Peter J . Ortiz Colonel Pierre ( Peter ) Julien Ortiz OBE ( July 5 , 1913 - May 16 , 1988 ) was one of the most decorated Marine officers of World War II . He served in both Africa and Europe throughout the war , as a member of the Office of Strategic Services ( OSS ) . Military career . Although born in New York City to a Spanish - American mother and French - American father , Ortiz was educated at the University of Grenoble in France . He spoke ten languages including French , German and Arabic . On February 1 , 1932 , at the age of 19 , he joined the French Foreign Legion for five years ' service in North Africa . He was sent first to the Legion ' s training camp at Sidi Bel - Abbes , Algeria . He later served in Morocco , where he was promoted to corporal in 1933 and sergeant in 1935 . He was awarded the Croix de Guerre twice during a campaign against the Rif . When his contract expired , he went to Hollywood to serve as a technical adviser for war films . With the outbreak of World War II and the United States still neutral , he re - enlisted in the Legion in 1939 as a sergeant . He was wounded in action and imprisoned by the Germans during the 1940 Battle of France . He escaped the following year and made his way to the United States . He joined the Marines in June 1942 . As a result of his training and experience , he was commissioned as a second lieutenant after only 40 days . He was promoted to captain in December and , with his knowledge of the region , sent to Tangier , Morocco . He conducted reconnaissance behind enemy lines in Tunisia for the Office of Strategic Services ( OSS ) . During a night mission , Ortiz was seriously wounded in an encounter with a German patrol and was sent back to the United States to recover . In 1943 , Ortiz became a member of the OSS . In January 1944 , he was dropped by parachute into the Haute - Savoie region of German - occupied France as part of the three - man " Union " mission with colonel Pierre Fourcaud of the French secret service and captain Thackwaite from SIS to evaluate the capabilities of the Resistance in the Alpine region . He drove four downed RAF pilots to the border of neutral Spain before leaving France with his team . Promoted to major , Ortiz parachuted back into France on August 1 , 1944 , this time as the commander of the " Union II " mission . He was captured by the Germans on August 16 and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war . He was the most highly decorated member of the OSS . In April 1954 , he volunteered to return to active duty to serve as a Marine observer in Indochina . The Marine Corps did not accept his request because " current military policies will not permit the assignment requested . " He rose to the rank of colonel in the Marine Reserve . Later years . Upon returning to civilian life , Ortiz became an actor . Ortiz appeared in a number of films , several with director John Ford , including " Rio Grande " , in which he played " Captain St . Jacques " . According to his son , Marine Lieutenant Colonel Peter J . Ortiz , Jr . , " My father was an awful actor but he had great fun appearing in movies " . At least two Hollywood films were based upon his personal exploits , " 13 Rue Madeleine " ( 1947 ) and " Operation Secret " ( 1952 ) . Ortiz died of cancer on May 16 , 1988 , at the age of 74 , and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery . He was survived by his wife Jean and their son Peter J . Ortiz , Jr . Awards and honors . Ortiz ' s decorations included two Navy Cross es , the Legion of Merit , the Order of the British Empire , and five Croix de Guerre . He also was made a Chevalier of the Légion d ' honneur by the French . In August 1994 , Centron , France held a ceremony in which the town center was renamed " Place Colonel Peter Ortiz " . Navy Cross citations . ORTIZ , PIERRE ( PETER ) J . " ( First Award ) " Rank and organization : " Major , U . S . Marine Corps ( Reserve ) " Place : " Office of Strategic Services ( London ) " Date of Action : " January 8 – 20 , 1944 " Citation : " ORTIZ , PIERRE ( PETER ) J . " ( Second Award ) " Rank and organization : " Major , U . S . Marine Corps ( Reserve ) " Place : " Office of Strategic Services ( France ) " Date of Action : " August 1 , 1944 - April 27 , 1945 " Citation : "