oss

The WWI hero that pioneered US global intelligence

On the eve of the United States entering World War II, the U.S. was woefully unprepared—both militarily and in the realm of intelligence. The United States did not have a professional intelligence service, but that was about to change. President Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the need for a professional global intelligence service. He was worried […]

Betty Pack: The WWII intelligence asset who weaponized sex

More and more stories are coming to light about the operatives who worked in the shadows during the Second World War, and many of them were women. By now most people have heard about Virginia Hall, the famous “Limping Lady” of the OSS, and her exploits, as well as many others. One of the more […]

How Special Forces operators commemorate their lineage

What a better way to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day then by jumping into Normandy? Green Berets assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducted static line and free-fall parachute drops on a drop zone in Normandy, France, last week. The Air Force’s 352nd Special Operations Wing and 86th Airlift Wing provided three […]

10th Special Forces Group Troops Parachute into Normandy

Seventy-five years ago, thousands of American and British paratroops were waiting on the go-ahead to begin the airborne assault on Normandy during World War II. The airborne assault on Hitler’s Fortress Europe was expected to be a very bloody affair for the airborne troops which were expected to suffer grievous casualties in the opening days […]

Photo of the Day, SOCOM Inducts Four Into Commando Hall of Honor

USSOCOM held a ceremony on April 18 at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and inducted four very deserving people into SOCOM’s Commando Hall of Honor. Leading the way was OSS and CIA trailblazer Virginia Hall. Hall will be the subject of a motion picture starring Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley in the near future. Virginia Hall, […]

Remembering Moe Berg, MLB Catcher, OSS Operative, Born March 2, 1902

Moe Berg was one of the more fascinating characters in the world of both professional baseball and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II. After playing professional baseball for 15 years and coaching for two more, he joined the OSS and was an operative in Europe during the war. But prior to […]

RIP To W.E.B. Griffin, Noted Author Novelist, and Korean Veteran

William E. Butterworth, who wrote under the pen name W.E.B. Griffin has died. He was 89. His passing was acknowledged by his publisher, Putnam, but they didn’t add any other details. He also wrote under several other names as well. Griffin was a prolific and very successful novelist whose, “Brotherhood of War” series along with […]

Museum celebrates America’s intelligence and special operations forces

The Intelligence and Special Operations Museum is one step closer to completion after a donation of $10 million by The Star Foundation. The museum, currently under construction, celebrates the lineage of America’s Intelligence and Special Operations Forces (SOF) communities. Charles Pinck, president of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society, said “we are incredibly grateful […]

William “Wild Bill” Donovan Born Jan.1, Head of OSS, Forerunner of CIA

William Donovan was a man who many hats, he was a decorated soldier, diplomat, intelligence officer, as well as a lawyer. He’s best known as the founder and commander of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was the forerunner to both the CIA and the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets). He is considered […]

William “Wild Bill” Donovan OSS, Awarded the Medal of Honor in WWI

When the name “Wild Bill” Donovan is mentioned, most think of the World War II OSS (Office of Strategic Services) which later became CIA and another part of it branched off to later become the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) of today. But what many people don’t realize is that long before he became […]

“The Catcher Was a Spy” Moe Berg, OSS, A Swing, and a Miss

Like most Special Forces guys, especially of my generation, I can’t get enough of OSS (Office of Strategic Services) from World War II. OSS was the “Greatest Generation” version of both CIA and the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) as both sprang forth from the extraordinary organization that General William “Wild Bill” Donovan built […]