On this day in 1946, The Central Intelligence Group, the predecessor to the CIA, was founded by President Harry Truman. The event was commemorated by the President in a most unusual way, as remembered by Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy:
“At lunch today in the White House, with only members of the Staff present, [Rear Adm.] Sidney Souers and I were presented [by President Truman] with black cloaks, black hats, and wooden daggers, and the President read an amusing directive to us outlining some of our duties in the Central Intelligence Agency ‘Cloak and Dagger Group of Snoopers.’”
