This week's hero is...
Virginia Hall
Virginia Hall was born on April 6, 1906. She grew up in Baltimore and learned to speak German and French while she was in college. She eventually found work at several American embassies before being employed by the US State Department. While she stationed in Turkey she was severely injured in a hunting accident that resulted in the amputation of her left leg below the knee. This tragic injury ended her dream of joining the diplomatic core which had rules against anyone with a disability. However, despite this setback, Virginia was still determined. She learned to walk with a prosthetic and resigned her clerical position before moving to Paris in 1940. Little did she know that she was about to face challenges that she never could have imagined.
Virginia Hall was forced to flee from Paris to London when the Nazis invaded that year. Upon her arrival, she volunteered for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). Within a few weeks, Hall was sent to Southern France as an undercover journalist in August, 1941. Once there, she observed Nazi activities and scouted safe drop zones for Allied commandos in France. This allowed them to get in contact with the French Resistance and supply them with money and weapons. For the next 15 months she continued helped them identify targets and safe houses. In November of 1942, the German Gestapo became aware of Hall's activities. She was forced to flee from France. Despite facing a large manhunt by the Gestapo she successfully eluded them and made it to neutral Spain.
By now the United States had entered the war. In March of 1944, Hall was recruited by the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Upon her induction, she immediately requested to return to France. The request was granted and Hall was landed in Brittany. For the next three months, she worked as a wireless operator. She coordinated parachute drops of arms and supplies for the French Maquis. She also reported German troop movements to Allied intelligence. This information would prove invaluable and make a critical difference in the Normandy invasion. Virginia Hall continued her espionage mission until France was liberated.
After the war in Europe ended, Virginia Hall was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for her heroism. She was the first and only civilian to receive it for heroism in World War II. She was also made an honorary member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). In 1951, Hall was recruited by the CIA, where she worked as an intelligence analyst for the next 15 years. She officially retired in 1966. For the rest of her life, Virginia Hall lived with her family on a farm in Maryland. She never sought publicity for what she did. She passed away on July 8, 1982, at the age of 76.
Virginia Hall was a very incredible person. She suffered a terrible tragedy early in her life, and yet she refused to let it slow her down. She performed great acts of courage at great risk to her own life and made a critical difference in the outcome many military operations in the war. I believe that Virginia Hall should be regarded as one of America's greatest heroes of World War II.
https://americacomesalive.com/2012/03/12/virginia-hall-1906-1982-world-war-ii-spy-for-the-allies/
https://allthatsinteresting.com/virginia-hall
