    cartome.org

29 August 2001

Source: http://www.odci.gov/cia/ciakids/aerial/index.html

source: CIA's Homepage for Kids
Harry Recon: Ace Photo Pigeon

Hi, kids! My name is Harry Recon, and this is my twin sister, Aerial. She's going to tell you about the History of the CIA in another section of the kid's page. We know some great books, too! Read all about it! My parents named me after President Harry Truman, who created the Central Intelligence Agency when he signed the National Security Act on Sept. 18, 1947. My family has always supported the Agency and its predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), roosting wherever it was camped and keeping an eye out in defense of our country, too.

In 1961, when the Agency moved from downtown Washington, DC, to Langley, Virginia, we naturally followed. My dad says that we Recons have been in the intelligence operations business throughout US history:

- With Paul Revere on his midnight ride.
- With Virginia Hall as she arrived in France during World War II.
- Winging along side the U-2 as it took off to gather overhead pictures.

Let Aerial tell you more about where we live and work and about our family history.

Family History

The cameras Harry and I have were handed down to us by two great aunts. They were part of the homing pigeon team that flew over the International Photographic Exhibition in Dresden in 1909. You may want to read more about the Bavarian Pigeon Corps at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) web site. The idea of using pigeons for aerial photography in a military setting never really got off the ground, so to speak. However, these pigeons provided wonderful postcards for the people at the Exhibition. Mom has some of those postcards hanging on the roost wall, and they are pretty. She let Harry and me have the cameras when we got older so we could carry on the family tradition of taking pictures. It's like carrying a bit of history around with us all the time! Check out some of our postcards!

Well, history is exciting and interesting to learn, and the history of intelligence and the people and methods used to gather it are probably among the most fascinating areas of history. Come with me and let me introduce you to some of these great historical figures in this special world.

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