Pierre (Peter) Julien Ortiz
OBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
(July 5, 1913 – May 16, 1988) was a
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
colonel who received two
Navy Crosses for extraordinary heroism as a major in
World War II. He served in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...
and
Europe during the war, as a member of the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
, the U.S. Marines and the
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...
(OSS), operating behind enemy lines several times. Ortiz also acted in Hollywood films after the war. He was one of very few U.S. Marines to serve in combat in Europe during World War II, and one of the most decorated Marine officers of the war.
Early life
Ortiz was born in New York to an American mother of Swiss descent and a French-born Spanish father.
[
] He was educated at the
University of Grenoble
The Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA, French: meaning "''Grenoble Alps University''") is a public research university in Grenoble, France. Founded in 1339, it is the third largest university in France with about 60,000 students and over 3,000 resea ...
in France. He
spoke ten languages, including
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Spanish,
French,
Italian,
Portuguese,
German and
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
.
French Foreign Legion
On February 1, 1932, at the age of 19, Ortiz joined the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
for five years' service in North Africa.
He was sent to the Legion's training camp at Sidi Bel-Abbes in French Algeria
French Algeria (french: Alger to 1839, then afterwards; unofficially , ar, الجزائر المستعمرة), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of French colonisation of Algeria. French rule in the region began in 1830 with the ...
. He later served in Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
, where he was promoted to corporal in 1933 and sergeant in 1935. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
twice during a campaign against the Riffian people.[ He also received the ]Médaille militaire
The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...
.[ As an acting lieutenant, he was offered a commission as a second lieutenant if he re-enlisted.][ Instead, when his contract expired in 1937, he returned to the United States to serve as a technical adviser for war films in ]Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
.[
]
World War II
With the outbreak of World War II and the United States still neutral, Ortiz re-enlisted in the French Foreign Legion in October 1939 as a sergeant, receiving a battlefield commission
A battlefield promotion (or field promotion) is an advancement in military rank that occurs while deployed in combat. A standard field promotion is advancement from current rank to the next higher rank; a "jump-step" promotion allows the recipient ...
in May 1940.[ He was wounded while blowing up a fuel dump][ and captured by the ]Germans
, native_name_lang = de
, region1 =
, pop1 = 72,650,269
, region2 =
, pop2 = 534,000
, region3 =
, pop3 = 157,000
3,322,405
, region4 =
, pop4 = ...
during the 1940 Battle of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wor ...
.[ He escaped the following year via ]Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
and made his way to the United States.[
Ortiz enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on June 22, 1942.][ As a result of his training and experience, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant after only 40 days in service.] He was promoted to captain on December 3.[ With his knowledge of the region, he was sent to ]Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the capi ...
, Morocco.[ He conducted reconnaissance behind enemy lines in Tunisia for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).][ At the time, though most of Morocco was a French protectorate, Tangiers was a protectorate of neutral Spain. During a night mission, Ortiz's right hand was seriously wounded in an encounter with a German patrol and he was sent back to the United States to recover.][
In 1943, Ortiz became a member of the OSS. On January 6, 1944, he was dropped by parachute into the ]Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè d'Amont'' or ''Hiôta-Savouè''; en, Upper Savoy) or '; it, Alta Savoia. is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. Its prefecture is Ann ...
region of German-occupied France as part of the three-man "Union" mission, with Colonel Pierre Fourcaud of the French secret service and Captain Thackwaite from the British Special Operations Executive, to evaluate the capabilities of the Resistance and train the Maquis du Vercors in the Alpine region.[ He drove four downed ]RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) ...
pilots to the border of neutral Spain[ before leaving France with his team in late May.
Promoted to major, Ortiz parachuted back into France on August 1, 1944, this time as the commander of the "Union II" mission.][ He was captured by the Germans on August 16. In April 1945, he and three other prisoners of war escaped while being moved to another camp, but after ten days with little or no food, returned to their old camp after discovering that the prisoners had virtually taken control.][ On April 29, the camp was liberated.
Ortiz rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. He was released from active duty in 1946 and returned to Hollywood. In April 1954, he volunteered to return to active duty to serve as a Marine observer in ]Indochina
Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
. The Marine Corps did not accept his request because "current military policies will not permit the assignment requested." On March 1, 1955, he retired from the Marine Corps and was promoted to the rank of colonel on the retirement list because he was decorated in combat.
Colonel Ortiz was awarded 24 medals in all from three countries.
Navy Cross citations
::Citation:
::Citation:
Acting
Upon returning to civilian life, Ortiz became an actor.[
] He appeared in a number of films, several with director John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...
, including ''Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
'', in which he played "Captain St. Jacques". According to his son, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Peter J. Ortiz, Jr., "My father was an awful actor but he had great fun appearing in movies".[ After serving as technical advisor in '']13 Rue Madeleine
''13 Rue Madeleine'' is a 1947 American World War II spy film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring James Cagney, Annabella, Richard Conte and Frank Latimore. Allied volunteers are trained as spies in the leadup to the invasion of Europe, but ...
'' (1947), he did so again in the film '' Operation Secret'' (1952), which was based on his World War II exploits. Ortiz had no control over the script of the film'','' in which he was portrayed by Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Lajos Weisz; October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker.
Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited app ...
, and "wasn't too happy with the result." He told columnist Bob Thomas that "they had stipulated that I was to help in the screenplay
''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993.
Background
After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, f ...
but never consulted me."
Ortiz's acting career floundered during the 1950s, and in 1955 he advertised for work in movie trade publications. Ortiz lived in a small tract house in Tarzana, California
Tarzana is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Tarzana is on the site of a former ranch owned by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is named after Burroughs' fictional jungle hero, Tarzan.
Histor ...
with his wife and 19-month-old son. He told Aline Mosby of United Press International
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20t ...
that a movie producer had promised to promote his career when he appeared on the radio program '' This Is Your Life'' in 1951, but that promised opportunities in film had not materialized and that he had only obtained work as an extra
Extra or Xtra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper
* '' Extra!'', an American m ...
. His ad said that he was "willing and able to do anything".
Death
Ortiz died of cancer on May 16, 1988, at the age of 74 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
, Plot: Section 59 Site 1269. He was survived by his wife Jean and their son Peter J. Ortiz Jr.
In August 1994, the village of Montgirod, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...
region of France, renamed its town hall square the "''Place du Colonel Peter Ortiz''".
Military decorations
Ortiz was the most highly decorated member of the OSS.[ His decorations and medals include:
]
United States
* Navy Cross with gold star
Gold Star, Goldstar, or similar may refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
* Goldstar (comics), the name of several fictional characters from DC Comics
* Commissioner Goldstar, a major character in ''Fresh Beat Band of Spie ...
* Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
* Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
with gold star
* American Campaign Medal
The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...
* European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
* World War II Victory Medal
The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945.
The Wor ...
* Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon
* Parachutist Badge
A parachutist badge (or parachutist brevet) is a military badge awarded by the armed forces of many states to soldiers who have received parachute training and completed the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the ...
United Kingdom
* Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
France
* Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
* Médaille militaire
The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...
* Croix de Guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures
The ''Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieurs'' (War Cross for foreign operational theatres), also called the ''Croix de Guerre TOE'' for short, is a French military award denoting citations earned in combat in foreign countri ...
with bronze and silver stars
* Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 with two bronze palms and silver star
* Croix du combattant
* Médaille des Évadés
* Médaille Coloniale with the campaign clasp: "MAROC"
* Médaille des Blesses
* 1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France)
Morocco
* Order of Ouissam Alaouite
Filmography
See also
* Mustang (military officer)
Mustang is a military slang term used in the United States Armed Forces to refer to a commissioned officer who began their career as an enlisted service member (completing at least one service obligation contract) prior to commissioning as an o ...
* List of United States Marines
* List of Foreign Legionnaires
* French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
References
External links
Peter Julien Ortiz
arlingtoncemetery.net, an unofficial website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ortiz, Peter Julien
1913 births
1988 deaths
Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
United States Marine Corps colonels
Military personnel from New York City
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France)
People of the Office of Strategic Services
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
Grenoble Alpes University alumni
United States Marine Corps reservists
American male film actors
20th-century American male actors
United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
American prisoners of war in World War II
World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
Recipients of the Médaille militaire (France)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire