Did you know in the ABMC Ardennes American Cemetery lie a US Marine named Frederick Brunner and a German OSS Agent named Karl Gruber?
I was surprised to learn this when I visited the Ardennes Cemetery in the fall of 2016. It was one stop on a trip from Amsterdam to Luxembourg and back, traveling of course through Bastogne and other parts of Belgium. I expected to visit, and I did, the baby Katherine Rothwell, whose IDPF you can find on this website. Yes, there were infants and small children buried in our ABMC cemeteries.
Being curious about all things WWII, I had to of course learn more about these two men and I set off immediately to obtain their OMPF, OSS, and IDPF files.
Brunner was a Marine and part of the OSS, Office of Strategic Services, in England. Gruber was a German coal miner living in England who was recruited to be part of the OSS and assist on missions. Sadly both men were killed in a plane crash 19 March 1945 over Germany.
If you would like to read their files and learn their stories, click and download. Brunner’s files contain his USMC photo and are rather large. Then be sure to visit Paul’s website linked below for even more OSS history!
Read the Files
Frederick Brunner OMPF (This file is enormous and contains many parts.)
Want to learn more about the OSS in WWII?
- Explore Paul McCue’s The Secret WW2 Learning Network for more photos, stories, and information!
- Read The OSS and the London ‘Free Germans’ – CIA
- Read Flight of the Invader. Pawel Nowak was the alias for Kurt Gruber
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If you are ready to start a research or writing project, email me at info@wwiirwc.com and let’s set up a free phone consultation. I’m excited to help you bring your family’s military history to life and preserve it for generations.
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