In 1942, President Roosevelt established America's first centralized intelligence agency, exclusively run by civilians instead of the Military.
Ironically, the President chose retired Army General to be its architect. General "Wild Bill" Donovan, with the help of future James Bond author, Admiral Ian Fleming, began recruiting young men and women to be foreign intelligence officers for "The OSS" during World War II.
A bit of a snob, Donovan limited his search to the Ivy League campuses of Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Which is how the CIA's tradition of being a Skull & Bones/WASP agency first began.
(Note in Spielberg's film MUNICH all CIA agents have blond-haired and blue-eyes. Although by the 1980s, this stereotype began to change as the racial demographics of nation changed).
Anyway my question is...
Since these Agents skipped the military, going from campus to OSS training, where they just assigned military ranks? Or like their FBI rivals, were they just referred to as "Agents
2007-07-15 03:25:38 · 6 answers · asked by nitejrny282 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Some were military some were not
2007-07-22 11:43:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who says the OSS Agents werent Military?
Sterling Hayden, the Actor was a USMC Officer when recruited for OSS duty in Yugoslavia. He wasnt the Only Marine Involved with the OSS by any Means. Jack Singlaub who became a General in the US Army was an OSS Jedburgh team leader
The 2671st Special Reconnaisance Bn, and the 2677th OSS Regiment were Army units seconded to the OSS for Operational Control.
The Link below is to the OSS Roll Of Honor
2007-07-15 05:53:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
This may be a sudden revelation for you, but the majority of the CIA are CATHOLICS! They do most of their recruiting at Notre Dame! If your military functioning as a spy you will be shot instantly. Even spies have some understanding what their rights are if they are captured!
2007-07-15 06:14:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Office of Strategic Services.
Some were military some were not.
The OSS became what we know today as the CIA.
2007-07-22 00:31:59 · answer #4 · answered by Lloyd 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Err........ spies dont have any rights, occassionaly if captured they get traded for enemy agents but more normaly its a hole in the ground somewhere, after all they dont really exsist.
2007-07-16 04:18:26 · answer #5 · answered by conranger1 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not sure give some time and I'll call my uncle and ask him ( this if he's in the country right now )
2007-07-15 03:30:45 · answer #6 · answered by ฉันรักเบ้า 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋