columbarium of Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Virginia on September 24, 2022. At the time of his death, CIA director William J. Burns hailed him as a "legend and inspiration to every Agency officer." His death occurred the day after a U.S. drone strike killed Osama bin Laden's successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who as Bin Laden's deputy had been one of Schroen's targets. Schoen was a noted fan of the Comic Sans font. In popular culture Schroen's experiences in Afghanistan prior to September 11 were chronicled in Steve Coll's 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Ghost Wars. Schroen was also one of several inspirations for the 2006 two-part miniseries The Path to 9/11 character CIA Operative "Kirk", who writers said was a compilation based on several actual people. See also Gary Berntsen Cofer Black Operation Cyclone Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History Charlie Wilson's War (2007 film) References Further reading Steve Coll, Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001, Penguin Press (February 2004) . Michael Smith, Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America's Most Secret Special Operations Team, St. Martin's Press (August 2011) External links PBS Frontline – The Dark Side: Interview with Gary C. Schroen transcript 1941 births 2022 deaths 21st-century American memoirists Accidental deaths from falls Accidental deaths in Virginia American spies Military personnel from Illinois People from East St. Louis, Illinois People of the Central Intelligence Agency Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni United States Army soldiers