“Only a month after arriving, Bill was killed by bombs that two young boys tossed into a café. He was not the intended target. A promising young officer, a promising young life, taken in error. Taken because Bill Boteler was ready to go to a place of hazard for his country. He is one of the original 31 stars.”

Heroes – William Pierce Boteler
(CIA Website)

June 16, 2025 — William P. Boteler was fatally injured by a bomb blast at the `Little Soho’ restaurant in Nicosia, Cyprus. He succumbed to his injuries a few hours later, at the age of 26. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

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Early Life and Education

On June 9, 1951, William P. Boteler graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in English.

His academic interests spanned philosophy, literature, history, and French. He found his studies relatively easy, often earning good marks without needing to work very hard.

In addition to his studies, the 21-year-old Boteler was an active athlete. He played as a receiver on the football team and served as a catcher and co-captain on the baseball team.

Joining the CIA

Boteler had long been fascinated by the CIA. After graduation, he contacted a Haverford alumnus with CIA connections who promised to vouch for him.

On June 14, 1951, Boteler joined the CIA as a GS-05 intelligence assistant in the East European Division of the Directorate of Plans, later renamed the Directorate of Operations.

Like about 30 other colleagues, he attended the CIA basic training program headed by Princeton-educated Matt Baird.

His instructor was Harry T. Gilbert who had served at Los Alamos and on General Patton’s staff. Gilbert had the responsibility to teach him a basic skill: how to stay alive.

First Mission

After completing accelerated CIA basic training, Boteler purchased a $5,000 life insurance from a friend.

In the fall of 1951, he was assigned to an operational post in Germany, where he recruited and trained East European refugees for intelligence gathering and operations aimed at destabilizing Communist regimes behind the Iron Curtain.

While in Europe, Boteler was working undercover as a US Army First lieutenant.

In March 1953, Boteler completed his European tour and returned to the United States to enter an Agency-sponsored military basic training program.

Second Mission

In January 1954, he was deployed to Korea as an operations officer and paramilitary specialist.

There, he worked under cover of an Air Force officer. His name was slightly altered to Butler. He completed this tour in late 1955.

In January 1956, William P. Boteler was scheduled to begin a new overseas assignment in Europe. However, due to recent changes in Selective Service rules, he was required to fulfill additional months of Agency-sponsored military service.

This allowed him to complete his military obligation through CIA-sponsored intelligence work. The Metamorphosis of the CIA Allen Welsh Dulles became the CIA Director in February 1953.

Under his leadership, the agency successfully ousted two democratically elected officials: Iran’s premier Mohammad Mossadegh (Operation TP AJAX 1953) and Guatemala’s leader Jacobo Arbenz Guzman.

Last Mission

By early June 1956, Boteler had completed his military duty and was dispatched to Cyprus as a GS-11 Operations Officer.

He was acclimating to his new environment, learning the local language, and establishing important operational and political contacts.

The CIA did not even have a real station on the island and Boteler for the sole case officer in the country.

The tiny island was however a strategic spot for the US as all communications from the Middle East to Washington go through a relay station located in Cyprus.

With no US military presence, Boteler worked under cover of a vice-consul. Cyprus was experiencing a violent struggle between Greek Cypriots, who sought union with Greece (Enosis), and the British colonial government, which aimed to maintain control over the island.

The conflict also involved tensions with the Turkish Cypriot minority, making Cyprus a high-risk location for intelligence operations. Given the island’s strategic significance during the Cold War, Boteler’s work was critical.

Death

On June 16, 1956, after leaving his office, Boteler stopped for dinner at the ‘Little Soho’ restaurant, a popular spot for British nationals in the old city.

The nearby Ledra Street was known as “Murder Mile” because of the numerous people who had been killed there in recent months.

The windows of the restaurant were covered with wires to protect the customers from hand grenades. The US Consul had advised all citizens to avoid the old city and its restaurants at night.

CIA personnel had also been instructed not to frequent these places. Boteler was seated near the front door, normally kept closed and locked.

But the evening was very hot, and the door was left open to enjoy a bit a breeze… He could recognize a few familiar faces, all working for the CIA Communications Center.

At 9.39 pm, two young boys threw bombs under his table. The explosion left him critically injured, and he succumbed to his wounds a few hours later at the age of 26.

Boteler was the first American killed in a 14-month period of terrorist violence in the British colony. Reuters `mistakenly’ reported his death as that of a vice consul.

His body was returned to the U.S. under diplomatic status.

Aftermath

Three weeks later, a letter titled Tragic Mistake,” signed by the leader of the EOKA group (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, or National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters”), arrived at the American Consulate.

The letter expressed regret, stating that the bombs were intended for British officials, not American personnel.

EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist guerrilla organization, had been fighting to end British rule and achieve union with Greece.

As noted on the CIA’s website, “Bill was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Four years after Boteler’s death, Cyprus gained independence from British rule on August 16, 1960, following the Zurich and London Agreements.

The Republic of Cyprus was established with a constitution that ensured power-sharing between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

A main avenue in Nicosia is named after General Grivas, the head of EOKA, who is remembered by Greek Cypriots as the father of their independence.

Memorial Wall and Book of Honor

William P. Boteler is commemorated as one of the original 31 stars on the CIA Memorial Wall.

His name was included in the initial Book of Honor, as it was drafted in July 1974.

In this first edition of the Book of Honor, Boteler’s name appears as the first of the four stars listed for the year 1956.

The initial Book of Honor listed names alphabetically rather than by date of death, placing Boteler’s name at the top of the four 1956 entries.

As stated earlier, I have chosen to organize the first 78 stars according to the date of death.

REFERENCES

“Heroes – William Pierce Boteler.” — Central Intelligence Agency.

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CIA Memorial Wall — STAR 4 : William Pierce Boteler (Cyprus – June 16, 1956)