Support the Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act

Urge your United States House of Representative to honor our World War II heroes of the OSS by passing a resolution to all the granting of the Congressional Gold Medal to veterans of the Office of Strategic Services, forerunners of the Central Intelligence Agency.

On Nov. 4, 2015 Senators Roy Blunt [R-MO] and Mark Warner [D-VA] introduced a Bill to the Senate which would award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II. This bill passed in the Senate on Feb. 22, 2016, and has gone on to the House for consideration.

At its peak, during World War II, the OSS was comprised of 13,000 personnel recruited from all parts of American society. The ideal OSS recruit was once described as “a Ph.D. who could win a bar fight,” and indeed, some of America’s leading academics were recruited by the OSS’ Research and Analysis Branch. Along with gathering intelligence, the OSS Jedburgh teams and Operational Groups took more direct action against the enemy. Many  OSS members went behind enemy lines, where they trained, supplied and led resistance movements in Europe and Asia.  The OSS laid the foundation for U.S. national security and present day intelligence and special operations communities.

Read More – Defense Media Network

Featured Image: Maj. Gen. William J. Donovan poses with members of the OSS Operational Groups, forerunners of today’s U.S special operations forces, at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., which served as an OSS training facility. Under a bill introduced by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), the members of the OSS would be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal. Via Defense Media Network.