaments. Jim’s son said that he probably could have been a
professional bowler.
“My father had over a 200 average in every league he ever
bowled in,” James said. “I was always trying to beat him. I came close a couple
times, but I never did.”
Like Father, Like Son
Jim’s career at the Agency made an impression on his son,
who followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Agency as soon as he
graduated from college. He didn’t even consider other options.
“I felt like this was the right place for me to be,” James
said.
Like his father, James is also a support officer, but he has
spent most of his 30-year career in the Office of Finance.
“My father’s career at the Agency taught me a lot,” he said.
“As support officers, both he and I work hard to support our coworkers. Not all
of us are analysts or collectors. A support officer’s job is to do whatever you
can to make sure that the other people you’re working with can accomplish their
jobs.”
Closure
James was 16 years old when he learned about the plane
crash. Up until his father’s remains were discovered in the early 90s, James
always wondered if it were possible that his father was still alive.
“We felt both relief and disappointment when we found out,”
James said. “Finally finding my father’s remains brought closure for my
family.”
Jim’s family decided to hold a small, private ceremony to
bury the remains of their husband and father in February 1994.
Remembering a Hero
In February 1976, then-DCI George Bush posthumously awarded
Jim the Exceptional Service Emblem (now the Exceptional Service Medallion).
Jim’s memory lives on with a star on the Agency’s Memorial
Wall. His name also appears in the Book of Honor. He is survived by his wife
Linda, his son James, his daughter Lisa, and three grand-daughters—Jessica,
Stephanie and Emily.
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