Colonel Peter J. Ortiz - Marine Hero, Swashbuckler, Actor

Marine Colonel Peter J. Ortiz was born in the U.S. on August 5th, 1913, he was raised and educated in France. Peter Ortiz was a swashbuckler if there ever was one. His daring accomplishments during WWII seem right out of a movie and are the stuff of legends. It is amazing that outside of small circles, even within the Marine Corps, his name isn't that well known.

He joined the French Foreign Legion in 1932 and by 1941 he had been wounded in combat, a German POW and had escaped his captors. It wasn't the last time he would be a POW during WWII.

As his mother was in California, he made his way to the United States, via Portugal, after escaping from the German's. As an American he decided to enlist in the United States Marine Corps during June of 1942. His commanding officer at boot camp immediately recognized that the Marines had an exceptional recruit. By 1940 Ortiz had already been an acting Lieutenant in the French Foreign Legion and been heavily decorated for combat action in Africa. He had also been captured by, and escaped from the Germans. Ortiz was recommended and commissioned a Marine Officer right out of boot camp.

Ortiz was commissioned as a Marine Officer during July of 1942. His record was so impressive that the Marine Corps promoted him directly to Captain (from Second Lieutenant) in December of 1942. His language skills, French, German, Spanish, and Arabic and his previous combat experiences against the German's made him a National Asset. The Marine Corps recognized that he would be of great service to American's fighting in North Africa and he was assigned as the "Assistant Naval Attaché" in Morocco.

He was an Attaché in name only. While in Morocco he organized Arab tribesmen as scouts in Tunisia and was wounded by Germans while on a recon patrol.

Ortiz was the perfect candidate for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). For those that don't know, the OSS later became the CIA. He was raised in France, was fluent in French and four other languages. Additionally, he was parachute qualified and had seen significant combat against the Germans.

He was assigned to the Naval Command OSS and flew to London in July of 1943. He parachuted into France to help the French resistance and aid in the rescue of downed Royal Air Force pilots.

Major Ortiz and a team of mostly Marine OSS agents parachuted into France during January of 1944 to help organize and lead elements of the French underground. His team was there to help organize French underground units for guerrilla warfare against the Germans, particularly after D-Day. He was among the very first to wear an allied Uniform in France in over four years.

Ortiz and members of his team were cut off and surrounded by Germans in the French town of Centron. He had been operating in France for some time and the German's were aware of the American's and their mission. He was aware of German atrocities in other towns and Ortiz made the decision, knowing what the German's might do to him, to surrender in order save the town. When he was captured, the German's couldn't believe that their Battalion had been fighting only fighting 3 Marines.

Ortiz ended up at a Naval POW camp in Germany. He made several escape attempts, but none were successful. He spent the rest of WWII as a POW (his second time as a POW). He was liberated by the allies in April of 1945. For his heroic actions in France, Peter Ortiz was awarded his second Navy Cross.

Returning to California following World War II he tried his hand at acting. He was a friend of the famous director John Ford, who had been in the OSS during WWII. He also served as a technical advisor on several films. Two movies were even made about his adventures during the war.

Peter Ortiz acted in 24 Movies between 1949 and 1957. Most notably he appeared in the John Ford/John Wayne movies "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Rio Grande". He also starred in the Korean War movie about Marines called "Retreat Hell".

Film Credits:

-Task Force (1949)
-She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
-When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)
-Chain Lightning (1950)
-The Capture (1950)
-Spy Hunt (1950)
-Rio Grande (1950)
-The Du Pont Story (1950)
-Sirocco (1951)
-I'll See You in My Dreams (1951)
-Retreat Hell (1952)
-What Price Glory (1952)
-Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952)
-San Antone (1953)
-Devil's Canyon (1953)
-Jubilee trail (1954)
-Hell and High Water (1954)
-King Richard and the Crusaders (1954)
-Rocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954)
-Son of Sinbad (1955)
-A Lawless Street (1955)
-7th Cavalry (1956)
-The Halliday Brand (1957)
-The Wings of Eagles (1957)

Colonel Peter J. Ortiz is the stuff of Marine legends. His story of his life is better than the best adventure novel. He retired from the Marine Corps reserve in March of 1955 and was promoted to Colonel on the retired list. He passed away on 16 May, 1988 and is buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

His actions and service record stands with the most impressive Marines in the history of the Corps.

During August of 1994, 50 years after he was captured, the people of Centron France held a ceremony naming the town square "Place Peter Ortiz". His son, Lieutenat Colonel, Peter Ortiz Jr, USMC was present to see his father honored.

His Military Awards include:

Navy Cross (2)
Legion of Merit (with Combat V)
Purple Heart (2)

Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
Croix de Guerre (five citations)
Medaille de Blesses
Medaille d'Evades
Medaille Coloniale

Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military)