1883 – 1959

William J. Donovan

U.S. Army soldier during WWII, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, head of the OSS (1883-1959)

intelligence officerdiplomatmilitary officerjuristpolitician

Born

1883-01-01, Buffalo

Died

1959-02-08

Birthplace state

New York

Biography

William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat. He is best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), during World War II. He is regarded as the founding father of the CIA, and a statue of him stands in the lobby of the CIA headquarters building in Langley, Virginia.

Occupation

William J. Donovan is recorded as a intelligence officer, a diplomat, a military officer, a jurist, a politician and a lawyer, born in New York (1883–1959).

Connections to New York

William J. Donovan was born in Buffalo, New York in 1883. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

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The Community

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Notable People

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Literature

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More notable figures from New York

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Frequently asked about William J. Donovan

Who was William J. Donovan?

William J. Donovan was U.S. Army soldier during WWII, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, head of the OSS (1883-1959), born in New York (1883 – 1959).

When and where was William J. Donovan born?

William J. Donovan was born on 1883-01-01 in Buffalo.

When did William J. Donovan die?

William died on 1959-02-08.

What was William J. Donovan known for?

William J. Donovan is recorded as a intelligence officer, a diplomat, a military officer, a jurist, a politician and a lawyer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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