National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations

06/10/2024

Register now for the next installment in our "Oh So Social" Conversation Series that will take place tomorrow at 5 p.m. Dr. Mike Vickers will interview CrowdStrike founder Dmitri Alperovitch about his new book, "World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century." Register at https://world_on_the_brink.eventbrite.com

06/09/2024

The OSS Maritime Unit was activated OTD 1943. It is the precursor to the Navy SEALs. Read “First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America’s Most Elite Unit” by Patrick K. O'Donnell.

First SEALs

06/08/2024

Betty McIntosh, who pioneered psychological operations as part of the OSS Morale Operations Branch, died OTD 2015. She wrote the definitive history of women who served in OSS, “Sisterhood of Spies”: amzn.to/4bQmRqy Her OSS service is honored in our short documentary, “The Tip of the Spear: From Virginia Hall to Gina Haspel”: https://vimeo.com/907559519/aa40d25e91

06/08/2024

This is "Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France (80th)" by The OSS Society on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

06/06/2024

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we are honored to share The OSS Society’s award-winning short documentary, “Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France,” which tells the story of Allied special forces whose daring exploits before and after D-Day changed the course of WW2.

This is "Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France (80th)" by The OSS Society on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

06/03/2024

If you are in Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, please join The OSS Society for a screening of its award-winning short documentary, “Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France.” The screening will be held at the Carentan Theater, 2 Rue de la Halle, 50500 Carentan-les-Marais, on June 4th at 8 p.m.

06/03/2024

06/02/2024

General Donovan’s double is at the 80th anniversary of D-Day. General Donovan went ashore on Utah Beach with Col. David Bruce on D-Day+1 against the direct orders of Navy Secretary James Forrestal. He and Bruce were strafed by a German Messerschmitt.

05/29/2024

The OSS’s legendary Moe Berg died OTD 1972. Berg was sent on what was arguably the war’s most important mission to determine the status of N**i Germany’s atomic bomb programs. He went to Switzerland to hear a talk by Germany’s leading atomic physicist, Werner Heisenberg. Berg concluded that Germany was not close to building its own atomic bomb. Berg received the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. The name of his mission - AZUSA - is inscribed on the OSS Congressional Gold Medal.

05/27/2024

05/27/2024

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2024/05/losing-hearts-and-minds-desperate-state-us-influence-operations/396889/

The United States is surrendering ground to Russia and China’s propaganda machines. That has key officials increasingly worried.

05/24/2024

In 2022, The OSS Society installed a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery
to honor its personnel who were killed or missing in action. On this Memorial Day weekend, please remember that OSS founder Gen. William Donovan said OSS personnel performed “some of the bravest acts of the war.”

Here’s a link to the program we published for the dedication ceremony that includes a biography of every person our memorial honors:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ngc9isun23vvo0x/OSS%20Memorial%20Booklet%20FINAL.pdf?dl=0

05/24/2024

OSS veteran and film actor Sterling Hayden, who starred in "The Godfather" and "Dr. Strangelove," died OTD 1986. Hayden served as a Marine in the OSS Maritime Unit, the precursor to the Navy SEALS, and received a Silver Star. Hayden served in OSS under the nom de guerre John Hamilton.

05/22/2024

Here are some great photos of the OSS Maritime Unit. The definitive book about the OSS Maritime Unit, the true precursor to the Navy SEALs, is Patrick O'Donnell's "First SEALs": The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit": https://a.co/d/4hVNFmM

05/19/2024

https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/military/2024/05/18/veterans-civilians-inducted-into-special-forces-regiment-fort-liberty/73554867007/

Special operation forces regiments inducted 21 soldiers, civilians and veterans during a ceremony on Fort Liberty.

05/15/2024

On Saturday, May 18th at 3 p.m, David Lutken will be speaking about his father's OSS memoir: "A Thousand Places Left Behind: One Soldier's Account of Jungle Warfare in World War II Burma." The event will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church (Woodward Hall), 755 8th Street NW, Washington, DC:

A Thousand Places Left Behind: One Soldier’s Account of Jungle Warfare in WWII Burma

05/15/2024

On May 14, 1943, the OSS Italian Operational Group - "Donovan's Devils" - was activated at Company A, 2677th Regiment. The Operational Groups were predecessors to Special Forces. General Donovan said they performed "some of the bravest acts of the war." Read "Donovan's Devils" by Albert Lulushi:

Donovan's Devils: OSS Commandos Behind Enemy Lines—Europe, World War II

05/15/2024

On May 14, 1943, the OSS Italian Operational Group - “Donovan’s Devils” - was activated as Company A, 2677th Regiment, OSS. They trained at Congressional Country Club and were the predecessor to HQ, U.S. Army Special Operations Command-USASOC and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

05/13/2024

Dr. Vickers talks with Mr. Alperovitch about his book, "World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century."

05/12/2024

It’s infuriating that the documentary “Five Came Back” about the Hollywood directors who served in World War II by Mark Harris - unlike his book the film was based on - never mentions that John Ford’s Field Photographic Branch was part of OSS, or that many of Hollywood’s leading filmmakers served in it. That’s why we made an award-winning short documentary, “Filming Under Fire: John Ford’s OSS Field Photo Branch,” to give credit where credit is due. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://vimeo.com/osssociety/filmingunderfiretrailer

05/07/2024

If you are attending SOF Week, please stop by The OSS Society’s booth in the Community Corridor.

05/06/2024

OSS veteran and CIA Director William Casey died OTD 1987. He said “OSS was probably the most diverse aggregation ever assembled of scholars, scientists, bankers, foreign correspondents, tycoons, Hollywood stunt men, psychologists, football stars, playwrights, novelists, circus managers, circus freaks, safe crackers, lock pickers, and pick pockets. You name them - Donovan collected them.”

05/06/2024

Marlene Dietrich died OTD 1992. She recorded songs in German for OSS’s Morale Operations Branch that were broadcast in German to demoralize German soldiers. When she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her service to the United States in WW2, she said it was the proudest moment of her life.

05/04/2024

Since many of elements of "Star Wars" were inspired by World War II - the design of the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, the evil Galactic Empire (N**i Germany) and its Stormtroopers, the Death Star Trench Run (Dambuster Raid), and the Rebel Alliance, to name a few - we have always suspected the Jedi Knights were inspired by the OSS Jedburghs.

05/03/2024

A conversation between Adm. William McRaven, The Hon. Leon Panetta and The Hon. Mike Vickers to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Osama bin Laden raid.

05/02/2024

Register for our next "Oh So Social" conversation between Dr. Mike Vickers and Dmitri Aleperovitch, founder of Crowdstrike, who will be discussing Mr. Alperovitch's new book, "World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century," on June 11th by clicking on the following link: https://world_on_the_brink.eventbrite.com/

04/30/2024

is just 14 days away!

Global SOF professionals gather May 6-10 in Tampa at the premiere collision space for defense collaberation. SOF Week is where and strategic partnerships flourish.

Plan your visit for the capabilities demo, keynote speakers, industry sessions and networking events here: https://www.sofweek.org/agenda/agenda-glance.