Max Corvo

• Classic World War II espionage memoir •Investigates possible Mafia involvement with Axis forces •New completely updated and revised edition Written by the first Italian-American OSS officer to set plans for the invasion of Sicily and defeat the Germans in Italy, this is a fascinating first-hand account of espionage operations in Italy during WWII. This completely revised and updated edition explores many of the most enduring questions surrounding the invasion, including the involvement of`Wild’ Bill Donovan (head of the OSS) and alleged Mafia connections. Max Corvo was born in Sicily and came with his family to the United States in the 1920s. His father, who was an anti-fascist journalist, had fled Sicily to settle in Middletown, Connecticut. Corvo helped his father publish the Middletown Bolletino, an Italian-language paper, where he met many anti-fascist activists. He was drafted in 1941 and selected as an Italian speaker by the OSS. In 1942 Corvo developed a plan to enlist Sicilian-Americans who were familiar with the Sicilian language and culture. Their job was to gather information, which was then transmitted to the military as it planned the invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland. It became apparent to the Allies that the plan to invade Sicily was at risk because it lacked Italian-speaking personnel. It was Corvo’s role, as head of the OSS Italian Section, to find Italian-Americans for special intelligence operations, including the infiltration of Sicily and the mainland to gain valuable information regarding German military strength and the specific location of enemy installations. After the war Corvo continued his work on the Middletown Bolletino, which he published until his death in 1995.