National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations

12/16/2022

Our deepest thanks to Dana W. Hudson from C6 Strategies, LLC. and Dan Wagner from O'Brien Gentry & Scott for shepherding legislation through the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2023 that will designate the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations as a "National" museum upon its completion. According to the Congressional Research Service: "At times, Congress has acted to designate certain private museums as national museums. Such congressional designation of private museums is honorific and recognizes a museum as being of national importance.” The rendering of the museum below is what you will see flying into Dulles International Airport.

12/09/2022

"Defense spending bill recognizes CIA's predecessor — the basis for a future national N. Va. museum" [National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations]
https://tinyurl.com/bdf29vbj

11/28/2022

Adm. Eric Olson, USN (Ret.) offered a toast to U.S. Special Operations Forces at The OSS Society's 2022 William J. Donovan Award® Dinner:

This is "Toast to U.S. Special Operations Forces" by The OSS Society on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

09/27/2022

08/30/2022

USSOCOM’s 12th Commander bids farewell to the command.

08/15/2022

Child is depicted on the HBO Max show "Julia" launching her career as a chef. But before that, she worked for the forerunner of the CIA in Washington, developing shark repellent during World War II.

08/07/2022

Ralph Bunche was born OTD 1907. He served in the OSS Research and Analysis Branch. He was the first person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and the first African American to receive a PhD in political science from Harvard. He is shown here with Dr. Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King.

08/02/2022

You won't want to miss tonight's installment in The OSS Society's "Oh So Social" Conversation Series with Dr. Mike Vickers and Gen. David Petraeus, including a discussion about the demise of Ayman al-Zawahiri.

https://oh-so-social-petraeus-vickers.eventbrite.com/

General David Petraeus, USA (Ret.) and Dr. Michael Vickers talk one-on-one about the state of the world.

08/01/2022

We're less than one day away from the next installment in The OSS Society's "Oh So Social" Conversation Series. Dr. Mike Vickers and General David Petraeus will discuss the current state of the world. You won't want to miss this enlightening conversation. Register at https://oh-so-social-petraeus-vickers.eventbrite.com/

General David Petraeus, USA (Ret.) and Dr. Michael Vickers talk one-on-one about the state of the world.

07/27/2022

Register today for the next installment in The OSS Society's "Oh So Social" Conversation Series on August 2, 2022, when Dr. Mike Vickers interviews Gen. David Petraeus: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oh-so-social-conversation-general-david-petraeus-dr-michael-vickers-registration-304106579967

General David Petraeus, USA (Ret.) and Dr. Michael Vickers talk one-on-one about the state of the world.

07/12/2022

George Bush Center for IntelligenceLangley, Virginia 3:57 P.M. EDTTHE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you,

07/05/2022

This films honors the Marines who served heroically in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II, and the career of Gen. Jim Mattis who rece...

07/02/2022

https://www.theoperatormagazine.com/james-stejskal-origins-of-modern-close-quarter-battle/?fbclid=IwAR12V6EoRyTXlVVZF3TZStDuYRdZveSCS8JSTENhR9dTz5OUSOk96jFNws4

“The end product of CQB training must be automatic and instantaneous killing.” About the author Present at the beginning of U.S. Army Special Forces’ involvement in CT operations, James Stejskal has written both the narrative history Special Forces Berlin and a series of Cold War espionage

06/21/2022

Here's a link to last week's installment in The OSS Society's "Oh So Social" Conversation Series - "The Digital Age: Killing Espionage & Saving Intelligence?" - with Sue Gordon and Ellen McCarthy: https://vimeo.com/722389347.

06/19/2022

OTD 70 years ago, U.S. Army Special Forces was founded by Col. Aaron Bank who served as an OSS Jedburgh. Gen. Donovan is pictured here with with members of the OSS Operational Groups. The Jedburghs and the Operational Groups were the true predecessors to U. S. Special Forces. “There was only one predecessor to Special Forces, and that was OSS.”—Col. Aaron Bank

06/13/2022

Happy 80th birthday, OSS! OTD 1942, the Office of Strategic Services was created by a military order issued by FDR who appointed William Donovan as its director. McGeorge Bundy said OSS was a “fascinating organization: half cops and robbers and half faculty meeting.”

06/12/2022

Rene Joyeuse died OTD 2012. Joyeuse parachuted into Nazi-occupied France before to gather intelligence before D-Day as part of Operation SUSSEX. He received the Distinguished Service Cross and is one of very few foreign nationals buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/swiss-born-man-to-rest-in-arlington-cemetery-for-spy-work-in-wwii/2013/03/28/ece45292-9638-11e2-9e23-09dce87f75a1_story.html

Armed with a C**t .45 and fluency in four languages, Rene Joyeuse spent five months undercover near German-occupied Paris for an American spy agency during World War II ....

06/09/2022

We're a week away from the next installment in The OSS Society's "Oh So Social" Conversation Series: "The Digital World: Killing Espionage and Saving Intelligence?" with
Sue Gordon and Ellen McCarthy. Register today at https://t.co/kYNa0rpvAE

The Hon. Sue Gordon and The Hon. Ellen McCarthy will discuss how the digital environment is revolutionizing the craft of intelligence.

06/06/2022

06/04/2022

As part of the next installment in The OSS Society’s “Oh So Social” Conversation Series on June 16th with Sue Gordon and Ellen McCarthy, cocktail historian Philip Greene will prepare one of OSS veterans Julia & Paul Child’s favorite drinks: the Tourmaline Cocktail. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/digital-world-killing-espionage-but-saving-intelligence-registration-342706493347

The Hon. Sue Gordon and The Hon. Ellen McCarthy will discuss how the digital environment is revolutionizing the craft of intelligence.

06/03/2022

Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington

05/31/2022

The OSS Society was honored to support this event.

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2022-05-30/oss-memorial-day-southern-france-6177611.html

Memorial Day weekend events commemorated the men of the Office of Strategic Services who parachuted in to help France’s resistance fighters in their struggle against the N***s.

05/30/2022

The OSS Society installed this monument to OSS personnel KIA last December at Arlington National Cemetery. It’s located in Section Two, the same section as OSS founder General William Donovan’s grave, at the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue and Grant Drive.

05/29/2022

To learn more about OSS Operational Group PAT, please read this article by Meredith Wheeler who was one of the organizers of yesterday’s ceremony in the Tarn honoring OSS personnel and members of the French resistanhttp://www.ossreborn.com/files/OG_PAT_A_Fresh_LookPhotos1.pdf

05/28/2022

Ceremonies were held today in the Tarn region of France honoring the memory of two members of OSS Operational Group PAT and French personnel who were killed in action. French Special Forces and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) jumped into the same drop zone used by PAT. The OSS Society was honored to support this event.

05/23/2022

OTD 1986 Sterling Hayden died. Hayden served as a Marine in the OSS Maritime Unit, precursor to the Navy SEALs. Hayden, who starred in “The Godfather” & “Dr. Strangelove,” earned the Silver Star. Watch The OSS Society's short documentary “Call Sign Chaos: Gen. Jim Mattis and the U.S. Marine Corps" to learn more about his World War II service: https://youtu.be/KzvYCIUhAt

05/21/2022

Hear Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Ellen McCarthy, former director of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, discuss how the digital world is revolutionizing the craft of intelligence as the next installment in The OSS Society's “Oh So Social” Conversation Series. Register at http://gordonmccarthy.eventbrite.com

05/19/2022

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/18/inside-beltway-revisiting-operation-overlord/

The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society — a nonprofit organization that preserves the legacy of the World War II predecessor to the CIA, the U.S. Special Operations Command, and the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) — presented a replica of the OSS Congression...

05/18/2022

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ex-green-berets-say-horse-soldier-lessons-ring-true-in-ukraine

Small, fast and nimble forces have helped Ukraine batter Russia, just like Green Beret forces did against the Taliban two decades ago.

05/16/2022

OTD 1915 Stephanie Czech Rader was born. She was one of the very few OSS operatives in Poland at the end of WW2 gathering intelligence on the Soviets at the dawn of the Cold War. With the support of Mark Warner VA, she received the Legion of Merit posthumously.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/stephanie-rader-undercover-spy-in-postwar-europe-dies-at-100/2016/01/21/7e2e873a-c067-11e5-bcda-62a36b394160_story.html

She was commended by a superior for her “fortitude and sang-froid” in obtaining data on the Soviets.

05/14/2022

Watch this mesmerizing film by the 4th Psychological Operations Group - Airborne: https://youtu.be/VA4e0NqyYMw This type of modern psychological warfare began with the OSS Morale Operations Branch.

All the world's a stage. Join us. Text "4POG" to 462-769 or visit goarmysof.comMB01SYXEDBDOMFO

05/06/2022

Beth Erickson, Executive Director of Visit Loudoun, speaking at its 2022 Annual Meeting & Tourism Awards. Loudoun County ranks #3 in tourism in VA. When we build the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations, it will make a big contribution to Loudoun’s tourism.

04/21/2022

We're a week away from The OSS Society's inaugural "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight with Erika Robuck, author of "Sisters of Night and Fog," and The Hon. Ellen McCarthy, the former director of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), the successor to the OSS' "Chairborne Division" - its Research and Analysis Branch. Register today at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../oh-so-social-author.... Read about one of 2022's most anticipated books at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623965/sisters-of-night-and-fog-by-erika-robuck/. You can purchase an autographed copy of the book at the following URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623965/sisters-of-night-and-fog-by-erika-robuck/

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Buzzfeed · Bookbub · BookTrib · and more! Two women, two countries. Nothing in common but a call to fight. A heart-stopping...

04/16/2022

Congratulations to on its 35th anniversary. We extend our deepest gratitude for keeping Gen. Donovan’s vision for the OSS as being the “tip of the spear” alive.

April 25, 1980, was a defining moment for the American people and Special Operations.

At 7 a.m., a somber president announced the tragic news of Desert One. President Jimmy Carter revealed a secret hostage rescue mission had failed; eight American servicemen were dead and several others were seriously injured.

35 years ago today marks the establishment of U.S. Special Operations Command in response to Desert One to organize, train and equip U.S. Special Operations Forces and ensure success within .

04/10/2022

On April 9, 1944, two SUSSEX teams parachuted into Nazi-occupied France (BERTHIER and PLAINCHANT) to gather intelligence for D-Day. SUSSEX was one of the most important and successful operations of WW2. It is featured in The OSS Society's award-winning short documentary, "Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France": https://vimeo.com/485603696

This award-winning documentary tells the story of American and Allied special forces whose daring exploits changed the course of World War II. Learn more at https://www.ossandthebattleforfrance.co.

03/28/2022

We are inaugurating an "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight Series on April 28, 2022. The Hon. Ellen McCarthy will interview best-selling author Erika Robuck about her new Penguin Random House novel, "Sisters of Night and Fog," which is "based on the extraordinary true stories of an American socialite and a British secret agent whose stunning acts of courage collide in the darkest hours of World War II": https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623965/sisters-of-night-and-fog-by-erika-robuck/

Her previous best-selling book, "The Invisible Woman," was about the OSS' legendary Virginia Hall: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623964/the-invisible-woman-by-erika-robuck/

Register today for our next "Oh So Social" event at https://sistersofnightandfog.eventbrite.com/.

03/27/2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/another-russian-quagmire-putin-and-the-shadow-of-afghanistan/?fbclid=IwAR0H7ANbtdxmpTuqxy-LE98sx_yqdgw69CrZxPqDs9A3r6a9_ZDWrQDyPcc

In 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to install a puppet regime; they were defeated after a 10-year fight against rebels armed by the CIA. Now, the Kremlin's failure to install a puppet government in Ukraine has exposed weaknesses in its military.

03/26/2022

Register at https://oh-so-social-petraeus-vickers.eventbrite.com/

03/25/2022

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/putins-war-in-ukraine-nearing-possibly-more-dangerous-phase/2022/03/25/25c6a7ba-abf9-11ec-8a8e-9c6e9fc7a0de_story.html

President Vladimir Putin’s war is approaching a new, potentially more dangerous phase after a month of fighting left Russian forces surprisingly stalled by an outnumbered foe