I am working on an OSS (Office of Strategic Services) figure. I am trying to come up with a name but am stuck. He is African American and think that the codename SPOOK, may be offensive. He is supposed to be a spy. OSS was the predecessor to the CIA and NSA, created during World War 2. Much of the combat training used by the OSS was later adopted by the US Military for new units called Special Forces.
The character is supposed to be a graduate of Yale with three doctorates. He is fluent in eight languages and an expert in foreign affairs. He is an expert in hand to hand unarmed combat and six martial arts. He joined the Army after he graduated college, but entered as an enlisted soldier. He rose up the ranks rapidly an was one of the first to be selected for a secret group of soldiers later to be known as OSS. Any ideas?

When in doubt...

Lance Sputnik



I agree though, use of 'Spook' may be ill advised.

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A Black Ops Agent? requisite Mallory Archer quote

First of all, given the time period, you are looking at segregation and not as many opportunities for him as there were for other people then. You really have to treat this character with the respect he deserves to make him unique.

Martial arts didn't really take off in the United States until the 70s, so having a African American male pre-WWII be familiar with six different martial arts doesn't seem plausible. He would have to have lived in Japan, or China, or Okinawa during the 20s and 30s, which would lead to all sorts of security issues later on. I'm sure soldiers that served in Korea or post WWII Japan might have encountered martial arts, but it was limited pre-WWII.

You have to consider how he would have learned these skills, given his place in the scheme of things at that time.

I would suggest him starting out as an aide or manservant (not is a disparaging way) to a high ranking Ambassador (or Officer, etc), which would give him the opportunity to travel the world. He could pick up languages from living in other countries.

I wouldn't necessarily have him be a college graduate, more like he was a voracious reader and was always reading textbooks and other instructional materials while waiting for his Boss to finish his meetings. He is a self taught *expert* in several fields because of his passion for reading. How would someone from that time, given his background, end up with multiple doctorates?

I'd give him a cover story, maybe he served with a College Professor that traveled the world on research projects. He picked up various skill sets (guns, driving, piloting, etc) on these expeditions. This gives ample time to read books while traveling and the Professor would talk with him around a campfire, on a train, in a plane etc about various subjects.

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You pose some interesting ideas. As for the martial arts, while it did not grow in popularity until the 70s, there were numerous martial artist during the 1940s (James Cagney was a Judo player). Even though segregation existed during this time, there were many African Americans that went to college and received degrees; also the OSS did not care about race or religion. The OSS recruited Asian soldiers and Jewish soldiers (Morris "Moe" Berg). I wanted a character that you would not expect, and that is why he became a spy for one of the first US spy groups.

I just had a codename idea: Shade

Not Shadow, but still Black Ops.

Shade...

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Given the time period why not give him a number designation. Like Agent 43 or something.

Or if you want to give him an actual name name then how about Specter? It still gives that "Spook" sound without the racial connotations.

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All good ideas, just none that pop yet. MS, Agent 43 sounds more like a chemical cleaner, lol.

Instead of going with a specific codename, how about going the generic route on purpose ala The Unit tv show or the A-team movie.

For example, in The Unit, Jonas would introduce his fellow operators as Mr. Grey or Mr. White.

In the A-Team, the intelligence agent was named Lynch. When he was apprehended, another agent named Lynch introduced himself.

This type of play on names helps give those agents a specific identifier but keeps them anonymous and retains that air of mystery of being a secret agent.

I realize that what I suggested is more an approach rather than a specific code-name suggestion but maybe it helps to explore it.

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Okay, came up with name. Found a perfect filename for the character also.
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