Oss China (1 results)

A rare series of photographs taken after Japan's unconditional surrender, when the OSS launched eight operational missions to rescue POWS across east and south-east Asia. Two of the images show Lee Beom-Seok, a resistance fighter and the first prime minister of South Korea, who worked closely with OSS personnel in China. The first images capture a team of US soldiers disembarking from a C47 cargo plane. In one, photograph, taken at night, Lee stands alongside soldiers in the uniform of Chiang Kai-Shek's National Revolution Army. A long series of photographs shows smiling internees and their liberators, while two at the end of the album show OSS personnel in discussion. At least one photograph appears to show Clyde Bailey Sargent (1909-1981), a sinologist who joined the OSS as a civilian and undertook intelligence-gathering missions in China and India. Later in the war, he served with the Flying Tigers in a military capacity, joining the CIA after 1945. His short obituary is pasted on the inner rear cover. Square octavo photo album. Original card covers, white plastic spiral binding, housing 24 gelatin silver photographs (each c. 95 x 105 mm) in wallets. Photographs somewhat sunned and toned: very good.