Counterintelligence in the Cold War and Beyond

In the late 1950s, a German civilian working at USAF headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, photographed classified documents to pass to communist agents. Using a hollow spot in a stone fence (circled in photo) as a “dead drop,” he left film for others to retrieve. OSI watched and photographed the whole process. (U.S. Air Force photo)

In the late 1950s, a German civilian working at USAF headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, photographed classified documents to pass to communist agents. OSI watched and photographed the whole process. The window from which OSI agents observed the pickup, and the direction of their photos, is marked on this photo. (U.S. Air Force photo)

In the late 1950s, a German civilian working at USAF headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, photographed classified documents to pass to communist agents. OSI watched and photographed the whole process. The sequence of photos shows two communist agents innocently looking at a map, and one of them quickly grabs the film. (U.S. Air Force photo)

At the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, a curious meeting took place. The man in the short athletic jacket is an American Airman. He scheduled a tourist trip to the fair to meet the man in the suit on his right -- who was a general in the Czechoslovakian Air Force. Since most people at the fair had cameras, photographing their meeting was simple. (U.S. Air Force photo)

At the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, a curious meeting took place. The man with his hand on his hip is the OSI agent who photographed the meeting between an American Airman and a general in the Czechoslovakian Air Force. Since most people at the fair had cameras, photographing their meeting was simple. (U.S. Air Force photo)

This map was used to track locations of meetings in St. Mihiel, France, with various OSI counterintelligence contacts during the early days of the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Protecting dignitaries has been one of OSI’s many functions. A special agent (inside airplane) accompanies Japanese Prime Minister Yoshida from Haneda Air Base, Japan, to a San Francisco peace conference in 1951. (U.S. Air Force photo)

OSI activities in Vietnam included cooperating with Korean troops, who were responsible for ground security at Phu Cat Air Base. Here, an OSI agent poses with the Korean commander and a cache of captured Vietnamese weapons. The Koreans displayed the weapons to show the local population that they were succeeding against communist forces. (U.S. Air Force photo)

OSI trained Vietnamese criminal investigators in Southeast Asia. This class book from 1965 shows several training activities, including polygraphy and weapons training. (U.S. Air Force photo)

OSI trained Vietnamese criminal investigators in Southeast Asia. This class book from 1965 shows several training activities, including polygraphy and weapons training. (U.S. Air Force photo)

OSI’s “Alaska Project” prepared for the possibility of a Russian invasion. Its main features were training observers and setting up stores of supplies in the rugged Alaskan wilderness. These scenes depict daily life for agents in Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo)

OSI’s “Alaska Project” prepared for the possibility of a Russian invasion. Its main features were training observers and setting up stores of supplies in the rugged Alaskan wilderness. These scenes depict daily life for agents in Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo)