Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (May 8, 1897 – June 18, 1982) was a United States Navy officer who served as the first Director of Central Intelligence (1947–1950). He oversaw the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the early Cold War. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served in both World Wars. His tenure as CIA director focused on building the agency's structure and intelligence capabilities, but faced criticism for intelligence failures, including the lack of warning for the Korean War. He later returned to naval duties and retired in 1962. Hillenkoetter died in 1982.
