 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "John Magruder" United States Army officer, born 1887 – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| John Magruder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Director of the Strategic Services Unit | |
| In office October 1, 1945 – April 3, 1946 | |
| President | Harry Truman |
| Preceded by | William Donovan (Office of Strategic Services) |
| Succeeded by | William W. Quinn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1887-06-03)June 3, 1887 Woodstock, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | April 30, 1958(1958-04-30) (aged 70) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Education | Virginia Military Institute (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1910–1946 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal |
John L. Magruder (June 3, 1887 – April 30, 1958) was an American military and intelligence officer who was deputy director of the Office of Strategic Services and director of the Strategic Services Unit. He held the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army.
Biography
John Magruder was born on June 3, 1887, in Woodstock, Virginia. He attended Virginia Military Institute and graduated in 1909. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in infantry in 1910. He was transferred to the field artillery branch of the army in the next year.
During World War I, Magruder served with the 112th Field Artillery within the American Expeditionary Forces in France.
After the war Magruder was transferred to China, where he was appointed an assistant military attaché in Beijing. He served in this capacity until 1924, when he was assigned for study at Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. After his graduation, Magruder was transferred back to Beijing, now in the new capacity of military attaché.
During World War II Magruder served in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), as deputy director under the leadership of General William J. Donovan. After the war, the OSS was disbanded. Core elements of it, however, were maintained in the new Strategic Services Unit (SSU), located in the then Department of War. This newly formed SSU was led by Magruder. Magruder played a formative role in the creation of the civilian Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1947, which absorbed the SSU.
Decorations
Notes
- L. L. Montague, Walter Bedell Smith as Director of Central Intelligence (2014), p. 21 (Magruder at OSS).
- Peer de Silva, Sub Rosa. The CIA and the uses of intelligence (1978), p. 4 (Magruder at OSS, SSU).
- John Ranelagh, The Agency (1986), pp. 100-101 (Magruder at OSS, SSU).
- Thomas Powers, The Man who kept the Secrets. Richard Helms and the CIA (1979), p. 28 (Magruder at SSU).
- Prados, John (2006). Safe for Democracy: The Secret Wars of the CIA. Ivan R. Dee. p. xxiv. ISBN 9781615780112.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byWilliam Donovanas Director of the Office of Strategic Services | Director of the Strategic Services Unit 1945–1946 |
Succeeded byWilliam W. Quinn |
  | This biographical article related to World War II United States Army personnel is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 1887 births
- 1958 deaths
- Military personnel from Virginia
- United States Army generals of World War II
- People of the Office of Strategic Services
- People from Woodstock, Virginia
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
- United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
- United States Army generals
- United States Army War College alumni
- Virginia Military Institute alumni
- United States Army personnel of World War I
- World War II United States Army personnel stubs