Caesar Civitella - St. Petersburg hero welcomes new medal honoring OSS, CIA's precursor


Courtesy of Caesar Civitella

Caesar Civitella, right, lauded the creation by Congress of a special medal honoring members of the former Office of Strategic Services. Civitella is shown here at his induction into the Commando Hall of Honor at MacDill Air Force Base, attended by Army Gen. Raymond “Tony” Thomas III, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. 

More than six decades after the Office of Strategic Services conducted spy missions and commando raids during World War II, Congress has finally acknowledged the organization's work.



To Caesar Civitella, 93, a St. Petersburg resident and former OSS member who helped the French resistance and chased Italian despot Benito Mussolini, the December vote to approve the OSS Congressional Gold Medal, and its signing into law by President Barack Obama, was overdue.

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