Ortiz’s War: The Allies' Secret Weapon Against the Nazis in France

by Nicholas E. Reynolds, Katie Sanders

The untold story of the Allies’ secret weapon in occupied France.

Peter J. Ortiz’s path to becoming one of the most decorated Marines of World War II was unlike any born an American, he ran away from a privileged life in France at eighteen to join the rigorous French Foreign Legion, where he became a decorated veteran in North Africa. After fighting on the front lines against the Germans in 1940, he was wounded and repeatedly escaped captivity, once even fleeing a hospital train by assuming the identity of a dead soldier.

Driven by a fierce determination to restore the honor of France, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was quickly commissioned after impressing military leadership. Recruited by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), America’s World War II spy agency, Ortiz led two highly dangerous missions, code-named “Union,” into the French Alps. Operating far behind enemy lines, Ortiz successfully organized the fledgling resistance movement known as the Maquis. Using incredible bravado, he infiltrated German officer gatherings by posing as a fashion expert and personally escorted downed Allied airmen across the Pyrenees to safety.

In August 1944, Ortiz led his second mission into the Alps with a team of U.S. Marines, culminating in the massive “Le Grand Parachutage” supply drop to the Maquis. When his small patrol was surrounded by vastly superior German forces in the village of Centron, Ortiz must choose between fighting the enemy and saving the town. Ortiz’s story—an untold corner of World War II history—and extraordinary courage and self-sacrificing devotion cement his place in history forever.

Genres: History, World War II, Biography, Nonfiction, France, Biography Memoir, Espionage

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 25, 2026

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United)]

There is a lot of World War II literature. It is the nature of the game currently that they just sell better than most nonfiction, so the publishers pump them out. This is in and of itself is not a problem. There are plenty of stories from World War II which need to be told. The problem becomes that many authors don't realize that they have a fantastic article but not a book.

Luckily, this is not a problem from Nicholas Reynolds and Katie Sanders in Ortiz's War. It is the story of Peter Ortiz who was an absolute maniac in the best sense of the word. A kid from a rich family who decided school wasn't for him. Instead, he joins the French Foreign Legion and begins a military career that will include numerous battles, captures, escape attempts, and episodes of bravery that verge on sheer insanity.

Reynolds and Sanders understand their assignment. This is a gateway book in that it gives the bare essentials about the wider war while keeping the focus on Ortiz. It's another sign that the story isn't there when the author tries to recap all of World War II instead of trusting the reader to know that Hitler is bad, D-Day was amazingly heroic, and getting captured by Germans is not ideal. The book clocks in just a whisper over 300 pages and doesn't try to do too much. I wanted to read about a hero and his actions. It's exactly what I got.

(This book was provided as a review copy by Harper Horizon.)

[Elle]

Like the authors say in the introduction to the book, “How is this not a Netflix series already?!”

The story is incredible. Peter J. Ortiz was really built differently. From a youth spent with the French Foreign Legion to service in the United States Marines and SSO during WWII to a brief movie career, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more interesting character for a book. Take into account the daring and heroism he showed during the events outlined in the book, and there’s really no way not to love this book.

Though there are narrative sections, the book does rely a lot on direct quotes, which lovers of narrative nonfiction may or may not enjoy.

Overall, a rousing, fascinating story (that they seriously need to adapt for screen!)

Thank you to the author for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

[Zachary Lee]

I love discovering the hidden stories of World War II, especially the stories of people who don’t fit the typical, cookie-cutter image of a World War II hero.

First, I want to thank Katie Sanders and Harper Horizon for giving me the opportunity to read an early release copy of this book.

I was immediately intrigued when I came across this story because Ortiz is the same last name my wife had before she married me. Of course, I wondered if there might be some connection. I don’t think we’re related, but I’m still incredibly glad that coincidence led me to this remarkable story.

Mr. Ortiz is a man more people deserve to know about.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the author’s personal connection to Ortiz. One of her ancestors was rescued by Mr. Ortiz after his plane was shot down during World War II. What an incredible experience it must have been to discover the story of someone who had made such a lasting impression on your own family history.

I also really appreciated how approachable this book was. It never felt like a dry academic history lesson. Instead, the author places you right in the middle of the action. There were moments when I genuinely felt like I was there alongside Ortiz, experiencing the events as they unfolded.

What touched me most, though, was Ortiz’s selflessness throughout his life. Whether it was surrendering himself to help prevent a French city from being massacred by the Nazis or, years later, volunteering to be taken hostage despite knowing the potential consequences, Ortiz repeatedly chose to put others before himself.

He could have taken a very different path. Some members of his own family aligned themselves with the Nazis, yet Ortiz chose the harder road. He chose courage, compassion, and selflessness—and because of choices like those, the world is a better place.

This is the kind of forgotten history I love discovering. Mr. Ortiz deserves to be remembered, and I hope this book introduces his incredible story to many more people.

Now I’m just crossing my fingers that Hollywood takes notice, because I would absolutely love to see a movie made about this extraordinary hero. 🎬📚

[Jason Dilmanian]

Super interesting and timely story of courage and duty. I loved it!

[Brandon Gryder]

Ho-hum, just another well told story of an amazing American soldier in WW2. It never fails to amaze me how some of these guys did what they did back then. Truly the great generation.

[Brian Baron]

A gripping and meticulously reported thriller.

[Katie S. Sanders]

Extraordinary heroism.

[ManOfLaBook.com]

For more reviews and bookish posts and to read the Margin Notes on Resistance Network Resilience visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Ortiz's War: The Allies' Secret Weapon Against the Nazis in France by Nicholas Reynolds & Katie S. Sanders is a biography of Major Pete Ortiz, a Legionnaire, Marine, and OSS agent. Mr. Reynold is a retired Marine Colonel, and historian. Ms. Sanders is a journalist and podcast producer.

This book is a tight, focused, and well-researched account of Major Ortiz's life, one that could easily fill several lifetimes and a dozen movies. It's an easy and fast read, almost aimed at the younger generation instead of hard-core history buffs, which is great. When I was a young man, I loved these types of books.

Major Pierre "Pete" Ortiz was born with action in his blood. He ran away from home to join the French Foreign Legion, fought and got hurt in North Africa, and survived German imprisonment. By the time he joined the Marine Corp, he was already a seasoned veteran. Head of the s Office of Strategic Services (OSS), Wild Bill" Donovan, recruited Mr. Ortiz to train and lead the French Resistance before any American boot hit occupied Europe.

Ortiz's War by Nicholas Reynolds & Katie S. Sanders is grounded and focused. The authors' research is deep, though, and cross-referenced to bring to the reader the full story without conjunctures or embellishments. Not that Major Ortiz's life needed any embellishments, his whole journey is almost too believable to be true.

The author's laser focus on the facts doesn't slow down the narrative, quite the opposite. However, the tight scope doesn't' leave much room to put his action in the bigger context. That, I feel, is important if the book is really aimed at younger people.

If I had a dime for every book I read about Major Ortiz... I'd have 20 cents but it's strange that it happened in the same month. The first book I read, The Phantom, was excellent as well illuminating the same unbelievable story, however structurally they differ significantly.

As I mentioned, Ortiz's War is very disciplined, a micro biography of sorts. It's tuned mainly to the tactical orbit highlighting several unsung heroes of the which include French civilians, downed pilots, and Major Ortiz's team members, all a big part of his successful missions. By contrast, The Phantom tells a larger, more cinematic story. It makes sure to zoom out every now and then to reflect on the broader geopolitical impacts and implications of time. The OSS's bureaucratic clashes in Washington, for example.

[sniksnak]

A biography of the extraordinary life of Marine Colonel Peter J Ortiz, a legendary figure from World War II and the most decorated member of America’s first spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Born in New York and raised between California and France, Ortiz’s early life was a thrilling adventure filled with roles as a merchant seaman, race car driver, lion tamer, and Hollywood stuntman. His rebellious spirit led him to join the French Foreign Legion as a teenager, where he fought in North Africa and later resisted the Germans in 1940. After a daring escape from captivity, Ortiz returned to the US, enlisted in the Marine Corps, and was soon recruited by the OSS for his unique blend of language skills, combat experience, and audacity.
In 1944, Ortiz embarked on two top secret missions, parachuting into Nazi occupied southeastern France. Operating deep behind enemy lines, he boldly aided the French Resistance, known as the Maquis, by arming, training, and organizing them. His efforts included sabotaging German infrastructure, gathering crucial intelligence before D-Day, and assisting downed Allied airmen. Ortiz’s ability to adopt ingenious disguises, his fluency in numerous languages, and outsmarting the Gestapo showcased his extraordinary courage and leadership. The book paints a vivid picture of Ortiz as a swashbuckling patriot whose self sacrifice epitomized the OSS’s “glorious amateurs.” As a rare US Marine in the European Theater, he earned two Navy Crosses for his heroic deeds.
Authored by Marine Corps veteran and historian Reynolds, along with journalist Sanders, Ortiz’s War is a meticulously researched narrative that combines the thrill of a spy novel with historical accuracy. Drawing on declassified records, the authors deliver a fast paced, gripping account of Ortiz’s daring exploits. This tender and beautifully told story highlights resistance, resilience, and the best of American spirit during WWII. It uncovers an untold chapter of history, celebrating extraordinary valor while acknowledging the human cost. Perfect for those fascinated by special operations, the French Resistance, or the unsung heroes of the war, this book is a rousing read that captivates and inspires.

**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#ARC
#NetGalley
#OrtizsWar

[Bookworm]

*Free ARC provided by HarperCollins Focus*

I was riveted. You know how movies and shows "based on a true story", like a biography/memoir, are often heavily embellished, with extra drama added for interest?
This is the exact opposite: A biography of a man, Peter J. Ortiz, World War II hero, who lived a life of adventure, action and danger so great, it would be impossible for anyone adapting it to make it more exciting than it already is in the factual telling.

I found myself turning back to read the appendix/footnotes, because I wanted to know EVERYTHING about the man who I discovered somehow got a whole roomful of Nazis to TOAST to FDR during the war.

Lion tamer, dude rancher, circus performer, stuntman, actor...Ortiz did all this and more—for instance, first distinguishing himself in combat and service as a French Legionnaire, then going on to the Marine Corps, being recruited by the OSS, and becoming an integral part of the Resistance during World War II, taking part in undercover operations, training other operatives, rescuing pilots shot down by Germans, being captured by and escaping the Germans multiple times, and after he and five of his men managed to stand their ground on the battlefield for almost 2 hours against 150 German soldiers, rather than try to escape when he realized the battle would be lost, he instead walked onto the field of gunfire, sacrificing his freedom (and again risking his life) to save the lives of an entire village, by offering his willing surrender to the enemy in exchange for guaranteed safety for all civilians.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Ortiz's life is a fascinating story about a World War II hero, and about a man who fought to protect human life and freedom, at all costs...who, despite the praises and medals heaped upon him, and despite eventually being classified by military standards as fully disabled, due to injuries sustained during the war, was not even granted a sufficient VA pension to afford to keep living in his previous home, to the point that he and his family moved to Mexico for some time, where it was less expensive....

The authors did a great job with this biography. The writing flowed, and was not too dry, instead making me feel at times like I was reading a novel.

I really appreciated learning Ortiz's story, as well as reading about some of his fellow saboteurs and fighters (who I'm interested in learning more about now, too). Made for a fascinating read.

[John Wilson]

Ortiz’s War — A Story of Character

There is plenty in Ortiz’s War to make Peter Ortiz seem larger than life. His years in the French Foreign Legion, his service with the OSS, and his missions behind enemy lines would be enough for several lifetimes. But when I finished the book, what stayed with me most was not his exploits. It was his character.

Katie Sanders and Nicholas Reynolds do an excellent job of placing Ortiz within the history surrounding him.

Ortiz was a complicated man, not simply the Hollywood hero his remarkable life might suggest. He had witnessed brutality in Africa and saw firsthand what the Nazis were doing to the French people. His response was remarkably straightforward: when something was wrong and he could do something about it, he did.

One episode captures the man better than all the daring missions and decorations. Ortiz chose to surrender rather than put innocent French civilians at risk. It takes a different kind of courage to give up your own safety and freedom because it is the right thing to do.

Decades later, Ortiz was still willing to offer himself when he believed another person’s life might be saved. There was no uniform, no wartime mission, and no glory to be gained. It was simply who he was.

I did feel the later portion of the book spent too much time on Ortiz’s postwar disappointments and failures. They were part of his life and deserved to be told, but at times they began to overshadow the man we had come to know.

Then Sanders and Reynolds brought me to Centron.

When Ortiz died in 1988, the French flag in that small village flew at half-mast. The people had never forgotten the American who came to them during the war. Years later, they named the village square in his honor.

For me, that ending put everything back into perspective. Governments can award medals and historians can recount remarkable exploits, but the people Ortiz risked his life to protect remembered him more than forty years later. Perhaps that tells us more about Peter Ortiz than anything else in the book.

Ortiz’s War is an exciting and very enjoyable account of one of the OSS’s most remarkable officers. Anyone interested in World War II will find much to appreciate, but I hope the book reaches younger readers as well. Peter Ortiz’s story is about more than courage in war. It is about character.

[Janine]

Marvelous biography of a real hero who when given a chance to escape surrendered to the Nazis to save a small French village in the Alps.

If that isn’t something to pique your interest, then the story of Pierre “Peter” J. Ortiz’s renaissance flair, swashbuckling adventures, and spying career is bound to captivate you as much as it did me.

Born in New York but raised in California and France, he would do stints as a merchant marine, French Legionnaire, circus performer, race car driver and even an actor. His career in the French Foreign Legion I found the most interesting - up until his spying that is. His father allowed him to join the Legionnaires after he was told perhaps glowing “untrue” things, but Ortiz thrived there even making it to the rank of master sergeant (as a non-French citizen he could not achieve a commissioned rank). Making his way back to the US on December 7, 1941, Ortiz enlisted in the Marines, but due his language fluency in French and lesser abilities in Arabic, German, and Spanish, instead of heading to the Pacific with the rest of the Marines, he was recruited to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - predecessor of the CIA.

Ortiz spent much time behind the lines in Southeastern France. Some of his daring and dangerous tasks included blowing up Nazi infrastructure and helping downed airmen - one of whom was the grandfather of the book’s co-author (there’s a lovely video of her speaking about him on LinkedIn). He used many covers - fashion designer (his father was in the fashion industry) and a minor Vichy official for example - and infiltrated Nazi events obtaining information to help the Allies. Back in London before D-Day he was among the most wanted men by the Gestapo. It was after D-Day he and his six men were surrounded by the Germans and knowing if he escaped the town would perish that he fave himself up. He ended up a POW for eight months, escaping it.

Ortiz went on to get two Navy Crosses - the highest naval honor - and served in the Pacific. The Marine Corp Press, Chapter 21, is an online history of this marvelously brave and resilient man - so unlike our orange draft dodger who loves to salute (since he never served this is a disgraceful act).

Highly recommend!

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Horizon for allowing me access to this ARC.

.

[Chris]

Full disclosure: I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

This was a very good book on a person I knew nothing about. It was well-written and entertaining, after a little confusion when I started out with the timelines.

This man was a true man of action. As the cover notes state, "Biorn in New York and raised between California and France, he would have stints as a merchant seaman, dude ranch manager, race car driver, lion tamer, circus performer, and Hollywood stuntman and actor."

What the story really covers is Peter Ortiz's military prowess. He was born into a well-to-do family, but boarding school was not for him, so he joined the French Foreign Legion. He fought in Africa in the Sahara and also in Africa. He fought against the Germans in France and was wounded and captured. He escaped. Eventually, he made his way to the US.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Marines. Since he was fluent in French, and had some ability with other languages, the OSS (forerunner to the CIA) recruited him, and he was one of the few Marines sent to Europe. He parachuted into France on secret missions, sabotaging the Germans, training resistance members, and passing intelligence back to the OSS prior to D-Day. After D-Day, he parachuted back in, working with the resistance troops in Nazi rear areas. At one point he was surrounded in a small French town with a few of his team and he surrendered under the condition that the town be spared. The Nazis honored that agreement, and the town still celebrates him. As the allies advanced, he was moved into northern Italy, and eventually into Germany. He continued to try to escape, even though the end of the war was near. He received two Navy Crosses.

After VE Day, he talked his superiors into sending him to the Pacific Theater, but the war ended before he got there. He turned down a regular commission, as the peacetime military was not his forte. He did volunteer to go to Korea, to help the French in Vietnam, and then for Vietnam as a US Marine. He was not allowed to go.

An excellent book about a remarkable man. He died in 1988. A 1952 movie, "Operation Secret," was loosely based on his life. However, I think a movie that covered all of his exploits might be considered unbelievable.

[Branden Rapp]

Ortiz’s War by Nicholas Reynolds and Katie S. Sanders is a gripping and very detailed biography of Peter J. Ortiz, one of the most decorated U.S. Marines of World War II. The book tracks Ortiz’s trajectory from the French Foreign Legion, where his brutal training in North Africa forged a fatalistic toughness and sharp survival instincts, to his clandestine work as an OSS operative in occupied France. The authors bring his legendary exploits to life with the driving pace of a thriller, from undercover intelligence work and daring rescues of downed Allied airmen to a dramatic confrontation in a nightclub where he revealed his full Marine uniform to unsuspecting German officers.

Beyond the high-stakes espionage, the book delivers a sobering, realistic look at the mechanics and heavy costs of war. The narrative reaches its emotional peak during the tragic Vercors campaign, highlighting the limits of resistance fighters when facing a highly disciplined German army. Ortiz’s leadership and moral courage shine through, culminating in the small town of Centron where he chose to surrender alongside two comrades to save the village from total annihilation. His willingness to sacrifice himself to save an entire village, captured perfectly in his own written reflections, underscores the raw psychological reality of serving behind enemy lines.

What truly elevates this biography is its profound commitment to the human dimension of the conflict, enriched by co-author Sanders’ personal connection as the granddaughter of an Allied airman rescued by these very networks. The story doesn't stop there. It follows Ortiz through relentless POW escape attempts, his subsequent request to fight in the Pacific, and his postwar life as a Hollywood military advisor. For anyone interested in special operations history, the OSS, or narratives of immense personal initiative under extreme risk, this book is an absolute must-read. As a Marine Corps veteran, I highly recommend this exceptional work.

[Bill Sleeman]

A fascinating story of one man’s war experience. Certainly an individual different from many, one with a penchant for action that a post-war, peacetime life left him ill-prepared. A solid history of a singular experience.

[Meilech]

This is an entertainment and easy quick read about a very remarkable brave man fighting in france before and during WWII!!

I enjoyed reading this and I would definitely recommend it if you are looking a for a light quick read. 3.5*

[Lonny Heinemann]

This was nothing but excellent! There are so many untold stories of incredible bravery, people risking everything during this war to defeat the nazi war machine. This story also revealed the terrible price the French resistance suffered, a subject I plan on learning more about. Thank you.

[Zoe Ngan]

This hits on all the important aspects of Ortiz’s life but failed to draw me in; the majority of it read like a detailed Wikipedia article.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy!

[Ron]

Thanks Harper Horizon for this ARC.

[Alice Liu]

A much needed reminder of human ingenuity and resilience in this age of keyboard warriors.

[Pam]

Couldn’t put it down!

[Charles Herndon]

Lots of info about Operation Dragoon. Great book.