#109 — Intelligence in the Catoctin–South Mountain Corridor

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We are currently in the process of planning a Fall “Mountain Spies” program at Camp B-2 (Greentop). This effort is part of an ongoing initiative to interpret the historical record of the Catoctin and South Mountain Corridor and their use for clandestine training, military intelligence, POW interrogation, and national security activities during and after the Second World War.

While Camp B-2 is most closely associated with training conducted by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)—the predecessor to the modern Central Intelligence Agency—this program will examine a broader landscape of activity extending beyond a single agency or site.

Interpretation will include the regional influence of Fort Ritchie and the role of the “Ritchie Boys” in intelligence collection, interrogation, and psychological operations during the war and into the early Cold War period. The program will also examine the implications of Project Overcast and its successor, Operation Paperclip, with attention to how these efforts shaped postwar scientific and intelligence activities in the region.

In addition, the program will explore the strategic and geographic factors that led to the establishment of both OSS training facilities and the nearby presidential retreat, Camp David, including the foundational role of New Deal-era infrastructure developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). These programs significantly shaped the physical landscape, making the area suitable for both military training and executive use.

The program will present a structured, fact-based exploration of this history through:

• Scholarly talks grounded in primary and secondary source material 
• Demonstrations of period-relevant fieldcraft and tradecraft techniques 
• On-site historical interpretation of the landscape and its wartime and postwar use 

Content will be presented in a manner consistent with established historical research and public interpretation standards, with an emphasis on accuracy, context, and documentation.

Event timing is anticipated for the second half of October or early November, pending final coordination and site availability.

Individuals interested in attending are encouraged to submit their contact information below to be included on the distribution list for updates and registration details.