John Grombach | |
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Birth name | Jean Valentin de la Salle Grombach |
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Born | January 2, 1901 New Orleans, Louisiana, US |
Died | July 20, 1982 (aged 81) Newton, New Jersey, US |
Buried | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | |
Rank | Brigadier General |
Commands |
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Known for | Obsessively paranoid anti-communist |
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Alma mater | |
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Other work | Private detective
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John "Frenchy" Grombach, born Jean Valentin de la Salle Grombach, was an American Olympic athlete, soldier, pioneer in radio cryptanalysis personnel management, public broadcaster and radio host, and divergent quick-tempered paranoid spymaster.[1] He was involved in Allied efforts during World War II, and the efforts against the USSR during the Cold War.[2] Director of one of the most secretive intelligence agencies in the world, the name of his intelligence organization, "The Pond," (even this is only a codename), was not known to the general public until an accidental disclosure of information in 2001. Initially recruited into the Office of the Coordinator of Information by Millard Preston Goodfellow, Chief of communications for William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan, the quick-tempered Grombach would eventually become one of Donovan's harshest critics.[3] In later years, Grombach became a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, writing and publishing the Olympic Guides for multiple years.
The Four Pillars of Grombach's approach to intelligence collection were:
It was his Fourth Pillar, to analyze all information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, that led to his organization being labeled as ineffective and a waste of money by almost every agency in Washington.[4] He thought much the same of the other agencies in return.[3]
He died in 1982, in New Jersey.
***Note: "Secret Agent" is in intelligence defined as someone who is employed with an agency on a contract basis, or is cultivated on an operation or mission. "Officer" is defined as someone who carries the title of an "office," or a salaried permanent position at an agency. Grombach performed both roles at different times in his life.***
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