Nazis on the Potomac

Now a green, open space enjoyed by residents, Fort Hunt, Virginia – about 15 miles south of Washington, DC. – was the site of one of the highest-level, clandestine operations during World War II. Shortly after entering World War II, the U.S. military realised that it had to work on exploiting any advantages it might gain on the Axis Powers. One part of these endeavours was to establish a secret facility not too close, but also not too far from the Pentagon, which would interrogate and eavesdrop on the highest-level Nazi prisoners and also translate and analyse captured German war documents. The complex established at Fort Hunt was known by the code name: PO Box 1142.The American servicemen who interrogated German prisoners or translated captured German documents were young, bright, hardworking, and absolutely dedicated to their work. Many of them were Jews, who had escaped Nazi Germany as children – some had come to America with their parents, others had escaped alone, but their experiences and those they had been forced to leave behind meant they all had personal motivation to do whatever they could to defeat Nazi Germany. They were perfect for the difficult and complex job at hand. They never used corporal punishment in interrogations of German soldiers but developed and deployed dozens of tricks to gain information.The Allies won the war against Hitler for a host of reasons, discussed in hundreds of volumes. This is the first book to describe the intelligence operations at PO Box 1142 and their part in that success. It will never be known how many American lives were spared, or whether the war ended sooner with the programs at Fort Hunt, but they doubtless did make a difference. Moreover these programs gave the young Jewish men stationed there the chance to combat the evil that had befallen their families.

"This is a fascinating account of the secret facility, known by the code name of 'PO Box 1142, ' which was established by the U.S. Government near the Pentagon during the Second World War to interrogate and surveil high-ranking Nazi war prisoners, as well as to translate and analyze important captured German war-related documents."-- "Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International", "... fills a gap in World War II intelligence history by documenting the origins of a number of European Theater intelligence successes thanks to the work of Ft. Hunt interrogators. It demonstrates how good intelligence arises from patient accumulation and synthesis of information. Sutton also reminds us of the value in selecting the right people for the job and letting them do their thing."-- "Studies in Intelligence", "Relying heavily on personal details to deliver its punch, this book is readable, interesting, and elegantly produced. The photographs are well chosen and complement the narrative. The bibliography and endnotes will help those readers who want to explore the subject further."-- "The Journal of America's Military Past", "Bob Sutton has managed to retain the interest of the reader in this complicated and unusual narrative by selecting a number of 'Ritchie Boys' (and others) and throughout the book he provides details of their lives which makes their unusual accomplishments understandable."--Paul Fairbrook, Veteran, Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt, "...appropriate for anyone with an interest in the history of World War II and in particular, its intelligence services."-- "ARMY Magazine"

Robert K. Sutton recently retired as Chief Historian of the National Park Service, which culminated a 33-year career in the service. On his first day in this position, he met with the team interviewing the veterans who served at Fort Hunt during World War II. He encouraged the group in their efforts and was able to subsidize travel to complete the interviews. National Park Service historians did an absolutely masterful job of tracking down surviving veterans and capturing their stories. The author is writing this book with the belief that it should be a vehicle to share these stories with as wide an audience as possible. In addition to this volume, the author has published a number of books, articles and reviews on various public history topics.