REMARKS MADE BY MAJOR GENERAL SUDDATH TO OSS VETERANS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01116R000500550016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 2011
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: June 30, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
VIA: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director for Operations
SUBJECT: Remarks Made by Major General Suddath
to OSS Veterans
Attached is a copy of remarks made by Major General Leroy
Suddath, Commanding General, 1st Special Operations Command,
to a meeting of OSS veterans on 29 May 1986. He asked that
a copy be made available to you.
Attachment:
Remarks
3-aai -,I r
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CONFIDENTIAL
-2-
SUBJECT: Remarks Made by Major General Suddath to OSS Veterans
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee w/att
1 - Executive Registry w/o att
1 - DDO w/o att
1 - DDO Registry w/o att
1 - w/att
Orig:AC
CONFIDENTIAL
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VETERANS OF THE OSS
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE LUNCHEON
29 MAY 86
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: VETERANS OF THE OSS,
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PLEASED I AM TO HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE
TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON -- AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PERSONALLY MEET AND TALK TO THE MANY MEMBERS OF THIS LEGENDARY
ORGANIZATION -- AND TO REKINDLE THE TIES BETWEEN TODAY'S SPECIAL
FORCES AND OUR MOST DISTINGUISHED FOREBEARS.
THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED TO SERGEANT FIRST
CLASS LOPEZ-BONILLA SYMBOLIZES THE RICH LEGACY THAT HAS BEEN
BEQUEATHED TO US BY THE BRAVE MEN OF THE OSS. A LEGACY THAT
ENCOMPASSES AN INCREDIBLE STORY. A STORY THAT WAS SHROUDED IN
COMPLETE AND TOTAL SECRECY UNTIL THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. A
STORY OF EVERYDAY LAW CLERKS -- OR TEACHERS -- OR INSURANCE
SALESMEN, WHO DONNED PARATROOPER'S BOOTS AND LEAPED INTO THE
RUSHING DARKNESS OVER BURMA . . . OR PADDLED ASHORE FROM A
SUBMARINE AT NIGHT IN AFRICA OR ITALY OR FRANCE. IT IS THE
STORY OF BUSINESS MEN WHO POSED AS INNOCENT WINE MERCHANTS OR
BOOK-SELLERS WHILE THEY PICKED LOCKS, RIFLED SAFES, ARMED AND
TRAINED THE LOCAL UNDERGROUND. IT IS THE STORY OF ANONYMOUS
MEN WHO LIVED -- AND DIED -- TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY. THEIR !MISSIONS
WERE CLASSIFIED -- THEIR DESTINATIONS UNKNOWN. THEIR CAPTURE WOULD
OFTEN MEAN TORTURE AND DEATH BY A FIRING SQUAD, AND YET - IN
THE END - THIS VENTURE IN TOTAL INTELLIGENCE WOULD BE WITHOUT
PRECEDENT AND EQUAL OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
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FROM YOUR HUMBLE BEGINNING IN 1941, IN THAT INCONSPICUOUS GROUP
OF BRICK AND LIMESTONE BUILDINGS THAT INVITED LITTLE ATTENTION,
YOU ESTABLISHED A CLANDESTINE NETWORK THAT STRETCHED AROUND THE
GLOBE. FROM BERN -- TO CALCUTTA -- TO CHUNGKING -- AND TO BERLIN
ITSELF. BEHIND THOSE BARRED WINDOWS OF WHAT WAS FORMERLY THE
NATIONAL HEALTH INSTITUTE, WAS THE MOST MODERN AND EFFICIENT SECRET
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY THE WORLD HAD EVER KNOWN.
WHEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT INFORMED GENERAL DONOVAN, THAT THE
COORDINATOR OF INTELLIGENCE, WAS TO BE TRANSFORMED ABRUPTLY, INTO
A NEW AGENCY, CALLED THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES, WORKING
DIRECTLY UNDER THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF -- THE STAGE WAS SET.
THE USA WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL CLOAK-AND-DAGGER
BUSINESS; AND THE BUSINESS WAS STARTING, VIRTUALLY FROM SCRATCH.
GENERAL DONOVAN TACKLED THE STAGGERING PROBLEM OF "COLLECTING
AND ANALYZING STRATEGIC INFORMATION", AND "PLANNING AND OPERATING
SPECIAL SERVICES" IN THE ORDERLY MANNER THAT A LAWYER WOULD HANDLE
A CASE. HE HIRED THE BEST POSSIBLE STAFF OF RESEARCH EXPERTS, OF
PROSECUTORS, OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS. AT THE OUTSET, HE DECIDED
THAT "STRENGTH OF CHARACTER" WAS THE NUMBER ONE REQUIREMENT FOR
SUBVERSIVE AND DANGEROUS WORK. THE BEST PERSON TO LEAD A "DOUBLE
LIFE," BEHIND ENEMY LINES, WAS THE MAN WHO HAD NEVER LIVED A
DOUBLE LIFE BEFORE. IT WAS FAR EASIER TO TRAIN AN HONEST CITIZEN
TO ENGAGE IN "SHADY ACTIVITIES," THAN TO TEACH HONESTY, TO A?MAN
OF DUBIOUS BACKGROUND.
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ACCORDINGLY -- FOR HIS KEY PERSONNEL -- GENERAL DONOVAN RECRUITED
PROMINENT BANKERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS -- NAMES LIKE VANDERBILT,
DUPONT, MORGAN -- MEN WHO KNEW EUROPEAN FINANCE, AND IN ADDITION,
HAD AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE, OF VARIOUS STRATEGIC AREAS. HE ENLISTED
NOTED DIPLOMATS LIKE HUGH WILSON, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY,
AND ALLEN DULLES. HE ENROLLED LEADERS FROM ALL WALKS OF AMERICAN
LIFE: PRESIDENT JAMES BAXTER OF WILLIAMS COLLEGE; DEAN JEFFREY
ATKINSON OF AMHERST; PROFESSOR WILLIAM LANGER OF HARVARD; BRIGADIER
GENERAL JOHN MAGRUDER, FORMER CHIEF OF ARMY INTELLIGENCE; ACE
HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS, JOHN FORD AND GARSON KANIN; NOTED ATHLETES
LIKE, MIKE BURKE, PENN STATE ALL-AMERICAN; AND JOE SAVOLDI, OF
NOTRE DAME.
THERE WERE BLUEBLOODS FROM THE TOP DRAWER OF THE SOCIAL REGISTER:
ROOSEVELT, MELLON, AND GUEST,
AND THERE WERE THE NAMELESS THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS WHO NEVER
MADE THE HEADLINES . . . DOCTORS AND EDITORS AND INTERIOR
DECORATORS -- DRUG-STORE CLERKS AND TRUCK DRIVERS AND COWBOYS.
ALL OF WHOM VOLUNTARILY ACCEPTED THE LONELINESS OF A "HUNTED
EXISTENCE" BEHIND ENEMY LINES. THERE WERE RECRUITS WITH EVERY
BACKGROUND OF LANGUAGE AND RACE -- REFLECTIVE OF THE MELTING POT
UNIQUENESS, OF OUR AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE. MANY MEMBERS OF OSS
WERE OF ITALIAN OR GERMAN OR JAPANESE DESCENT -- NEWLY MADE CITIZENS,
WITH A BURNING DESIRE TO PAY OFF THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THEIR ADOPTED
LAND, AS WELL AS TO DRIVE THE DICTATORS FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES.
SOME OF THEM, "PAID OFF" THAT OBLIGATION WITH THEIR LIVES.
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IT WAS PERILOUS WORK. A CARELESS WORD, A SINGLE FALSE MOVE,
COULD ALERT THE ENEMY, AND BY ENEMY, I MEAN NOT ONLY THE AXIS
POWERS; BUT THE SKEPTICAL BUREAUCRATS, HERE IN OFFICIAL WASHINGTON,
WHO LOOKED ON YOUR UNORTHODOX METHODS WITH ILL-CONCEALED DISTRUST.
RIVAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, RESENTED THE "AURA OF MYSTERY," THAT
SURROUNDED OSS HEADQUARTERS: ITS ADDRESS WAS NEVER GIVEN, AND
ITS TELEPHONE NUMBER WAS UNLISTED. IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTERS BECAME
IRRITATED AT THE LACK OF INFORMATION CONCERNING YOUR ACTIVITIES --
THEY EVEN DUBBED IT "OH SO SECRET," OFTEN CONJURING UP "DARK AND
DEVIOUS INTRIGUES," WORTHY OF THE MOST LURID SPY NOVEL. BUT THERE
WAS A PURPOSE BEHIND ALL THIS SECRECY -- AS YOU KNOW, ALL TOO WELL.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE A NAME -- JUST A NUMBER. WITH A GROUP OF OTHER
NUMBERS, YOU PROGRESSED THROUGH THE RIGORS OF PRE-SCREENING, AND,
IF YOU WERE FOUND QUALIFIED, MENTALLY, PHYSICAIIY ANT) FMnTTnNAliY --
YOU BEGAN TRAINING
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-- ALL OF WHICH FLOURISHED FOR THREE YEARS -- UNSUSPECTED
BY THE PUBLIC, ALBEIT THEY WERE LESS THAN AN HOUR'S DRIVE, FROM
THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL.
YOU WERE TAUGHT TO MEET THE ENEMY, ON HIS TERMS -- "DIRTY TRICK"
FOR "DIRTY TRICK."
WHEN YOU RETURNED HOME FOR A BRIEF VISIT BEFORE HEADING OVERSEAS --
YOU COULDN'T EVEN TELL WHAT YOU'D BEEN DOING -- OF COURSE, JjJST
SOME "ROUTINE TRAINING" -- ARMY STUFF. YOU KNOW AND YOU WERE
PURPOSELY VAGUE ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE GOING NEXT -- BUT PROMISED
TO SEND A POSTCARD WHEN YOU GOT THERE.
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WELL -- WHEN YOU DID GET TO WHERE YOU WERE GOING -- WHETHER IT
WAS OCCUPIED FRANCE, NORTH AFRICA, NORWAY, THE NAGA HILLS OF BURMA,
OR CHUNKING -- YOU WERE READY.
THE JEDBURGHS -- DETACHMENT 101 -- COMPANIES A, B, AND C, OF THE
OPERATIONAL GROUPS -- THE MARITIME UNIT -- MORALE OPERATIONS --
X2. . . EACH, AN INTEGRAL PART, OF THIS CAREFULLY DESIGNED STRUCTURE,
THAT WOULD APPRAISE THE ENEMY'S STRENGTH, NOT ONLY ON THE BATTLE-
FIELD, BUT IN HIS FACTORIES, AND ON HIS HOME FRONT. A STRUCTURE
THAT WOULD LEARN THE ORDER OF BATTLE -- THE SECRET WEAPONS -- EVEN,
THE SMALLEST DETAILS OF A DEFENSE PLAN . . . BY PLANTING AGENTS,
BEHIND'THE ENEMY LINES, AND DIGGING OUT, FIRSTHAND, THE INFORMATION
TO BE SIFTED, ANALYZED, AND FITTED, WITH INFINITE PATIENCE, INTO
THE TOTAL PICTURE.
IN ADDITION TO GATHERING P?1UCH NEEDED INFORMATION -- YOU ASSUMED
AN ACTIVE ROLE IN UNDERMINING THE ENEMY'S MORALE, AND HAMPERING
HIS STEAMROLLING OFFENSIVE. YOU CONTACTED -- ORGANIZED -- TRAINED,
AND EQUIPPED, THOSE OPPRESSED PEOPLES IN THE OCCUPIED COUNTRIES.
YOU DEVELOPED THEIR POTENTIAL HOSTILITY, AND TURNED IT AGAINST
THE VERY ENEMY, WHO SOUGHT TO OPPRESS THEM, IN THE FORM OF TREACHERY
AND SUBVERSION, THE STRATEGY WAS TERROR -- SILENT KNIVES, AND
STILL MORE SILENT POISON. PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES, PLANTED IN THE
MACHINERY OF A PRECISION INSTRUMENT FACTORY. A WAR THAT BROKE
ALL THE RULES.
(PAUSE BRIEFLY)
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IN THE MORE THAN FORTY YEARS THAT HAVE PASSED, SINCE YOU FOUGHT
THOSE DARK BATTLES, DEEP INSIDE THE ENEMY'S REDOUBTS -- YOU HAVE
PROBABLY REFLECTED, MORE THAN ONCE, ON THE QUESTION OF WHY?
WHY DID I DO IT? I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER -- IT WAS
FAITH AND BELIEF -- IT WAS LOYALTY AND LOVE.
YOU HAD FAITH, THAT WHAT YOU WERE DOING WAS RIGHT -- FAITH, THAT YOU
FOUGHT FOR ALL HUMANITY. IT WAS THE "SURE KNOWLEDGE" THAT THERE
IS A PROFOUND'MORAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE USE OF FORCE FOR
LIBERATION, AND THE USE OF FORCE FOR CONQUEST. YOU KNEW THAT,
SOME THINGS, ARE WORTH DYING FOR-. ONE'S COUNTRY, IS WORTH DYING
FOR -- BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST, NOBLE AND HONORABLE FORM OF
GOVERNMENT, EVER DEVISED BY MAN. YOU LOVED LIBERTY. YOU WERE
WILLING TO FIGHT, TYRANNY -- AND YOU KNEW, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
WERE BEHIND YOU.
I CAN ASSURE YOU, THAT SAME MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT EXISTS TODAY.
IT COURSES THE BLOOD STREAM, OF THE SUPERB YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN,
PROUDLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY. THEY ARE THE, QUINTESSENTIAL ELEMENT,
OF OUR POWER -- A POWER THAT CAPITALIZES, ON OUR UNIQUELY AMERICAN
STRENGTHS -- OUR LAND, OUR INSTITUTIONS, AND OUR PEOPLE.
THE STORY OF OSS -- THE STORY THAT YOU WROTE -- IS ENDED. BUT
YOUR. RICH HERITAGE HAS BEEN CARRIED FORWARD PROUDLY; AND IS NOW
EMBODIED IN THE SOLDIERS OF THE 1ST SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAI4D --
IN SOLDIERS, SUCH AS SERGEANT LOPEZ-BONILLA, WHO YOU HAVE HONORED
HERE TODAY.
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THE UNSEEN BATTLE LINES, WHICH YOU PIONEERED, ARE TODAY GUARDED,
WITH INCREASED VIGILANCE BY [HE PROUD AND READY MEN "WHO WEAR THE
GREEN BERET OF THE U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES, THEY ARE DEDICATED
TO PRESERVING THE SAME VALUES THAT YOU CHERISHED -- FORTY YEARS
AGO -- AND PERHAPS MORE SO TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE NEARLY 10,000 SOLDIERS OF THE 1ST SPECIAL OPERATIONS
COMMAND, WE THANK YOU FOR THE RICH LEGACY WHICH THE GALLANT MEN
AND WOMEN OF THE OSS HAVE BEQUEATHED TO US AND PLEDGE TO YOU TO
PRESERVE THAT HERITAGE - UNTARNISHED AND UNSULLIED IN THE SERVICE
OF THE USA.
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