David Gardner Binney

West Point, 1964

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Laury Binney on October 9, 2008:

The Binney family wanted to share Dave's obituary with his classmates. Please know that his time at the academy and the friendships that he developed and sustained over the years meant the world to him. David Binney, Former FBI Deputy Director Former Deputy Director of the FBI, David Gardner Binney died Saturday, October 4th, at his home in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. He was 67. Born November 3, 1940 in Rochester New Hampshire to Henry E. and Alyce F. (MacDonald) Binney, he was raised in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Second oldest in a family of twelve, he graduated in the first year of the King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham. He entered West Point in 1960 as the last military academy appointment of Senator John F. Kennedy prior to his ascension to the Presidency. He graduated from West Point in 1964, and served in the Army from June 1964 until December 1969 attaining the rank of captain. He served with the 25th Division in Vietnam, the 5th Division in Colorado, and was an aide-de-camp in Aberdeen Maryland before leaving the Army. His military service included a 13-month tour in Vietnam in 1966 as a Forward Observer with the 27th Infantry Wolfhound Regiment, and where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge for "Valor Under Fire". He entered the FBI in 1970 and served in field offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1976, he earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Indiana Law School. Transferred to FBI headquarters in February 1977, he returned to the field in October 1979 where he served in the New York City field office as supervisor in the organized crime program. In March 1985, Mr. Binney was named Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Washington Metropolitan field Office. He was later promoted to Inspector-in-Place. In June 1988, Mr. Binney was placed in charge of the FBI's National Drug Program at FBI Headquarters. In August 1989, he was designated Special Agent in Charge of the St Louis Field Office. In March 1991, he was again assigned to the FBI Headquarters as Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, Inspector Division. In May 1992, he was named Assistant Director, Inspection Division and in February 1994, he was appointed Deputy Director of the FBI. Following his retirement from the FBI in December 1994, Mr. Binney served as Chief Information Officer and head of corporate security at IBM in Armonk, NY until 2003. To many he was a legend at the FBI. Prior to his promotion as Deputy Director, he was a lead investigator in cases that are still the stuff of bureau lore, such as the "Pizza Connection" heroin busts in the 1980s. It was during this assignment that Mr. Binney had a number of significant successes against several New York mobsters, including cases such as the "Fat Tony Salerno" case, an outstanding investigation that eventually led to the famous "Commission" case. He also helped oversee and conduct the investigative operations at both Ruby Ridge, Idaho and the Branch Davidian compound in Waco Texas. Mr. Binney is survived by his wife, Carolyn Black Binney, and two sons, Steven, from Reston, Virginia, a graduate of the Citadel, and Geoffrey, from The Woodlands, Texas, a graduate of West Point, from his marriage to Linda MacAffee, and five grandchildren. He is also survived by seven brothers, three sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. Please send donations instead of flowers to American Diabetes Association, Alzheimer's Association, or Pet Helpers

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