RETIREMENT OF RICHARD STOLZ (Senate - March 14, 1991)

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Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my friend Dick Stolz, who retired recently from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Dick was born in Dayton, OH, and graduated from Amherst College. After 3 years in the Army, he joined the CIA in 1950. Dick served his country well in various European posts throughout the cold war and at CIA headquarters during and after the Vietnam war until he left the Agency the first time in 1981.

I got to know Dick very well in the late 1970's and early 1980's during my tenure on the Intelligence Committee. I came to respect and admire him as an example of the best our intelligence services can produce. There is nothing of the `cowboy' about Dick. An Iran/Contra caper would be outside his ken. He epitomizes the careful, calm intelligence operator who understands, accepts, and respects the limitations democracy imposes on intelligence activities.

I recall sitting in Dick's home in one of his European postings, watching the first shuttle takeoff on his television set and talking about world events. It was one of those unrehearsed and off-the-record conversations that remains in my mind because of the professionalism and dedication he reflected.

When William Webster took over as CIA Director after William Casey's death, he brought Dick Stolz back to the Agency as his head `spymaster.' As Deputy Director of Operations he presided over some of our Nation's most delicate intelligence operations at a time of dramatic change around the world.

Mr. President, last month, Dick Stolz was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA's highest honor. Few have deserved this accolade more than Dick. I want to congratulate him and thank him for his 35 years of service to his country.

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