(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000400350020-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 2, 1999
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: November 28, 1961
• Content Type: SPEECH

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PRESIDENT KENNEDY
FOIAb3b
Mr. Dulles, Mr. McCone and members of the Central Intelligence Agency.
I want to first of all express my appreciation to you all for the
opportunity that this ceremony gives to tell you how grateful we are in
the Government and in the country for the services that the personnel
of this Agency rendered to the country. It is not always easy, your
successes are unheralded, your failures are trumpeted. I sometimes have
that feeling about myself...(laughter) but I am sure you realize how
important your work, how essential it is, and how in the long sweep of
history how significant your efforts will be judged. So I do want to
express my appreciation to you now and I am confident that in the future
you will continue to merit the appreciation of our country as you have
in the past. I am also particularly grateful because this ceremony gives
us all an opportunity to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant.
0 Allen Dulles' career as a citizen of this country and one who has made his
vast resources, personal resources, available to this country stretches all
the way back to the administration of President Woodrow Wilson. I know of
no other American in the history of this country who has served in seven
administrations of seven presidents, varying from party to party, from point
to view to point of view, from problem to problem, and yet at the end of
each administration, each President of the United States has paid tribute
to his service and also has counted Allen Dulles as their friend. This is
an extraordinary record and I know that all of you who have worked with him
understand why this record has been made. I regard Allen Dulles as an almost
unique figure in our country. I know of no man who brings a greater sense
of personal committment to his work, who has less pride in office than he has
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ad therefore I was most gratified when we were permitted today to come out
to this Agency to present this award to him in your presence. I would like
to read the citation. Allen Welsh Dulles (would you step forward Al) is
hereby awarded the National Security Medal. (He has every other decoration
and so we wanted to give him this one.) as principal intelligence advisor
to the President of the United States. Mr. Dulles has fulfilled the
responsibilities of his office with unswerving purpose and high dedication.
His ten years of service in the Central Intelligence Agency have been the
climax of a lifetime of unprecedented and devoted public service. Beginning
in the first world war and stretching through the administration of seven
presidents, the outstanding contributions that Mr. Dulles has made to the
security of the United States have been based upon a profound knowledge of
the role of the intelligence officer, a broad understanding of international
.relations and a naturally keen judgment of man and affairs. The zestful energy
and undaunted integrity of his service to his country will be an enduring
example to the profession he has done so much to create.
I hereby present the United States of America to all that shall see these
presents greetings. This is to certify that the President of the United
States,. of America has awarded the National Security Medal to Allen W. Dulles
for, outstanding contributions to the National Intelligence Effort. November 1961.
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