Director of Central Intelligence

The Office of United States Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) was established by U.S. President Harry Truman on January 23 1946 with Admiral Sidney Souers occupying the position. The DCI was coordinating intelligence activities among and between the various United States intelligence agencies, also called the American Intelligence Community.

Until April 2005, the DCI also served as de facto Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and was often referred to colloquially as the "CIA Director." After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent investigation by the 9/11 Commission, a movement grew to re-organize the Intelligence Community. That movement prompted the creation, on April 21, 2005, of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), in whose purview was the job portfolio that had been performed previously by the Director of Central Intelligence. The latter position then ceased to exist.

List of Directors of Central Intelligence (in chronological order)

Director Tenure
RADM Sidney Souers, USNR January 23 1946June 10 1946
LTG Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USA June 10 1946May 1 1947
RADM Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, USN May 1 1947October 7, 1950
GEN Walter Bedell Smith, USA October 7 1950February 9 1953
Allen W. Dulles February 26, 1953November 29, 1961
John McCone November 29 1961April 28 1965
VADM William Raborn, USN (Ret.) April 28 1965June 30 1966
Richard M. Helms June 30 1966February 2 1973
James R. Schlesinger February 2, 1973July 2 1973
William E. Colby September 4 1973January 30 1976
George H. W. Bush January 30 1976January 20 1977
ADM Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.) March 9 1977January 20 1981
William J. Casey January 28 1981January 29 1987
William H. Webster May 26 1987August 31 1991
Robert M. Gates November 6 1991January 20 1993
R. James Woolsey February 5 1993January 10 1995
John M. Deutch May 10 1995December 15 1996
George J. Tenet July 11 1997July 11, 2004
Porter J. Goss September 24, 2004April 21, 2005
Position replaced by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Director of National Intelligence.


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