Meet Pierre “Peter” Ortiz, Undercover Spy, Marine and Resistance Fighter
I’ve heard my grandfather’s voice just once. It was on a 1949 episode of the NBC radio show This Is Your Life, recounting his escape from occupied France after a German night fighter shot down the plane he was flying
Pierre "Peter" Ortiz was an undercover Marine and Resistance fighter who had a remarkable life. Born in 1910, he joined the French Foreign Legion at the age of 18, fighting against the Germans for France, before escaping capture and returning to the United States to join the US Marines. Ortiz’s experience in various languages, including French, German, and Spanish, made him a valuable recruit to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II.
Operating in wartime France, he conducted dangerous missions, such as blowing up Nazi railyards and training Resistance fighters. One of his most notable feats was saving the life of his young grandson, Murray Simon, a B-24 Liberator pilot shot down over the French Alps. Simon initially spoke no French, but Ortiz, using his language skills, helped him escape and eventually guided him to safety.
The story of Ortiz's extraordinary life, full of daring escapes and secret operations, is one that could easily be the basis for a thrilling Netflix series.
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