William B. Breuer - The Air Raid Warden Was a Spy: And Other Tales from Home-Front America in World War II

Introduction 1

Part OneShock Waves Hit America On the Ground, by God! 5 Dispute in the Presidents Office 7 Calls for Retreat to Rockies 8 Submarines Off West Coast 8 Roosevelt Rallies the Nation 9 Eavesdropper in the German Embassy 11 A Television Pioneer 12 Instant Psychologists 13 Strange Doings across the Land 14 A Stop-and-Go Railroad Trip 15 San Francisco Is Being Bombed! 15 Watching for Enemy Paratroopers 16 A Covert Raid into Mexico 17 Fear for Roosevelts Life 19 FBI Joins in Sinking Submarine 20 Rounding Up Subversive Suspects 21 A Feud over Wiretapping 22 Mission: Halt Ambassadors Hara-Kiri 23 A Field Marshal Is Shocked 25 Nazi U-Boat in New York Harbor 26 A Journalist Prowls the Normandie 27 The Salesmans Luck Runs Out

Part TwoAmerica under Siege Joe Louis Contributes Huge Purse 31 A Grieving Father Joins Navy 31

vii

Self-Appointed Do-Gooders 32 A Hollywood Victory Committee 33 Actress Dies for Her Country 34 Dismantling a Nazi Spy Network 36 A Debacle in Manhattan 40 The Battle of Los Angeles 42 We Poison Rats and Japs 42 Goal: Coalition of Africa and Japan 47 Mysterious Malady on Ships 47 The FBI and the OSS Feud 48 Hijinks on a Hospital Roof 49 Suspicions Run Rampant 52 German Officers Stalk Harbor 52 Commercial Radios First War 53 U-Boats Ruining Tourist Season 54 Helping a German POW Escape 55 Strange Scenario in San Francisco 56 Silencing a Priest Rabble-Rouser 57 Nazi Agents in Key Industry Posts 57 Blasts Rock Defense Facilities 58 Eastern America Set Ablaze 59 The Mysterious Shangri-la 60 Comic Strip Puzzles Tokyo Warlords 61 Disaster Impacts Two U.S. Towns 61 A Date with Destiny 62 A Tumultuous Homecoming 62 Lord Haw-Haw and His Spies 65

Part ThreeA Sleeping Giant Awakens Invasion Target: California 69 Washington: Chaotic Capital 69 A Young Reporter Is Awed 71 Doll Woman an Enemy Agent 72 Panic Erupts at Concert 74

Contents i x

Standard Oil Aids the Nazis 74 A Guidebook for Nazi Spies 75 They Came to Blow Up America Artillery Confrontation in Oregon 80 German-American Bund Demolished First Lady Rattles Some Cages Im Proud of You, Mom! 83 Horse Racing Flourishes Psychological Saboteurs at Work 84 Hollywood Superstars Sign Up to Fight 89 War Hero Meets Joe Kennedy 90 Wants to Spotlight U.S. Spies Government Censors Movies 92 Navajo Code-Talkers 94 Popular Orchestra Disbanded 95 Gone with the Wind in Chicago Nasty Bartenders and Redneck Cops 97 Plane Bombs Pacific Northwest

Part FourA Nation in Total War Covert Project on Constitution Avenue 103 Patton Calls on the President 104 Weapons Mysteriously Vanish 105 A Huge Bounty on Hitlers Head 106 A Tempest in a Teapot 106 Press Conference for Women Only 106 Secret Plan to Draft Females 107 Women in Combat Experiment 107 Jailbreak for a Boyfriend 108 Megabucks for Jack Bennys Violin 108 Mom, Keep Your Chin Up! 108 Firm Gets Big Payoff 113 A Glamorous Nazi Agent 113 Marine Commanders Dilemma 115

Content s

A Patriotic Heroines Long Ordeal 115 A Platinum Smugglers Demise 119 Get Going! Time Is Short! 121 Women Flock to War Plants 124 Recruiting the Blind and the Deaf 125 Offer to a Striptease Artist 126 The FBI Arrests Good Old Ernie 127 Americas Least-Known Boomtown 128 Hello, America! Berlin Calling! 130 A Picture Stuns the Nation 135 A Tragedy in St. Louis 136 Legal Kidnapping by Soviet Thugs 138 Spy Nabbed a Second Time 139 Scoundrels in the War Effort 141 Bomb Japan Out of Existence 143 War Hero Bounced from Air Corps 144 An Overseer of GI Morals 144 Top-Secret Projects Opened to Women 145 Roosevelt: Chloroform Drew Pearson 146 An Ace German Operative 147