The suggestion by Robert Wilcox that Gen. William Donovan may have been responsible for the death of Gen. George Patton is patently absurd (“Was Patton Killed?” PostScript, Dec. 19).
This fiction first arose from a work of fiction, Patrick Nolan’s “The Oshawa Project,” which later became MGM’s movie “Brass Target.” MGM enlisted the help of Patton’s driver, Horace Woodring, to promote it. Woodring said that Patton’s death was caused by a car accident and that he wanted to “set the record straight. The movie certainly didn’t.”
After the movie’s release, Douglas Bazata, a former OSS officer, claimed that OSS head Bill Donovan asked him to assassinate Patton. Bazata provided no evidence to support his assertion and his unsubstantiated story is unbelievable. Thus was born a conspiracy theory that sadly lives on without merit.
Donovan, a Medal of Honor winner, dedicated his life to serving the United States, most notably as the founder of the Office of Strategic Services. To insinuate that he is responsible for Patton’s death is shameful.
Charles Pinck, president, The OSS Society, McLean, Va.