WILLIAM J. DONOVAN (1883-1959) 'Wild Bill', American brigadier general chosen by Roosevelt to head the O.S.S. (precursor to the C.I.A.). Donovan planted over 16,000 people behind enemy lines and developed elaborate plans to subvert Axis military operations. Important battle map used by Donovan as commander of the U.S. 165th Regiment, originally the famous 69th New York Infantry 'Fighting Irish'. The regiment would distinguish itself at the Second Battle of the Marne, the Ourcq River during the Aisne-Marne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Donovan himself would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in mid-October, 1918. Important war-date battle map owned and used by Donovan while in command of the 165th Regiment, 29 x 42 in. and issued by the French Army, dated in print at the bottom: '19 July 1918' - only six days before the start of the bloody Battle of the Ourcq River near Fere-en-Tardenois. The map is titled with that town's name and 'Fere-en-Tardenois' appears at the center, the scale being 1:20,000. French and American trenches and barbed wire defenses are shown, largely at the left, and south of Fere-en-Tardenois and Seringes et Nesles which saw the heaviest fighting by the 165th. The verso bears a large pencil note: '1st Bn 5 copies of each 1 for each Captain 1 for Major'. Heavy folds and some soiling, clearly from use, else very good. This map, along with other maps and documents, were contained within two of Donovan's footlockers purchased by our consignor and offered elsewhere in this sale. Late in the afternoon of July 26, 1918, units of the American 42nd Rainbow Division attacked heavily defended enemy positions at La Croix Rouge Farm, south of the Ourcq River. As the enemy retreated to fortifications north of the river, the division formed up on a 3000 yard front just south of the Ourcq. Under constant enemy machine gun and artillery fire, the Ourcq was crossed on July 28, and in six days of hand-to-hand combat, key positions at Hill 212, Sergy, Meurcy Farm, Bois Colas, and Seringes et Nesles were captured. The Rainbow Division, including the 165th, suffered 6,459 casualties; 5,049 wounded and 1,410 killed.