BRUNNER-FREDERICK

KILLLED  IN  ACTION  DURING

OSS  OPERATION – 3/19/1945

Only a small handful of U.S. Marines served in Europe during World War II.  Platoon Sergeant Frederick John Brunner is one of these marines and operated in Europe during the war assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).  He was reportedly born in Buffalo, New York, and although the date he joined the Marine Corps is not available, it appears that he probably joined the Corps before the beginning of the war.  Following recruit training he was accepted for parachute training and became one of the small group of marines that were labeled as Paramarines, trained to be dropped into combat from planes by parachute.

Historical records report that in 1944, before the Allied invasion of France, the Office of Strategic Services in London, England, developed a program to evaluate the effectiveness of a group of French resistance fighters known as Maquis who were located in the southern area of France fighting against German forces.  Upon learning that the Marquis were very effective but lacked equipment and training, OSS determined that supplying them with training and appropriate supplies behind the lines would be a powerful asset as the Allied invasion forces advanced eastward through France.  Thus, a group of Paramarines, which included then Sergeant Brunner, was sent to England where they were assigned to the American Embassy, London, to participate in an OSS classified operation named Union II.

On August 1, 1944 a group of seven men was dropped in Operation Union II near Albertville, France.  The group consisted of a Marine Corps officer in charge, five marine enlisted sergeants, including SGT Brunner, and one Army Air Force officer.  The drop of supplies became one of the largest made during the war.  A reported seventy-two Army Air Force B-17 bombers dropped the seven men and several tons of weapons, ammunition, medical supplies and other items to the waiting Maquis.  Unfortunately, one of the sergeants was killed when his parachute failed to open, and another was seriously injured when he landed, principally because they were forced to parachute from the planes at a height of only 400-feet.  Once on the ground the remaining members of the OSS team operated with the Maquis and were very successful in harassing and causing problems for the Germans.  Historical German records reflect that over 3,500 German troops were dispatched to search for and counter the group.  On August 16 the OSS group managed to disperse when discovered and surrounded by a vastly superior German force.  Although several of the group were subsequently captured, SGT Brunner successfully evaded capture by swimming across a river, was able to return to England, and was awarded the Silver Star for his participation in this action.

SGT Brunner continued his participation in OSS missions in Europe until his last OSS mission on March 19, 1945 when assigned as a gunner aboard a Douglas A-26 light bomber in Operation Chisel to deliver a OSS agent who was to parachute into Germany.  The plane, with the OSS agent, a crew of three Army Air Force officers and SGT Brunner, departed Harrington, Great Britain, at 11:20pm into rainy skies and was never heard from again.  After the war the remains of the crashed aircraft were discovered near Bramsche, Germany, with all the men still aboard and the cause of the crash was never determined.  The remains of PLTSGT Brunner have been laid to final rest at Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium.

SILVER  STAR  CITATION

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Platoon Sergeant Frederick J. Brunner (MCSN: 371861), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as an Arms Instructor serving with Marine Detachment, American Embassy, London, England, in action against enemy German forces in France, from 1 August to 3 October 1944.  Parachuted behind the German lines into France to instruct the Beaufort Maquis and other resistance groups in the use of modern weapons, Sergeant Brunner skillfully trained these guerilla forces to a high state of efficiency and, participating in their audacious forays against the Wehrmacht, disrupted communications and troop movements and assisted in the liberation of numerous towns in the department before arrival of Allied troops.  On 16 August, when his patrol was dispersed by a numerically superior enemy force, he calmly returned accurate fire as he effected a withdrawal, swam across a swiftly flowing, bullet-swept river without loss of arms or equipment and, risking execution as a spy by donning civilian clothing, made his way fifteen miles through German-controlled territory to regain contact with his headquarters.  By his courageous actions, resourcefulness and devotion to duty, Sergeant Brunner contributed materially to the success of the Allied Campaign in Europe, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)