Jump to content

OSS document proves interesting: Lt. William E. Jones USMC shellback certificate


American Heritage
 Share

Recommended Posts

American Heritage

This shellback certificate was part of a USMC OSS grouping belonging to Lt. William E. Jones, the aviation and combat intelligence officer assigned as the XO of SACO in China. There are many signatures on the certificate and almost all of them were also OSS members. I have been checking the names as best as I can make them out against the OSS Roster. The first 2 I researched were of significant note.

 

the signature, "G.S. Musulin, 1st Lt AUS, Pittsburgh PA" on the cert is George S. Musulin who had an impressive field agent record and later went on to the CIA and was involved with Bay of Pigs in Cuba. See here for a summary: http://en.wikipedia..../George_Musulin

 

Another signature just to the left is "Eli Popovich, 1st Lt., CE Chicago, Ill." who was another distinguished field operator. He was awarded a Silver Star in service. Like Musulin, he also later entered the employment of the CIA.

 

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?37466-Popovich-Eli

 

More info on Popovish was found on-line: "I (OSS navy-man Arthur Jibilian) was informed that a Lt. Eli Popovich would be interviewing radio operators for a mission into Yugoslavia. Col. Lynn Farish and Lt. Popovich were going into Yugoslavia and needed a radio operator. Col. Farish had been in Yugo before, but had had no radio operator, being dependent on the British Missions to relay his reports. This was not acceptable to him, or to OSS. I was thrilled when Eli (we were quite informal in OSS) selected me."

http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/rescuer-in-yugoslavia/

 

post-10864-0-89339900-1422235278.jpgpost-10864-0-57923600-1422235292.jpg

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

American Heritage

another signature, "Walter P. Kuzmuk, Boston Mass" was involved in operations in Europe such as the "Marcel-Proust" mission in France:

 

"In early September, William Casey, the senior OSS staff officer, received word that a large force of "Russians" had mutinied in eastern France and were now fighting with the FFI. Casey decided to parachute a five-man team into the Confracourt Woods to assess the situation and provide all possible assistance. The mission, code-named "Marcel-Proust" was made up of a rather unusual assortment of individuals. The commander was Lt. Col. Waller B. Booth, who had just been booted out of Spain for being too thorough in exposing Nazi agents. Second-in-command was Lieutenant Mike Burke, a former Ail-American football star from the University of Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Walter Kuzmuk had parachuted into Normandy as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. The son of Ukrainian immigrants who settled in Boston, Kuzmuk had been seconded to the team for his knowledge of Ukrainian. Rounding out the team were two French lieutenants, Comeu and Char-mard, from die staff of General Marie Pierre Koenig, the FFI chief who had been appointed military governor of Paris by General Charles de Gaulle on August 21. On the night of September 7, Team Marcel-Proust parachuted into the Confracourt area and by noon the next day had reached the 1st BUK's camp. Kuzmuk was an immediate hit with the Ukrainians. Many in the 1st BUK came from Kremianets, which was also the birthplace of Kuzmuk's parents. They characterized him as "an American in uniform, but in his heart and spirit, a true Ukrainian."

http://forum.ottawa-...nce/sorobey.htm

 

As I get more time, I will research the other signatures on the shellback certificate.

post-10864-0-74523900-1422235596.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

American Heritage

Here is the signature of another OSS Lt serving in China, Larry A. Booher, Columbus, Ohio.

 

"Lawrence Lawrence Larry A. Booher, of Mt. Pleasant, died on Saturday, April 22, 2006. He was a retired residential real estate appraiser, weekly newspaper editor and a retired Lieutenant Colonel, Army of United States, U.S. Army. Born in 1920 in Dayton, Ohio, he was the son of the late George E. and Ruth Hale Booher and inherited from them the love of and skills for playing music. He attended Middleton, Ohio public schools and Ohio State University, graduating in 1942 with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism. In college, he was a sousaphone player in the famous OSU Marching Band. He participated in numerous student activities and a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Upon graduation he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve Corps and was called to active duty in the Army of United States. Following assignments at Fort Sill, OK and Camp Edwards, MA, he was transferred to HQ, Office of Strategic Services, in Washington, DC, serving overseas at HQ OSS, China Theater. Following the end of World War II, he was assigned to the Army Public Relations Division in Washington, DC. Upon release from active duty, he joined the Ohio Army National Guard serving as Public Information Officer, 37th Infantry Division (including two years active duty during the Korean Conflict), Division Artillery staff, Commanding Officer, 137th Supply and Transport Battalion, and State Public Information Officer, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel after over 27 years service. In his civilian life he was associated with the printing/publishing industry including being editor-general manager of a weekly newspaper in Franklin, Ohio."

 

post-10864-0-54068400-1422631089.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
American Heritage

Received his file today and the photo inside matches the identity of the man whose photo came with the group -see above where he is in his USMC officer's uniform. Identity is therefore confirmed!!

 

 

post-10864-0-80612300-1428024711.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...