What did the declassified documents reveal?

National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408. General William J. Donovan Selected OSS Documents, 1941-1945. Microfilm Roll List and Index Record Group 226 Entry 180. The document was released by The Black Vault, a digital archive of declassified government records, and is available at https://archive.org/download/oss-director-donovan-files/directors-microfilm-roll-listdjvu.txt. The document is a microfilm roll list and index of selected OSS documents, compiled by General William J. Donovan in 1945. The list includes 193 rolls of 35 mm microfilm, produced by Donovan and Lt. Edwin J. Putzell using a Kodak Recordak Camera. The microfilm contains documents from Donovan's safe files, including memos, reports, and correspondence related to various countries and regions, including Austria, Australia, Africa, and the Balkans. On September 20, 1945, despite the efforts of General William Donovan, President Truman issued an executive order (E.O. 9621) terminating the OSS, effective 1 October. In the few days remaining to the agency, General Donovan ordered Lt. Edwin J. Putzell to assist him in microfilming select documents from Donovan's safe files for his own action and personal use. The list includes the following topics: ROLL 1: Attorney-General, Austria, Australia, Aircraft, Africa, and AGFRTS (Air and Ground Forces Resources and Technical Staff Organization in China). ROLL 2: BOARD OF REVIEW, BALKANS, BALTIC COUNTRIES, BASQUE INFORMATION SERVICE, Belgium, BLOCK REPORTS, and BOSTON SERIES. ROLL 3: B Correspondence & Subjects, Bomb damage, Memo on situation in France, and BRA-BRY. ROLL 4: BULGARIA ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, ANGOLA REPORT, AFGHANISTAN, ARGENTINE, and ASTA. ROLL 5: BLACK REPORTS, BOARD OF ECONOMIC WARFARE, and ECONOMIC WARFARE. ROLL 6: DECORATIONS, Cables - Caserta, Awards, and DIRECTION FINDING SYSTEM DOCUMENT. ROLL 7: DONOVAN, WM. J. D, Correspondence and Subjects, Dieppe Report, De Gaulle and the Communists, and Djamgaroff, George. ROLL 8: FIELD REPORTS - VOL. XI (16700-16991) Index, Instructions Caskey, John L., and Schaefer Carl. The document also includes a note on the quality of the microfilm, stating that the frames representing cards 1 to 25, 61, 62, 78, 88, 89, 94, 111, 119, 122 were unprintable. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. The document is available at https://archive.org/download/oss-director-donovan-files/directors-microfilm-roll-listdjvu.txt.

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

William J. Donovan Files U.s. National Archives

◆ BLUF — The short version

National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408. General William J. Donovan Selected OSS Documents, 1941-1945. Microfilm Roll List and Index Record Group 226 Entry 180. txt. The document is a microfilm roll list and index of selected OSS documents, compiled by General William J.

Date: JUL 27 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408. General William J. Donovan Selected OSS Documents, 1941-1945. Microfilm Roll List and Index Record Group 226 Entry 180. The document was released by The Black Vault, a digital archive of declassified government records, and is…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was William J. Donovan Files U.s. National Archives about?: National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408. General William J. Donovan Selected OSS Documents, 1941-1945. Microfilm Roll List and Index Record Group 226 Entry 180. txt. The document is a microfilm roll list and index of selected OSS documents, compiled by General William J.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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William J. Donovan Files U.s. National Archives

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