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Artifacts

OSS "Ike" Jacket

Artifact Details

President Franklin Roosevelt established the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) in July 1941 to improve America’s intelligence capabilities, but the US entry into World War II just five months later necessitated a more robust intelligence organization. Consequently, on 13 June 1942 President Roosevelt issued a military order creating the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) to replace the COI. He tapped General William “Wild Bill” Donovan, head of the COI, to lead the new organization.

The OSS was staffed by a mix of civilian and military personnel, including US Army Tech Sergeant Robert H. Riplow. Riplow served in the Army from 1939 to 1945, initially in a tank destroyer unit. Beginning in 1944, Riplow was detailed to the OSS, where he worked as a German translator in the Secret Intelligence branch. While serving with the OSS, Riplow wore the jacket pictured above, which was donated to the CIA Museum by Riplow’s family. Adopted by the Army as standard issue in 1944, it is known as an “Ike” jacket, named after General Dwight D. Eisenhower who wanted a waist-cropped jacket similar to the British battle jacket.