Pierre J. Ortiz’ FIRST Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to

MAJOR PIERRE (PETER) J. ORTIZ,
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Major Pierre (Peter) J. Ortiz (MCSN: 0-12779), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism while attached to the United States Naval Command, Office of Strategic Services, London, England, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in enemy-occupied territory, from 8 January to 20 May 1944. Operating in civilian clothes and aware that he would be subject to execution in the event of his capture, Major Ortiz parachuted from an airplane with two other officers of an Inter-Allied mission to reorganize existing Marquis groups in the region of Rhone. By his tact, resourcefulness and leadership, he was largely instrumental in affecting the acceptance of the mission by local resistance leaders, and also in organizing parachute operations for the delivery of arms, ammunition and equipment for use by the Marquis in his region. Although his identity had become known to the Gestapo with the resultant increase in personal hazard, he voluntarily conducted to the Spanish border four Royal Air Force officers who had been shot down in his region, and later returned to resume his duties. Repeatedly leading successful raids during the period of this assignment, Major Ortiz inflicted heavy casualties on enemy forces greatly superior in number, with small losses to his own forces. By his heroic leadership and astuteness in planning and executing these hazardous forays, Major Ortiz served as an inspiration to his subordinates and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Born 5 August 1913 in New York, N.Y…. Raised and educated in France, spoke ten languages… Enlisted in French Foreign Legion and saw action during several African campaigns before returning to the United States… Returned to the Legion in 1939 after working as a technical adviser in Hollywood… Captured by the Germans and escaped from his POW camp, returning to the United States where he enlisted in the Marine Corps… Recruited into the Office of Strategic Services, parachuting into Nazi-occupied France twice… Surrendered to the Germans to keep the enemy troops from retaliating against a French village… In addition to his two Navy Crosses and two Purple Hearts, he was decorated some two dozen times by three countries, making Ortiz the most-decorated operative in OSS history… Passed: 16 May 1988… Interred: Arlington National Cemetery