Cold War Diplomacy (1945-1991)

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    Order of Merit of Berlin

    This high German honor was presented to Ambassador Harry Gilmore, U.S. Minister to Berlin, in 1991 for “outstanding contributions to the state of Berlin.” The medallion is in the shape of the Maltese cross with the coat of arms of Berlin in center. Gilmore was the last person to occupy the position.…

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    Portable X-Ray Machine

    X-Ray machines aren’t just used in hospitals and airports, they’re also a crucial tool used by the Diplomatic Security Service to detect threats to U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. This portable x-ray kit, manufactured in 1970s, was used by DSS Technical Security Officers to look for espionage devices, explosives, and other…

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    Podium Seal from U.S Interests Section Havana

    After U.S.-Cuba diplomatic relations were severed in 1961, the U.S. maintained a presence in Havana through an Interests Section from 1977 to 2015. The U.S. and Cuba resumed diplomatic relations on July 20, 2015, when both countries elevated their respective Interests Sections to Embassy status. This metal seal emblem, measuring about 12”…

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    Kerosene Slide & Film Projector

    This kerosene-powered projector from the U.S. Embassy in Singapore is an unusual device dating to the 1950s. It was used by diplomats, particularly those focused on public diplomacy efforts, to show slides or film strips to groups of people in areas with limited or no electricity.

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    Man Portable Air Defense System (MANPADS)

    This inert SA-7 model of a Man Portable Air Defense System (MANPADS) shoulder-launched missile system is an example of a type of conventional weapon removed from circulation under programs funded by the U.S. Department of State. These programs support foreign governments’ efforts world-wide to remove, secure, and/or destroy these weapons that threaten…

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    Toy Cars

    Diplomatic Security Special Agent Patti Morton utilized these toy cars as part of her duties to train employees at U.S. Embassy Saigon in the art of defensive driving, demonstrating various scenarios which a diplomat might encounter on the road. Patti Morton was a trailblazer for women’s rights at the U.S. Department of…

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    Duty Officer Log Book

    An embassy duty officer must handle emergencies of all kinds and provide various types of assistance to American citizens in the host country. This green ledger log book contains notes written by U.S. Embassy Rabat duty officers over three decades (1968-1998) and shows the vital role of a duty officer for embassy…

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    Beijing Banquet Menu

    In April 1971, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China. Their trip was the start of what became known as “ping pong diplomacy” and helped lay the groundwork for establishing official diplomatic relations between the United States and China. Connie Sweeris, one of the nine…

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    Michael Metrinko's Medal of Valor

    Before the Iran hostage crisis began on November 9, 1979, American diplomats in Iran faced the ongoing challenges of serving during the Iranian revolution, which had been unfolding since early 1978. Michael Metrinko, who was the U.S. Consul in Tabriz, Iran faced a chaotic and violent situation in early 1979. Metrinko opted…

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    CORDS Team 18 Plaque

    Plaque honoring the service of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Officer David Lazar, from his colleagues of the Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS) Advisory Team 18, South Vietnam, 1971.