“Among the more than fifty-eight thousand Americans who gave their lives [to thwart the advance of communism in Southeast Asia] were eighteen members of the Central Intelligence Agency, their sacrifices marked by stars carved into CIA’s Memorial Wall.”
CIA and the Wars in Southeast Asia (1947–75)
Studies in Intelligence (2016)
June 21, 2026 — Paul Claude Davis served as a paramilitary officer in the CIA. He was killed in Vietnam on June 21, 1971, when he stepped on a landmine. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY
RELATED POST : CIA Memorial Wall — STAR 1 : Douglas S. Mackiernan (Tibet – April 29, 1950)
RELATED POST : CIA Memorial Wall — Star 31 : John W. Kearns (Laos – December 15, 1972)
RELATED POST : CIA Annual Ceremony — 50th Anniversary of the Memorial Wall (May 17, 2024) [UPDATE — Earliest known photo of the CIA Memorial Wall]
Early Life and Education — Paul Claude Davis was born on July 8, 1941, in the United States to parents Lucius Calvin Davis and Willa Ferne (née Doty) Davis.
CIA Career and Death — Davis served as a paramilitary officer with the CIA. On June 21, 1971, he was killed in Vietnam after stepping on a landmine.
Memorial Wall and Book of Honor — Davis is buried in Arcadia, Los Angeles County, California. He is memorialized as one of the original 31 stars on the CIA Memorial Wall, and his name is inscribed in the CIA’s Book of Honor.
Despite his death occurring over half a century ago, the CIA has never released details regarding his work or the specific circumstances surrounding his passing.
CIA and the Wars in Southeast Asia
In February 1973, CIA officers proposed placing a memorial plaque at CIA Headquarters to honor employees who had died in Southeast Asia, primarily in Laos and Vietnam.
This idea later expanded to recognize all CIA officers who had fallen in the line of duty, leading to the creation of the CIA Memorial Wall and the Book of Honor in July 1974 with 31 stars.
There was no official dedication for the Memorial Wall. According to the CIA, the “Earliest known photo of the CIA Memorial Wall” was actually taken at least a year later, around 1975, by which time the wall already displayed 33 stars.
REFERENCES
“CIA and the Wars in Southeast Asia (1947–75).” Studies in Intelligence, August 2016. CIA website.
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CIA Memorial Wall — Star 27 : Paul C. Davis (Vietnam – June 21 1971)
“Director William Colby approved the 31 original stars in April 1974. Three months later, [Master Stone Carver Harold] Vogel carved the Memorial. It was done without fanfare. No ceremony was held; no pictures were taken. The stars and inscription simply appeared.“
CIA Website
(July 2024)
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