Julia Child: Super Spy?
By Wyatt Earp | August 14, 2008
This story is remarkable.
One was a historian and assistant to John Kennedy, another was the chef who first introduced French cuisine to American households, and a third was the father of Stewart Copeland, drummer for the band The Police.
In their every day lives they had nothing in common but Arthur Schlesinger Jr, Julia Child and Miles Copeland shared a secret life – serving in an international spy ring at a time when Hitler was threatening the world.
Their work and that of thousands of other members of the Office of Strategic Services, an early version of the CIA, will be revealed today when previously classified files are opened by the National Archives in the USA. For the first time, the files identifying nearly 24,000 spies who formed the first centralised intelligence agency will be released and the vast spy network of military and civilian operatives exposed.
Members of the OSS, which was created by President Franklin Roosevelt in World War II to help fight Nazism, included historians, actors, lawyers and athletes. They created propaganda, infiltrated enemy ranks and encouraged resistance amongst foreign troops.
And what of the famous chef?
In the service of the OSS, Julia Child helped develop a shark repellent to ensure that sharks would not explode ordnance that was targeting U-boats, while Kermit Roosevelt, the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, set up a militia of Inuit. (H/T – TimesOnline)
Is she not the last person that anyone would ever expect to be working for the OSS? I am truly floored. Shark repellent? That’s a bloody good idea. Who knew?
Topics: Uncategorized | 15 Comments »
August 14th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase…
“Hey, there’s a bug in my salad.”
August 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
You didn’t know this? So did you know that Hedy Lamarr during WW2 invented frequency hopping?
August 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
That’s Hedley
August 14th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Uh, no. It’s not.
August 14th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Well kick my butt. I would have never thunk it. Kinda gives me a new appreciation for Hamberger Helper.
August 14th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Sterling Hayden worked for the OSS too. Read the book The Spy Wore Red by Aline Romanones to get an idea of what it was like.
August 14th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I didn’t know about it before today, but it doesn’t surprise me really. She sorta looks the part of a spy of some sort. The quickest way to the enemy’s secrets is sometimes through the stomach.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Gives Dan Ackroyd’s spin on her an entire new look, doesn’t it?
August 14th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I’m something of a foodie, so I knew she developed her love of, and knowledge of, French food while working in the OSS. That this is something new is a little weird!
August 14th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Kaveman – Ha! Nice one.
Prof – What can I say? I’m a little slow.
Lergnom – Bawahahahahahahahaha!
Prof – It’s the running gag from .
Old Soldier – When you need a helping hand . . .
Ky person – Sterling Hayden. They had all the greats!
Snigs – Good point. And if you crossed her, she put horse laxative in the brownies.
Doghouse – That role was never not funny.
Trek – Didn’t know it. My bad.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Yeah, the Julia-OSS connection is old news, but the others were pretty interesting. The CIA and Service Cryptologic Elements attract people of many talents. Some of my Navy spook buddies used to work for Montel Williams back in the day.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Cool!
August 15th, 2008 at 12:44 am
We Live and Learn. I am amazed at the things that are being brought to light now.
August 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Julia Childs story has been out for years.
What about the Gong Show host, I think he claimed to be CIA as well.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:39 am
What about the Gong Show host, I think he claimed to be CIA as well.
I’ve met him. I have my doubts. Pleasant man to talk to, but CIA??? Nah.