The CIA, as well as any intelligence agency is quite fond of sobriquets (nicknames), which they primarily use to obscure the legitimate functions of whatever it is that has been so named. Below I have listed just a few of the sobriquets used by the CIA and other agencies and offer some details.
1. Blu U - This is named after the color of the building in which new agents are tought the tricks of the trade as it pertains to black bag jobs (Lock picking, envelope opening, general B&E). They also teach a photography course designed for tailing.
2. Children's World - Translated from the Russian term "Detskiy Mir". This, believe it or not, is the name of the former KGB torture center and execution site! The real name is the Lubyanka. It got this unusual name due to the fact that it is adjacent to a real toy store located on the other side of Dzerzhinsky Square.
3. Great White Case Officer - The nickname given to Allen Dulles during his reign as CIA bossman in the 50's.
4. Moby Dick - This was a joint CIA/Air Force program to float high altitude balloons over the Soviet Union. Onboard the balloons, which were launched from West Germany and picked up in Japan, were cameras. Yes folks, this is the original spy plane! Needless to say, the Russians caught on quickly and the program did not last very long. Besides, who needed it any more after the U2 debuted?
5. No Knock - The nickname for James Angleton. So named because he could walk directly into the director's office without knocking. To my knowledge, he was the only agent with such privilege.
6. Palace of Amusements - Yes, the Russians named this one. It refers to the KGB headquarters of the Kremlin Commandant within the Kremlin walls.
7. Tastee Freeze - The nickname for the auditorium at the CIA campus at Langley.
8. Bluebirds - The buses used by the CIA to transport company folk to various agency instillations around Northern Virginia. Yes, they're blue. :shh:
9. Coffin squat - Tool kits designed to be hidden in the rectum. Actually, the nickname is used to describe the position in which you sit while authorities check for these little trinkets.
10. La Piscine - French for "The Swimming Pool". It just so happens that the external offices of the DGSE are located right beside one.
Anyhoo, this is just the start of many happy posts about the lesser known facts of the intelligence world. I hope you enjoyed it and please, check back for more! If anyone else has any unusual CIA/Intelligence related factoids, please share! The more the merrier.
1. Blu U - This is named after the color of the building in which new agents are tought the tricks of the trade as it pertains to black bag jobs (Lock picking, envelope opening, general B&E). They also teach a photography course designed for tailing.
2. Children's World - Translated from the Russian term "Detskiy Mir". This, believe it or not, is the name of the former KGB torture center and execution site! The real name is the Lubyanka. It got this unusual name due to the fact that it is adjacent to a real toy store located on the other side of Dzerzhinsky Square.
3. Great White Case Officer - The nickname given to Allen Dulles during his reign as CIA bossman in the 50's.
4. Moby Dick - This was a joint CIA/Air Force program to float high altitude balloons over the Soviet Union. Onboard the balloons, which were launched from West Germany and picked up in Japan, were cameras. Yes folks, this is the original spy plane! Needless to say, the Russians caught on quickly and the program did not last very long. Besides, who needed it any more after the U2 debuted?
5. No Knock - The nickname for James Angleton. So named because he could walk directly into the director's office without knocking. To my knowledge, he was the only agent with such privilege.
6. Palace of Amusements - Yes, the Russians named this one. It refers to the KGB headquarters of the Kremlin Commandant within the Kremlin walls.
7. Tastee Freeze - The nickname for the auditorium at the CIA campus at Langley.
8. Bluebirds - The buses used by the CIA to transport company folk to various agency instillations around Northern Virginia. Yes, they're blue. :shh:
9. Coffin squat - Tool kits designed to be hidden in the rectum. Actually, the nickname is used to describe the position in which you sit while authorities check for these little trinkets.
10. La Piscine - French for "The Swimming Pool". It just so happens that the external offices of the DGSE are located right beside one.
Anyhoo, this is just the start of many happy posts about the lesser known facts of the intelligence world. I hope you enjoyed it and please, check back for more! If anyone else has any unusual CIA/Intelligence related factoids, please share! The more the merrier.
