Stepping out of Line – at the Tip of the Spear

In World War II, over 4,000 women served with the Office of Strategic Services(OSS). Now, 76 years later, they are finally getting their due. On March 8th, the Army Women’s Foundation will honor the Women of the OSS, inducting them, along with other members of the Class of 2021 into the Army Women’s Hall of Fame. This event is held annually in recognition of Women’s History month and also includes a number of scholarship awards. The Hall of Fame ceremony will be held virtually on March 8th, but will be streaming live on the Foundation’s Facebook page.

The OSS, only operational during the War, was the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Forces, and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

Four thousand OSS women worked in every part of the operation, as spies, saboteurs, resistance fighters, leaders, propaganda experts, cryptographers, cartographers, analysts, and experts in recruiting, in communications, preparing news and information for friendly forces and disinformation for enemy forces.