"Right People at the Right Time for the Right Reason"

With a full house at the  Tuesday evening, Linda McCarthy, founding director and  curator of the CIA Museum, jumped right into the conversation of "Clandestine Women." An "espionology" expert with 24 years of service with the CIA, McCarthy knows what she is talking about.

Women through history have participated in espionage; locally, during the Civil War, Mosby's Rangers had femme fatale moles, such as Antonia Ford and Laura Ratcliff, who made it possible for Mosby and his men to operate successfully throughout Virginia.

McCarthy took a quick leap forward in time to World War II and the formation of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). McCarthy talked about some surprising famous people who had roles in the success of the OSS during World War II. 

Before her marriage, Julia Child worked extensively for the OSS, both in Washington DC and abroad. She maintained a 10,000-name Rolodex of agents and contacts. In a hint of her future fame, she was part of a team that created  a recipe for shark repellant. This concoction not only saved lives during the war, but was used by the space program well in to the 1970's.  

Already a star, Marlene Dietrich hated Hitler intensely and worked closely with the Morale Office to send music – and information – back to Germany.

Singer Josephine Baker was able to travel and perform throughout much of Europe. She also passed information on sheet music in invisible ink –and snuck notes without suspicion by pinning them to her undergarments.

Virginia Hall was not a familiar name. However, she was possibly the most sought successful and sought after spy in all of Europe. She managed to elude capture despite being a tall American female with a wooden leg. She posed as a milkmaid by day, and sent critical morse code messages by night.

While these names are some of the famous or the most daring of the women is espionage, McCarthy was quick to point out how many women performed equally crucial tasks throughout the short history of the OSS and the continuing history of the CIA.  During the two years the OSS operated, it had over 13,000 employees, one third were women (4500) and of those 900 were deployed overseas.

Major General William Donovan, OSS Chief, "didn't care who you were, where you came from as long as you could do the job," said McCarthy.

McCarthy had plenty of the tools (or toys) of the trade with her as well. A balloon basket designed for carrier pigeon ("the original wireless communication"), some heavy-duty spy cameras,  a transreceiver agent radio, "doggie doo" transmitter, and some nasty dagger weapons were all explained and on display.

"If you are looking for genuine heroes, look at OSS," said McCarthy as she closed her program.

Ione Quinn, South Lakes High School senior, agreed. She is working on her International Baccalaureate research paper, which focuses on women in World War II. She was eager  to talk to McCarthy. She brought her father to this lecture, and he also was impressed by McCarthy's topic and thoroughness.

The CIA Museum located at the CIA headquarters is not accessible to the public. However, the stories of spies and espionage are told in many locations in the DC area. 

McCarthy has consulted with the International Spy Museum and The Cold War Museum. In addition, her Clandestine Women exhibit for the Women in Military Service Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery is available online.

She also recommends the National Cryptological Museum at the NSA/Fort Meade (suggesting you call ahead so a NSA docent can give you tour). For more online resources, consult OSS Society and her site,  History is a Hoot.

McCarthy supports the National Women's History Museum and has contributed "Clandestine Women" to their online collection

Two programs in January should appeal to those who are interested in foreign policy.  Beginning Jan.  11, Reston Regional Library presents "Great Decisions" a monthly series of roundtable discussions on US Foreign Policy. 

On Jan. 25, Robert Wallace, author of "SpyCraft, the Secret History of the CIA's SpyTechs from  Communism to Al-Queda" will speak.