The name is not unfamiliar to many Americans who know a smattering of 20th century history. By the time the US entered WW II, our enemies had years to establish an espionage organization that was already in place. The US, on the other hand, was just beginning and had to overcome some institutional bias against the idea of a spy organization run by the government.
By the time FDR was convinced to support this new intelligence arm, William Donovan was already making moves that would stand out when it came time to select a leader for the fledgling start -up. Donovan, a native of Buffalo, New York's Irish "shanty town", showed promise as a student and went to Niagara University for a couple of years before transferring to Columbia University. Upon graduation, he immediately enrolled in the Law School which he finished in 2 years. FDR was one of his classmates but they never got together. With law degree in hand, he returned to Buffalo to practice law. He did well and made several important career moves.
By the time WW I became a national issue, Donovan was ready after spending years in a local cavalry unit he had organized in Buffalo. He saw action in 1918 and was wounded. He would later be awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic action.
During the inter war years, Donavan worked as a prosecutor in New York where he gained a reputation as a sound legal mind and a earned respect with all types of politicians and civil servants. He also became an internationalist, traveling to world capitols, observing the growing Fascist politicians, including Hitler, Mussolini, and their supporters. He noted the aggression of the Japanese who signed a tripartite pact with Germany and Italy. Japan's invasion of China and Manchuria gave the US pause as pacifists rallied for continued isolation from international conflicts.
By Pearl Harbor, in December of 1941, the need for an intelligence service had been approved and Donovan was selected as its head. With the rank of Colonel, having passed a military service physical, he launched the new organization determined to make it succeed. It did and thanks to Donovan's grit and leadership, it expanded in scope and depth throughout the entire World War period.
After hostilities ended, the problems with the Soviets emerged as the next serious issue to contend with on the international scene. But President Truman was not enamored of the "spooks" and disbanded the organization, breaking it into 3 parts and distributing those portions to the State Department, the War Dept, and domestic issues wrapped into the FBI of J. Edgar Hoover. For years after the war, Donovan maintained close ties with many notables in Washington, serving again at Nuremberg; abroad in Thailand, and as a trial attorney.
After returning from Thailand, his law partners noticed a sharp decline in his physical attributes and his mental clarity. He could no longer practice law, nor could he care for himself. He was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC's Northwest, in September, 1957 and would never leave. He died at Walter Reed, in February, 1959, a month after his 76th birthday.
His grave site is in a coveted spot at the foot of the Lee mansion at Arlington Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers included Time publisher Henry Luce, David Bruce(his London station chief), director John Ford, Frank Raichle, and Bill Stephenson(the British agent who helped Donovan set up the OSS. His younger brother, Vincent, gave the final prayer as the flag from the coffin was folded and given to his widow, Ruth.
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