TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the then attorney and future head of the OSS WILLIAM J. "WILD BILL" DONOVAN to future Congressman Seymour Halpern.

Donovan, William J. "Wild Bill" (1883-1959). American lawyer, diplomat, soldier and intelligence officer, best known as the head of the OSS, the wartime precursor to the CIA.

Published by [New York], November 14, 1932., 1932

About this Item

[New York], November 14, 1932., 1932. Very good. - Over 85 words typed on his 8-5/8 inch high by 6-1/2 inch wide "90 Broad Street" stationery. Addressing the young campaign volunteer Seymour J. Halpern, William J. Donovan, the future head of the Office of Strategic Services, writes, "We have been through a hard fight together. We did not win the title but we did a real job." He goes on to show his appreciation to the young autograph collector, "I want you to know that I appreciate that the fight could not have been fought as it was if it had not been for your continued loyalty and support. Please accept this as my symbol of appreciation." Signed in full "William J. Donovan". Donovan ran for Governor of New York State to succeed FDR in 1932. A Republican, he lost to Herbert Lehman. Folded in half for mailing, the edges are soiled and there are tears to the edges of the fold. Very good. To house his law firm, in March of 1932 Colonel William J. Donovan leased a large suite of offices in the Stone & Webster Building at 90 Broad Street in New York City. The American attorney, diplomat, soldier, and intelligence officer William J. Donovan (1883-1959) is best known as the head of the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services which was the war time precursor to the CIA. A veteran of World War I, Donovan was awarded the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the National Security Medal. In 1941, FDR established the Office of the Coordination of Information with Donovan as its director. Once the U.S. entered the war, the COI became the OSS in June of 1942 with Donovan, now a major general, as its head. Donovan created the OSS as a military psychological warfare service, to include both psychological and unconventional warfare. The service would soon include elements that would be called "special operations" the first phase of which would be intelligence penetration, including research and analysis and propaganda, followed by a second stage incorporating sabotage and subversion. This second stage would be followed by guerilla action, commando raids, and support of resistance movements. An avid autograph collector in his youth, the then 19-year old campaign volunteer, the future Queens, New York Republican Congressman Seymour Halpern (1913-1997) started his political career as a campaign aide to New York's powerful mayor Fiorella La Guardia and first served in New York's State Senate for 14 years before seeking a seat in the U.S. Congress. In Albany Halpern sponsored 279 bills that became law, including measures on schools, housing, civil rights, nutrition and mental health. A Liberal, he was something of an anomaly as the lone Republican representative from New York City, and generally garnered support from Labor Unions and endorsement from the Liberal Party. Yet he never even considered switching parties as he considered membership in the Republican Party a family tradition and commitment. While he found ample time for his private pursuits, including painting and collecting autographs, he took his legislative duties very seriously. Of these, he was proudest of his co-sponsorship of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and of the original 1965 Medicare legislation.

Seller Inventory # 100747

Bibliographic Details

• Title: TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the then attorney and future head of the OSS WILLIAM J. "WILD BILL" DONOVAN to future Congressman Seymour Halpern.
• Publisher: [New York], November 14, 1932.
• Publication Date: 1932
• Condition: Very good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Americana