DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00569R000100110099-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 18, 2009
• Sequence Number: 99
• Publication Date: November 13, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/18: CIA-RDPO1-00569R000100110099-2
13 November 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Chief, Management and Planning Group, IMS/DO
STAT
FROM: J. Kenneth McDonald
Chief, DCI History Staff
SUBJECT: Department of the Army Request for Information on Four
Non-U.S. Members of the "Rome Organization," 1944
1. Military Operations, Department of the Army, has asked for CIA's
help in finding information about four foreign nationals who have been
recommended for retrospective U.S. recognition as members of the World War II
"Rome Organization" that helped Allied (including American) soldiers behind
German lines in Italy in 1943-44.
2. The thick Army file on this case that I left with you last Friday
(and which the Army would like back when we respond) probably gives us a lot
more information than we need. For our purposes, the relevant facts seem to
be that the four individuals listed below were members of the British-led
"Rome Organization", which helped at least 185 American escaped P.O.W.s in
German-occupied Italy, and which may have worked or had contact with OSS
there. With respect to their qualifications for an American decoration, the
Army would like any information the Agency may have from OSS files about any
or all of the following four members of the Rome Organization:
3. As the first half of the Army file indicates, Mr. William C.
Simpson, in organizing a "Rome Organization" reunion as part of celebrations
last June of Rome's World War II liberation, proposed to the American
Ambassador in Rome that these four be given U.S. awards. The last half of
the file is an October 1944 report to M.I.9 at the British War Office on the
activities of the Rome Organization.
4. Since (as I mentioned Friday) the Army has asked for an early
answer, I very much appreciate your having already got this underway.
istribution:
Ori Addressee
HS Chrono
2-JKM
J. Kenneth McDonald
ADMINISTRATIVE--INTERNAL USE ONLY
STAT
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/18: CIA-RDPO1-00569R000100110099-2