Espia lived a movie life. Rejected, he rose (with one leg) to become the only civil woman to be graced by her services provided in World War II.
During World War II, Virginia HallAn American agent became one of the most feared figures by the Gestapo in occupied France.
Known by the Nazis as “the most dangerous of all allied spies,” the “lady who coxed”, as she called her, secretly operated in Lyon, where she commanded French resistance networks, saved hundreds of allied soldiers and crashed under her persecutors – despite having only one leg.
Hall lost his left leg in a hunting crash in Türkiye and was rejected by the US State Department, considered unfit for foreign service.
But he did not give up: he turned his determination, linguistic knowledge, and understanding of European cultures into a clandestine career that would make her a priority target of the gestapo.
Hall began working initially with the British Special Operations Executive and then the US Office of Strategic Services, and made France occupied its base of operations.
Organized escape routes for allied soldiers, coordinated resistance groups and created a network of safe houses that worked as a true life line for opponents to the Nazi regime, recalls the podcast of.
Her disguise was dying her hair, limming her teeth to the style of French peasants and adopting the identity of farmer.
When, in 1942, the Nazis almost captured her, Hall crossed the pyrenees towards Spain, under extreme conditions that almost cost her life. But the most bold moment was yet to come: in 1944, convincing the OSS superiors to let her return to France, Hall landed in Brittany, months before D.
Disguised as an elderly peasantestablished a base in the center of the country, training and Armando combatant resistance, coordinating sabotage against German supply lines and gathering vital information that helped soften the Nazi defense before the allied invasion.
Despite the importance of their actions, many remained classified and publicly ignored for decades.
After the war, the spy joined the newly created CIAbut found resistance in a men -dominated environment: it was often relegated to administrative functions, despite the experience in field operations.
Virginia Hall would die in 1982 as the only civil woman to be awarded the distinguished service cross (Cross of distinction by different services) in World War II.
“Miss Hall has shown rare courage, perseverance, and ingenuity, their efforts have contributed materially to the success of resistance forces operations in support of the allied expeditionary forces in the release of France,” President Harry Truman said.
