SECRET SABOTEURS

Grey River Argus, 19 September 1945, Page 6

SECRET SABOTEURS

PRAISED IN U.S.A. NEW YORK, September 14. The Office of Strategic Services, known as the “cloak and dagger outfit,” has revealed the story of its several thousand clandestine commandos who operated behind enemy lines in sixteen countries, delivering more than 27,000 tons of supplies and weapons to underground movements, sabotaged before invasions, supplied military intelligence, and rescued several thousand airmen. The O.S.S. men were relentlessly hunted by the German Gestapo, the Japanese secret police, and enemy troops. Hundreds were caught, tortured and executed, but others still reported enemy troops ’movements and defences, and literally thousands of important bombing targets. About 20,000 tons of supplies were sent to the resistance movement -by parachute, and another 10,000 tons by secret shipping. 'The O.S.S.'men formed the heart of the international “secret army;” which included British, Belgians, French, Dutch, and Poles, which operated in France and the Lowlands. The last O.S.S. job was a mercy errand, when teams parachuted into Japanese prison camps to arrange for the rescue of thousands of prisoners. The O.S.S. Was not connected with

a Chinese-American organisation known as “Saco,” details of which have now. been revealed by the United States Navy Department. _ This cooperative organisation—which began with a small groan sent to China by the Navy to send back weather information—grew into a guerrilla intelligence force of Chinese and Americans. SACO became the most effective guerrillas in China, and killed 23,000 Japanese. SACO sent advance information that a Japanese fleet was heading for the Philippines, which enabled Admiral Halsey’s 3rd Fleet to get into position to intercent it. Members of SACO, by clever ruses, diverted big Japanese ships approaching Chinese harbours to deep water, and then notified American submarines lurking in the vicinity. SACO saved many forced-down fliers, and directed bombing of Japanese targets.