Author: Stew Ross

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The Grey Ghost

My aunt and three uncles served in World War II. Aunt Marge was a lieutenant and nurse who followed the 6 June 1944 invasion forces into Europe. Uncle Pete was an army sergeant serving in the Pacific Theater while Uncle Bill was the naval commander of a mine sweeping vessel in the Pacific. My mother’s only brother, Hal, enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942. He was a young P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot in Europe and completed 97 missions. Hal’s missions were primarily over Italy and then Germany. His primary responsibilities included destroying enemy assets such as rail lines, depots, manufacturing, or any target deemed necessary for destruction.

P-47s of the 345th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). United States Army Air Forces. PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.
P-47s of the 345th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). United States Army Air Forces. PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.

By August 1945, Germany and Japan had surrendered. More than 12.0 million American service men and women spread across 55 theaters of war needed to get home. One of the many vessels used to return them to the United States was the ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary. Stripped of its luxury furnishings and non-essential items, the ship was painted grey in 1939 and used as a transport ship.

Uncle Hal and 810,000 U.S. military personnel returned to America aboard the Queen Mary otherwise known as “The Grey Ghost.”

My aunt and uncles along with millions more like them came home and went on to become known as “The Greatest Generation.”

REVOLUTIONARY PARIS – Volume One & Volume Two

These books are about Paris. They are about the places, buildings, sites, people, and streets that were important parts of the French Revolution. You are about to enter a journey into history beginning in 1789 at the village of Versailles with the procession of the Estates-General and ending on the Place de la Révolution with the execution of Maximilien Robespierre on 28 July 1794. This is your personal walking tour of the French Revolution as it occurred in Paris and Versailles.

Did You Know?

Did you know that an urban model for mixed-use residential, commercial, and parks is being developed? It is called the “15-minute city” and is based on one’s ability to get to the shops and parks within a 15-minute walk from your residence. Scholars at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are researching, quantifying, and measuring the “urban fabric” to see if this model can become a reality. As you may suspect, there are those who enthusiastically support an urban model like this while others bemoan the likely demise of the automobile.

The waterfall at Bois de Boulogne, one of the parks enlarged by Baron Haussmann. Photo by Charles Marville (c. 1858). PD-Author’s life plus 70 years or fewer. Wikimedia Commons.
The waterfall at Bois de Boulogne, one of the parks enlarged by Baron Haussmann. Photo by Charles Marville (c. 1858). PD-Author’s life plus 70 years or fewer. Wikimedia Commons.

For those of you who have traveled in Europe, you are undoubtedly familiar with a city that was transformed in the mid-19th-century into a “15-minute walking city.” It is Paris. Napoléon III’s primary instruction to Baron Haussmann was to ensure every citizen could reach a park within a 15-minute walk. Prior to the seventeen-year “destruction and reconstruction” of the city, only forty-eight acres of parks existed. After 1870, more than 5,000 acres of new or expanded parks and twenty-four new squares were being enjoyed by the Parisians. Napoléon III’s goal of a “15-minute walkable city” had been achieved.

Napoléon III handing over to Baron Haussmann the decree to annex neighboring Paris communes. Painting by Adolphe Yvon (c. 1865). Musée Carnavalet. PD-Author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Wikimedia Commons.
Napoléon III handing over to Baron Haussmann the decree to annex neighboring Paris communes. Painting by Adolphe Yvon (c. 1865). Musée Carnavalet. PD-Author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Wikimedia Commons.

So, why spend millions and millions of dollars on studies when we can see and experience a contemporary example of the “15-minute city”? It does work.

Our next blog will be an expanded reprint of Charles Marville and le Vieux Paris.

(Click here to read The Missing Emperor and here to read Paris Digs.)

Operation Magic Carpet 

By mid-1943, Gen. George C. Marshall (1880−1959), Army Chief of Staff, and others were sufficiently convinced Germany would ultimately be defeated. The general, a World War I veteran, was determined to avoid a similar demobilization debacle the army experienced in 1918-1919. However, twenty-five years later, he was faced with the same logistic issues but on a larger scale: how to get millions of service personnel back to the United States in a timely, orderly, and fair manner. He really couldn’t bring the men and women home until both Germany and Japan had surrendered. So, in July 1943, Gen. Marshall tasked the War Shipping Administration (WSA) to come up a plan for demobilization addressing which soldiers would remain in Germany, which soldiers would be sent to Japan to fight and finally, who would be the lucky ones to go home. The WSA was responsible for developing and coordinating the plan called “Operation Magic Carpet.”

Drawing from the newsletter from the U.S. Navy transport USS President Polk during “Operation Magic Carpet.” Illustration by anonymous (c. October 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.
Drawing from the newsletter from the U.S. Navy transport USS President Polk during “Operation Magic Carpet.” Illustration by anonymous (c. October 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.

Operation Magic Carpet officially commenced on 6 September 1945, four days after Japan surrendered and it ended 360-days later on 1 September 1946. At the time of Japan’s surrender, about 12.2 million men and women were serving in the American military (compared to 334,000 in 1939).  Of these, about 8.0 million personnel were stationed overseas in the army, army air forces, navy, marines, and coast guard. Over the one-year existence of Operation Magic Carpet, about 22,222 American service personnel per day were delivered to their homes.

Illustration for “Operation Magic Carpet.” Illustration by anonymous (date unknown).
Illustration for “Operation Magic Carpet.” Illustration by anonymous (date unknown).

While getting these men and women home became top priority once the war was over, the biggest question was how to assign individual priorities for shipping out. The War Department came up with what they thought was an equitable point system called the “Adjusted Service Rating Score.” A total of 85 points was necessary to become eligible to return home. Women in the Women’s Army Corps were eligible with 44 points while officers were not included in the point system. A substantial number of military personnel were required to remain in Japan and Europe as occupation forces and four categories were established. Category One consisted of units to remain in Europe (eight divisions: 337,000 personnel). Category Two became the units deployed to fight in Japan (1.0 million men). Category Three were men and women retrained for reassignment to categories one and two. Category Four were the lucky ones. They got to go home.

The Stars and Stripes headline announcing the army’s point values for “Operation Magic Carpet.” Photo by anonymous (date unknown). www.derfcity.blogspot.com/2016/
The Stars and Stripes headline announcing the army’s point values for “Operation Magic Carpet.” Photo by anonymous (date unknown). www.derfcity.blogspot.com/2016/
A World War II soldier’s Adjusted Service Rating Card complete with his calculations of his point total. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Courtesy of the Arlington Historical Society’s Fielder House Museum in partnership with The Portal to Texas History. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/points-system-us-armys-demobiliztion
A World War II soldier’s Adjusted Service Rating Card complete with his calculations of his point total. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Courtesy of the Arlington Historical Society’s Fielder House Museum in partnership with The Portal to Texas History. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/points-system-us-armys-demobiliztion

Under the point system, every soldier (I’ll use this term to mean all those eligible for consideration) received a number of points based on how long they had been overseas (one point for each month of service plus an additional point for each month overseas), how many decorations were awarded to them for valor or merit (five points per medal including the purple heart), how many campaigns they fought in (five points for each campaign), and how many children they had back home (twelve points for each dependent child up to a maximum of three children).

From the time the point system was announced in September 1944 until hostilities ceased, American service personnel kept close track of their point totals. At that point, combat personnel anxiously awaited news announcing which units were officially credited with a campaign, citations to be awarded individually or to the unit, and then had an officer certify their number after surpassing eighty-five. As expected, the system created just as many unhappy soldiers as there were happy ones. Despite being straightforward, the points system was not perfect or always fair. It was an administrative nightmare, and the soldiers found many faults with the system. Eventually, the military revised and lowered its projected needs for overseas personnel and the total points required to come home dropped from 85 to fifty.

U.S. personnel being transported back to the United States on board and in the hanger bay of the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid during “Operation Magic Carpet.” Photo by Edward F. Dolezal (c. 1945). PD-U.S. Government. Wikimedia Commons.
U.S. personnel being transported back to the United States on board and in the hanger bay of the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid during “Operation Magic Carpet.” Photo by Edward F. Dolezal (c. 1945). PD-U.S. Government. Wikimedia Commons.

By the end of 1945, about four million people had returned to the United States. After the Japanese surrendered, the navy authorized combat ships (i.e., carriers, battleships, and smaller vessels) to join the civilian ships and begin transporting soldiers. The point system was discontinued in June 1946 and replaced with a two-year service requirement.

Click here to watch the video The Great Migration: The Story of Operation Magic Carpet.

RMS Queen Mary

The RMS Queen Mary (not to be confused with the contemporary Queen Mary 2) is a retired British (Cunard) ocean liner. It operated from 1936 until 1967 sailing primarily between Southampton and New York. It was built specifically for transatlantic voyages and the resultant rough seas. The ship’s gross tonnage is 81,237 with a length of 1,019 feet and a beam of 118 feet. It has twelve decks and a height of 181 feet. (For comparison purposes, the new Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 248,663, 1,197 feet in length and a beam of 160 feet. Twenty decks and a height of 240 feet makes the ship taller than the Eiffel Tower.) The Queen Mary’s capacity was 2,140 passengers while the Icon OTS carries 7,600 passengers.

The Queen Mary was one of the largest ocean-going ships of its day. In fact, the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland where she was built had to be dredged to allow for the ship to be floated out. (Even with that, the ship ran aground in March 1936 while leaving the River Clyde.) As an aside, the ship was originally supposed to be named after the late Queen Victoria (in keeping with Cunard’s tradition of its ships’ names ending in “ia”). But when the Cunard chairman asked King George V for permission to name the new ship after Great Britain’s “greatest Queen,” the king replied that his wife, Queen Mary, would be delighted. True story.

Group portrait of the British royal family: Sitting, left to right: Queen Mary of Teck, King George V, and Mary, Princess Royal. Standing, left to right: Prince Albert Duke of York (future King George VI), Edward Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII), and Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester. Photo by Vandyk photographic studio (c. 1921). PD-Published before 1 January 1929. Wikimedia Commons.
Group portrait of the British royal family: Sitting, left to right: Queen Mary of Teck, King George V, and Mary, Princess Royal. Standing, left to right: Prince Albert Duke of York (future King George VI), Edward Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII), and Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester. Photo by Vandyk photographic studio (c. 1921). PD-Published before 1 January 1929. Wikimedia Commons.

The interior of the Queen Mary was very luxurious and decorated in Art Deco style. It had all the things you would expect including dog kennels, telephone connectivity to anywhere in the world, and air conditioning. It was the first ocean going vessel to be equipped with a Jewish prayer room. This was done purposely in response to the antisemitism of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Over the years, the Queen Mary was the only way to travel for celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Abbott & Costello, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Laurel & Hardy, Cary Grant, and a six-time passenger, Winston Churchill. A large map in the main dining room tracked the ship’s position on the Atlantic using a crystal model of the ship. Both routes, north and south, were shown ⏤ the southern, or winter/spring route was used to avoid hitting icebergs. Yes, the Queen Mary had enough lifeboats for everyone on board. Cunard’s predecessor, White Star Lines, learned their lesson twenty-four years earlier.

The Atlantic map in the Royal Salon on board the RMS Queen Mary. Notice the two tracks representing the northern and southern routes the ship took depending on the season. Photo by Florian Boyd (2 January 2008). PD-CCA-Share Alike 2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.
The Atlantic map in the Royal Salon on board the RMS Queen Mary. Notice the two tracks representing the northern and southern routes the ship took depending on the season. Photo by Florian Boyd (2 January 2008). PD-CCA-Share Alike 2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.
The promenade deck on the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by Altair78 (10 December 2010). PD-CCA-2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.
The promenade deck on the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by Altair78 (10 December 2010). PD-CCA-2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.

 World War II

Leaving Southampton in late August 1939, the Queen Mary was escorted across the Atlantic by the British battlecruiser, HMS Hood. By the time she reached New York City (NYC), World War II had begun. The Queen Mary was ordered to stay in NYC until she received further orders. On 7 March 1940, Cunard’s new RMS Queen Elizabeth (named after King George VI’s wife; later known as the “Queen Mother”) arrived at Pier 90 while the inactive French ship, SS Normandie, was docked at Pier 88. For fourteen days in March, the world’s three largest ocean liners were docked side-by-side. On 21 March, the Queen Mary received her orders to sail for Sydney, Australia where she would be converted to a troop transport vessel.

RMS Queen Elizabeth (left) and RMS Queen Mary (right) in Southampton. The QE has undergone repainting and conversion for her return to commercial sailing. The QM is still in her wartime colors as this was the last day of her war duties. Photo by anonymous (27 September 1946). PD-Photo taken more than 70 years ago. Wikimedia Commons.
RMS Queen Elizabeth (left) and RMS Queen Mary (right) in Southampton. The QE has undergone repainting and conversion for her return to commercial sailing. The QM is still in her wartime colors as this was the last day of her war duties. Photo by anonymous (27 September 1946). PD-Photo taken more than 70 years ago. Wikimedia Commons.
The three largest ocean liners docked together in New York. The SS Normandie (left) is docked at Pier 88 in mid-town. The RMS Queen Mary (center) and RMS Queen Elizabeth are docked at Pier 90. The QE arrived on 7 March 1940 and two weeks later, on 21 March, the QM left. Photo by anonymous (c. March 1940). Ships Nostalgia. https://www.shipsnostolgia.com/media/normandie-queen-mary-and-queen-elizabeth-troopships-ww2.258317/
The three largest ocean liners docked together in New York. The SS Normandie (left) is docked at Pier 88 in mid-town. The RMS Queen Mary (center) and RMS Queen Elizabeth are docked at Pier 90. The QE arrived on 7 March 1940 and two weeks later, on 21 March, the QM left. Photo by anonymous (c. March 1940). Ships Nostalgia. https://www.shipsnostolgia.com/media/normandie-queen-mary-and-queen-elizabeth-troopships-ww2.258317/

While at the Cockatoo drydock, the ship was stripped of its wood (or covered in leather) and luxury furnishings and fittings including tapestries and paintings while six miles of carpet were removed, and 220 cases of fine china were put in storage. (I’ll bet they kept the cocktail bar for the officers.) During the conversion, the ship and its funnels were painted battleship grey. Combined with her speed, color, and secret travels, the Queen Mary was nicknamed, “The Grey Ghost.” The hull was fitted with protection from magnetic mines and thousands of triple-tiered, fixed wooden bunks and hammocks were installed throughout the ship. Although anti-aircraft guns were placed on the Sun Deck,  it was really her speed that kept the Queen Mary safe from enemy U-boats. Reportedly, Hitler offered the Iron Cross and US$250,000 to any U-boat captain who sank either the Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth.

RMS Queen Mary in Sydney, Australia after her conversion to a troop transport ship. Photo by anonymous (c. 1940). State Library of New South Wales collection. PD-No known copyright restrictions. Wikimedia Commons.
RMS Queen Mary in Sydney, Australia after her conversion to a troop transport ship. Photo by anonymous (c. 1940). State Library of New South Wales collection. PD-No known copyright restrictions. Wikimedia Commons.
Anti-aircraft gun on the deck of the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by User:Sfoskett (28 June 2005). PD-GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or later. Wikimedia Commons.
Anti-aircraft gun on the deck of the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by User:Sfoskett (28 June 2005). PD-GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or later. Wikimedia Commons.
The interior of a cabin on the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by David Krieger (29 October 2005). PD-CCA 2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.
The interior of a cabin on the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by David Krieger (29 October 2005). PD-CCA 2.0 Generic. Wikimedia Commons.

Her first assignment as a troop transport ship was to carry soldiers from New Zealand and Australia to England. About 15,000 men could be carried in one crossing. The Queen Mary set the record in July 1943 when she carried 16,683 men on one trip. The ship was fast. It could do up to 38 knots and easily outrun the German U-boats which is why she often crossed the Atlantic without escort ships. One of her most famous passengers during the war was Winston Churchill. He crossed several times for meetings with other Allied leaders and traveled under the name “Colonel Warden.”

Winston Churchill and his chiefs of staff around a conference table aboard the RMS Queen Mary enroute to the United States. Left to right: Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, Gen. Sir Alan Brooke, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Photo by Harold Tomlin (c. May 1943). Imperial War Museum. PD-Expired copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
Winston Churchill and his chiefs of staff around a conference table aboard the RMS Queen Mary enroute to the United States. Left to right: Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, Gen. Sir Alan Brooke, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Photo by Harold Tomlin (c. May 1943). Imperial War Museum. PD-Expired copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
Australian Army soldiers likely on board the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by anonymous (c. May 1940). Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons. Samuel J. Hood Studio Collection. PD-No known copyright restrictions. Wikimedia Commons.
Australian Army soldiers likely on board the RMS Queen Mary. Photo by anonymous (c. May 1940). Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons. Samuel J. Hood Studio Collection. PD-No known copyright restrictions. Wikimedia Commons.

Demobilization 

Demobilization officially ended on 30 June 1947. Only 1.6 million military personnel remained on active duty (reduced from 12.2 million two-years earlier). Active divisions were reduced from 89 to twelve. Operation Magic Carpet was considered a success with more than seven million people repatriated to America in only two years (at least the military brass branded it a success). It had been the largest mass people movement effort ever attempted.

RMS Queen Mary bringing American troops home from Europe. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945). New York Historical Society. Rare Historical Photos. https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/crowded-ship-bringing-american-troops-1945/
RMS Queen Mary bringing American troops home from Europe. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945). New York Historical Society. Rare Historical Photos.
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/crowded-ship-bringing-american-troops-1945/
Cover to a “Soldiers Welcome Home” guide. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.
Cover to a “Soldiers Welcome Home” guide. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.
RMS Queen Mary sailing up the New York Harbor at the end of the war. Notice the troops standing on her decks. Photo by anonymous (c. June 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.
RMS Queen Mary sailing up the New York Harbor at the end of the war. Notice the troops standing on her decks. Photo by anonymous (c. June 1945). PD-U.S. government. Wikimedia Commons.

The Queen Mary was retrofitted between September 1946 and July 1947 for her return to passenger service. She was retired in 1967 and the City of Long Beach, California purchased the ship. Today, the grand ship is moored in Long Beach and serves as a floating hotel, museum, event facility, and tourist attraction. The supernatural stories onboard the “Grey Ghost” are likely exaggerations. But you never know.

Next Blog:       “Charles Marville and le Vieux Paris”

Correspondence and Commentary Policy 

We welcome everyone to contact us either directly or through the individual blogs. Sandy and I review every piece of correspondence before it is approved to be published on the blog site. Our policy is to accept and publish comments that do not project hate, political, religious stances, or an attempt to solicit business (yeah, believe it or not, we do get that kind of stuff). Like many bloggers, we receive quite a bit of what is considered “Spam.” Those e-mails are immediately rejected without discussion.

Our blogs are written to inform our readers about history. We want to ensure discussions are kept within the boundary of historical facts and context without personal bias or prejudice.

We average about one e-mail every two days from our readers. We appreciate all communication because in many cases, it has led to friendships around the world.

We average about one e-mail every two days from our readers. We appreciate all communication because in many cases, it has led to friendships around the world.

★ Read and Learn More About Today’s Topic ★

Frame, Chris. Queen Mary History. Chris’ Cunard Page. Click here to visit the web-site. Click here to read the article.

Goldwyn, Samuel (Producer) and William Wyler (Director). The Best Years of Our Lives. Samuel Goldwyn Productions, 1946. Click here to watch a scene from the movie.

National Library of Scotland. Restored color archive film of RMS Queen Mary on the Clyde (1936). Moving Image Archive. Click here to visit the web-site.

(this one’s for you Roland)

Niderost, Eric. RMS Queen Mary’s War Service: Voyages to Victory. Warfare History Network, 16 January 2017. Click here to read the article. (Note: this requires a subscription to read).

Sparrow, John C. History of Personnel Demobilization in the United States. Army Center of Military History. Washington, D.C.: CMH Publications, 1994.

Disclaimer: 

There may be a chance that after we publish this particular blog, the video links associated with the blog are no longer accessible. We have no control over this. Many times, whoever posts the video has done so without the consent of the video’s owner. In some cases, it is likely that the content is deemed unsuitable by YouTube. We apologize if you have tried to access the link and you don’t get the expected results. Same goes for internet links.

What’s New With Sandy and Stew?

Sandy and I apologize to all of you who have contacted us in the recent weeks and months. We normally try to respond in a timely manner with comments or follow-up on any issues you raise. We have been delinquent in responding in our normal manner. Unfortunately, we’ve been dealing with aging parent issues, and it has taken an inordinate amount of our time. Please don’t stop communicating with us because of a lack of response. I have a pile of e-mails on my desk, and they will not be neglected. Hang in there with us. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all of you who subscribe to our blogs. It seems there isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t increase our readership. Please let your history buff friends and family members know about our blog site and blogs.

Someone Is Commenting On Our Blogs

Thanks to Jean-Paul Pallud for contacting us regarding our 2021 blog, OB West (click here to read the blog). He wanted us to know that five of the images I used in the blog were his photographs. I got the photos out of a magazine called After the Battle. I purchased several back issues because I was so impressed with the articles. The images were not credited, and I had an impossible time finding out who to credit. I even went as far as contacting the magazine but never heard back from them. (Unfortunately, according to Jean-Paul, the magazine no longer exists.)

Well, I’m happy Jean-Paul took the time to let us know. Sandy has corrected the image captions so future readers will know who took the photographs. I try very hard to make sure the image captions we use are correct and appropriate credit is given to the photographer and owner even when the image is the public domain. Mistakes happen and I’m grateful to those of you who contact us about errors and omissions. We immediately correct whatever is pointed out to us as the problem.

Jean-Paul is a rather prolific author of books on World War II and was a contributing writer to After the Battle. I’m looking forward to reading some of his books and maybe find an interesting topic to put into a blog. In the meantime, I’ve asked Jean-Paul to write a guest blog for us in the future. Stay tuned.

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Shepherd.com is like wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore.

Do you enjoy reading? Do you have a hard time finding the right book in the genre you enjoy? Well, Ben at Shepherd.com has come up with an amazing way to find that book.

Shepherd highlights an author (like me) and one of their books. The author is required to review five books in the same genre. So, if a reader is interested say in cooking, they can drill down and find specific books about cooking that have been reviewed by authors in that category. Very simple.

If you like to read, I highly recommend you visit Shepherd.com. If you do, please let me know what you think and I will forward Ben any suggestions or comments you might have.

Click here to visit Shepherd’s website.

Click the books to visit Stew’s bookshelf.

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Check out Stew’s new bookshelf on the French Revolution.

Shepherd FR Bookshelf

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Jacques the Ripper

Sandy and I will be traveling during the first three weeks of April. We are “repurposing” a blog originally published in 2015 under the title of Jacques the Ripper and again in 2018, but in an expanded format under the new title of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Both titles are appropriate as our topic today is about a serial killer who passed himself off as a member of the French Resistance during the occupation. About the only difference between Mr. Hyde and Dr. Marcel Petiot is that Petiot did not drink serum to transform himself into the serial killer — he did it all on his own. His two Paris residences have been included as stops in volumes 1 (page 86) & 3 of Where Did They Put the Gestapo Headquarters?

Some of the artifacts discussed in this blog found their way to the Paris Police Museum (click here to visit the museum web-site). Along with our friend and the best Paris guide, Raphaëlle Crevet (raphaellecrevet@yahoo.fr), we toured the museum during our last visit to Paris and spent several hours examining its exhibits dedicated to the history and forensics of the Paris police department. The majority of exhibits dealt with actual criminal cases of murderers, serial killers (including today’s subject), assassins, thieves, and other unsavory individuals. The museum covers the period beginning in the 17th-century through the present. An original guillotine blade is on exhibit. Located in the 5e, the museum is on an upper floor of a working police station so reservations are a must. Our visit to the police museum with Raphaëlle was so much better than our visit to the Paris Sewer Museum.

Doktor Petiot. Photo by anonymous (15 March 1946). The Netherlands National Archives. PD-CCO 1.0 Universal. Wikimedia Commons.
Doktor Petiot. Photo by anonymous (15 March 1946). The Netherlands National Archives. PD-CCO 1.0 Universal. Wikimedia Commons.
Eighteenth century Paris police uniform. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
Eighteenth century Paris police uniform. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.

MEDIEVAL PARIS – Volume One & Volume Two

Let us take you on a visit to the Paris of the Middle Ages. Come walk in the footsteps of the men, women, and children who lived, worked, and played in medieval Paris. Stop and see the only three residences still existing from medieval Paris. Learn about the scandalous Nesle Affair. Many of the stops are sites that most tourists don’t know even exist.

Did You Know?

Did you know that one of Southern California’s largest car dealers was Cal Worthington and his dog Spot? Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Cal ran iconic television and radio ads featuring himself and Spot. Now Spot wasn’t a dog. Cal used a tiger, gorilla, birds, and elephants, all on a leash to fill in as Spot. It was a parody on a competitor who used pound puppies in his commercials. We always enjoyed watching Cal’s commercials for no other reason than to see what animal would show up as Spot. Cal formed his own advertising agency called “Spot” and it had only one client: Cal Worthington and his dog Spot. But this isn’t really why I’m featuring Cal today.

Calvin “Cal” Coolidge Worthington (1920−2013) served in the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) during World War II as a pilot of a B-17. He flew twenty-nine missions between 11 December 1943 and a Berlin bombing run on 29 April 1944. He was assigned to the 390th Bomb Group and 568th Bomb Squadron. Awarded the Air Medal five times, Cal was presented the Distinguished Flying Cross by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle.

Cal Worthington in the pilot seat of his B-17, “Paper Doll”. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-U.S. government.
Cal Worthington in the pilot seat of his B-17, “Paper Doll”. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-U.S. government.
B17s from the 390th Bomb Group flying in formation. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). PD-U.S. government.
B17s from the 390th Bomb Group flying in formation. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). PD-U.S. government.
568th Bomb Squadron emblem and patch. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). PD-U.S. government.
568th Bomb Squadron emblem and patch. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). PD-U.S. government.

As a co-pilot and pilot, Cal flew in twelve different B-17s (F & G) and not one was named “Spot.” He was promoted to captain in April 1944 and commanded bombing missions over Germany in the “Paper Doll” before rotating out and training other pilots including some of our first astronauts. Cal was one of the lucky aviators who made it home.

Crew of the B-17, “The Paper Doll.” Capt. Cal Worthington is standing, second from left. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-U.S. government.
Crew of the B-17, “The Paper Doll.” Capt. Cal Worthington is standing, second from left. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-U.S. government.

Thanks to Greg Smith (click here to read the blog, Rendezvous with the Gestapo) for alerting us to Cal’s wartime service and providing Sandy and I with a forty-year-old nostalgia trip.

Let’s Meet the “Good” (but Crazy) Doctor 

Marcel André Henri Félix Petiot (1897−1946) was born in Auxerre, France. During his childhood, Petiot committed many criminal acts including discharging a gun in school, robbery, and destruction of public property. It was also documented that he tortured small animals and enjoyed setting fires — all classic signs of a serial killer. Petiot was diagnosed as mentally ill and finished his basic education at a “special” school in Paris.

He served on the front during World War I where he was wounded and gassed. Sent to various rest homes, Petiot was arrested for multiple thefts. Thrown into prison, Petiot was again diagnosed with mental illness. So, what did the French officials do? They sent Petiot back to the front where he attempted to blow off one of his feet with a grenade. This exploit managed to get him honorably discharged. (Corporal Klinger from M*A*S*H certainly would have been proud.)

Petiot earned his medical degree in 1921 whereupon he set up practice in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne. He soon earned a nefarious reputation as a drug supplier, abortionist, and thief. He also likely claimed his first victim in 1926 ⏤ his girlfriend. That same year, Petiot won the mayoral election which gave him the opportunity to embezzle the city’s funds. One year later, Petiot married Georgette and within a year, a son was born. By 1932, the citizens had figured him out and he moved his family to Paris.

Marriage of Marcel Petiot. Photo by anonymous (4 June 1927). PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
Marriage of Marcel Petiot. Photo by anonymous (4 June 1927). PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

The Smoke and Smell 

On the evening of 11 March 1944, five months before the liberation of Paris, Monsieur Marçais, resident of 22, rue le Sueur (16e), called the police over his concern for the immense amount of black smoke billowing from the chimney across the street at number 21. He was worried about a potential chimney fire in the unoccupied house. The neighbors later noted that the smoke had been heavy for the prior five days and the stench was nauseating.

Two policemen arrived on their bicycles and attempted to gain entry but were not successful. A neighbor who knew the owner telephoned him. Dr. Marcel Petiot lived at 66, rue Caumartin (9e), approximately fifteen minutes away by bike. He told the police to wait, as he would be right over with the keys.

Exterior of 66, rue de Caumartin, former residence and medical office of Dr. Marcel Petiot. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. 2017).
Exterior of 66, rue de Caumartin, former residence and medical office of Dr. Marcel Petiot. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. 2017).

After one half hour and no Dr. Petiot, the policemen were so worried about a fire that they called the fire department from which a truck and crew were sent immediately (the fire station still exists at 8, rue Mesnil). After smashing a window, several of the men were able to get inside the dark house. They followed the smell down to the basement where the most hideous scene unfolded.

The Basement 

Two coal furnaces were blazing away with the dismembered remains of several humans inside. As the men looked around (lit by a flashlight), they saw skulls, arms, legs, and other human parts surrounding them. The odor and stench of decomposing bodies (or what was left of them) were too much. The police and firemen exited the basement and building.

The secluded courtyard at the Rue le Sueur: Detectives examining tell-tale traces of lime. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
The secluded courtyard at the Rue le Sueur: Detectives examining tell-tale traces of lime. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.

It didn’t take long for a large crowd to congregate outside the building. One of the onlookers approached a patrolman and identified himself as the brother of the building’s owner. He told the police that he knew about the bodies which he identified as Germans and French traitors. He managed to convince the policeman that he ran a large French resistance organization and then talked them into allowing him to take documents out of the building. Finally, the police allowed him to leave the scene on his bicycle after promising they would not inform their superiors about him. It was later that the patrolman saw a picture of the building’s owner and realized it had been Marcel Petiot who they let get away.

The  Courtyard and the Pit 

When the police Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu arrived, a tour of the basement (now fully lit up), courtyard, and adjacent small buildings revealed even more ghastly scenes. Carefully stacked piles of human remains were on the floor, a bag containing a human torso was discovered, and bloody tools were lying around. Leaving the basement, they entered the courtyard and went into a small building which contained a triangular room. There were no windows or furniture. The walls were very thick and imbedded in the walls were numerous iron hooks. A viewing lens had been constructed in the wall so that someone could stand in the adjacent room and view whatever was going on in the soundproof triangular chamber.

The little glass window through which Dr. Petiot is alleged to have watched the death agonies of his victims. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
The little glass window through which Dr. Petiot is alleged to have watched the death agonies of his victims. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
Telescope viewing lens (marked as evidence) used by Petiot to watch his victims die inside the death chamber. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Telescope viewing lens (marked as evidence) used by Petiot to watch his victims die inside the death chamber. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

Moving on to the small carriage house, Massu and his team found a pit. A rope and pulley hovered above the pit. It was estimated that the depth of the pit was 12 feet. They quickly confirmed the pit was full of decomposing bodies layered with quicklime.

Artifacts from the Petiot criminal case. Upper left: the pulley and rope with iron chain and hook used by Petiot to lower his victims into the pit. Upper right: Petiot’s mug shots. The viewing lens can be seen next to the rope and below the mug shots. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
Artifacts from the Petiot criminal case. Upper left: the pulley and rope with iron chain and hook used by Petiot to lower his victims into the pit. Upper right: Petiot’s mug shots. The viewing lens can be seen next to the rope and below the mug shots. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
The entrance to the secret cellar: a big manhole through which Petiot lowered his victims using a rope and pulley. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
The entrance to the secret cellar: a big manhole through which Petiot lowered his victims using a rope and pulley. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
Police carrying out remains of one of Petiot’s victims. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Police carrying out remains of one of Petiot’s victims. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

21, rue le Sueur  

After moving to Paris, Dr. Marcel Petiot became a respected physician in the community. He bought the apartment on rue Caumartin where he lived with his family as well as maintaining his medical practice on the ground floor. He subsequently purchased the building at 21, rue le Sueur in 1941 and had extensive renovations done, especially in the basement and several other small outbuildings on the property. The surrounding wall was raised so that the neighbors could not see into the courtyard. A triangular room was built in the basement to exacting specifications, including only one entrance, thick walls, hooks embedded in the walls, and a peephole drilled into the wall to accommodate the viewing lens.

Original exterior plaques used by Dr. Petiot at 66, rue de Caumartin to identify his medical office. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
Original exterior plaques used by Dr. Petiot at 66, rue de Caumartin to identify his medical office. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.

Petiot quickly built a reputation for smuggling people out of France and into South America. Unfortunately, the furthest his clients got was 21, rue le Sueur and the basement.

The plate outside the consulting rooms in the rue de Caumartin: “Consultations every day (except Sundays)”. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
The plate outside the consulting rooms in the rue de Caumartin: “Consultations every day (except Sundays)”. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.

Occupation Activities 

For years, Petiot passed himself off under various names, alias, and disguises. While practicing medicine, Petiot began an operation where he would promise to arrange safe passage out of occupied France to anyone who could pay his fee. Typically, these were Jews trying to escape deportation. However, there were many others, including gangsters, prostitutes, and even a 6-year old child, who sought out “Dr. Eugène” for travel assistance. He would always advise them to bring lots of cash and all of their jewelry. The first stop on their voyage was a visit to the basement of 21, rue le Sueur.

Discovery and Arrest 

Shortly after the police discovered his basement in March 1944, Petiot went into hiding telling his protectors that the Gestapo was after him. He managed to elude capture until 31 October 1944 when he was taken into custody. Many rumors about Petiot circulated throughout the liberated city including murders he never committed, that he had been a Gestapo agent, and even that the story had been made up by the Germans for propaganda purposes. In fact, well before the city’s liberation, the Gestapo knew all about “Dr. Eugène” and gave the French authorities orders to arrest him.

Fake ID cards. They were established in the name of Henri Watterwald and used by Marcel Petiot during his escape preceding his arrest. Using this false name as well as the nom de guerre, Valéry, Petiot lived in the Reuilly barracks as an investigator of the military security. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum
Fake ID cards. They were established in the name of Henri Watterwald and used by Marcel Petiot during his escape preceding his arrest. Using this false name as well as the nom de guerre, Valéry, Petiot lived in the Reuilly barracks as an investigator of the military security. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum
The monster of the Rue le Sueur: Dr. Petiot under interrogation after his arrest, when he maintained his victims were all collaborators. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
The monster of the Rue le Sueur: Dr. Petiot under interrogation after his arrest, when he maintained his victims were all collaborators. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
Medical notebooks and diary kept by Marcel Petiot. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
Medical notebooks and diary kept by Marcel Petiot. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
A notebook belonging to Marcel Petiot. It was seized by Police Commissioner Massu. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
A notebook belonging to Marcel Petiot. It was seized by Police Commissioner Massu. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.

Trial, Sentence, and Punishment 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x4i48_H_To

During his trial in March 1946, Petiot acknowledged and took responsibility for the murders. His defense was that he ran a resistance organization, and the victims were all German sympathizers or members of the German military. No one in any of the resistance networks could identify him nor could the authorities prove that any of the resistance groups he claimed to have belonged to actually existed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTAsOJwDbus

Marcel Petiot (upright, center) stands trial in Paris in March 1946. Notice the suitcases to the left of Petiot and the policeman. Photo by anonymous (c. March 1946).
Marcel Petiot (upright, center) stands trial in Paris in March 1946. Notice the suitcases to the left of Petiot and the policeman. Photo by anonymous (c. March 1946).

In the end, it was clear that Dr. Petiot was a serial killer (again and in hindsight, with all the modern day identifiable traits of a serial killer). Petiot was convicted of twenty-six murders, but it is estimated that his victims totaled more than two hundred. Two months later on 25 May 1946, Petiot was beheaded in the courtyard of the Prison de la Santé. Walking to the guillotine, he advised his attorney and others to turn away as it “wasn’t going to be very pretty.”

Workmen in La Sante Prison courtyard cleaning and dismantling the guillotine, 25 May 1946, after the execution of Marcel Petiot. Blood is visible on the pavement in the foreground at the base of the guillotine. Photo by anonymous (25 May 1946).
Workmen in La Sante Prison courtyard cleaning and dismantling the guillotine, 25 May 1946, after the execution of Marcel Petiot. Blood is visible on the pavement in the foreground at the base of the guillotine. Photo by anonymous (25 May 1946).
Guillotine blade. Was this the blade used for Petiot’s execution? Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.
Guillotine blade. Was this the blade used for Petiot’s execution? Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022). Paris Police Museum.

Click here to watch the video Outside French Court 1946.

Click here to watch the video Final Proceedings at the Petiot Trial.

Demolition 

The authorities found hundreds of empty suitcases in the attic of Petiot’s rue Caumartin residence. The apartment furnishings could be described as upper middle-class, and Georgette wore expensive jewelry which she explained away as gifts from her husband. Although suspected of being an accomplice, Georgette was never charged and, in the end, professed an ignorance of her husband’s activities. No one has ever figured out where Petiot had stashed all the cash, jewelry, and other valuables he stole from his victims. Georgette and her son disappeared and were never heard from again.

Detectives examining some of the forty-eight suit cases sold by the doctor to a receiver—the property of his unfortunate victims. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.
Detectives examining some of the forty-eight suit cases sold by the doctor to a receiver—the property of his unfortunate victims. Photo by anonymous (c. 1946). The Illustrated London News, 20 April 1946. Author’s collection.

The original building at 21, rue le Sueur was carefully demolished — brick by brick — in 1952. The person who bought the building was very deliberate in taking it apart. The buildings on either side are original from that time. You’ll notice the architectural style of the building sandwiched in between is quite different than the contiguous buildings.

Exterior of 21, rue le Sueur. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Parisienne de Photo Graphic.
Exterior of 21, rue le Sueur. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Parisienne de Photo Graphic.
Exterior view of 21, rue le Sueur. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022).
Exterior view of 21, rue le Sueur. Photo by Sandy Ross (c. September 2022).

Oh, by the way, the original basement remains intact.

Next Blog:       “The Grey Ghost”

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We welcome everyone to contact us either directly or through the individual blogs. Sandy and I review every piece of correspondence before it is approved to be published on the blog site. Our policy is to accept and publish comments that do not project hate, political, religious stances, or an attempt to solicit business (yeah, believe it or not, we do get that kind of stuff). Like many bloggers, we receive quite a bit of what is considered “Spam.” Those e-mails are immediately rejected without discussion.

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★ Read and Learn More About Today’s Topic ★

Kershaw, Alistair. Murder in France. London: Constable and Company, 1955.

King, David. Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris. New York: Broadway Paperbooks, 2011.*

Maeder, Thomas. The Unspeakable Crimes of Dr. Petiot. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1981.

Tomlins, Marilyn Z. Die in Paris. London: Raven Crest Books, 2013.

*Mr. King’s book was instrumental in developing the content for this blog. I highly recommend you read his book if you are interested in expanding the story of Dr. Petiot.

Disclaimer: 

There may be a chance that after we publish this particular blog, the video links associated with the blog are no longer accessible. We have no control over this. Many times, whoever posts the video has done so without the consent of the video’s owner. In some cases, it is likely that the content is deemed unsuitable by YouTube. We apologize if you have tried to access the link and you don’t get the expected results. Same goes for internet links.

What’s New With Sandy and Stew?

 

We hope you enjoy this reprint of one of our more popular blog topics. If you’re in Paris and don’t have anything “new” to do, we suggest you visit the Paris Police Museum. As you read this, Sandy and I are in Tokyo and touring the city with a private guide. Hopefully, we’ll get our fill of sushi while here.

Thank you to all of you who subscribe to our blogs. It seems there isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t increase our readership. Please let your history buff friends and family members know about our blog site and blogs.

Someone Is Commenting On Our Blogs

I’d like to thank our good friend from Scotland, Roland K. for commenting on our usage of the term “England” and clarifying for me the proper usage of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. Clearly, I was sleeping in class when the teacher covered this.

Blandine E. contacted us in March after having read our 2020 blog, Captain Jack (click here to read the blog). Blandine’s grandfather, Henri Cerisier, was a French policeman and résistant during the occupation of Paris. He arrested Guy Glébe d’Eu, count of Marcheret (a.k.a. Captain Jack) who was in collaboration with the Gestapo and directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of resistance fighters. The count was also responsible for turning over downed Allied airmen to the Germans. M. Cerisier “hosted” American soldiers and one of them, Sgt. Arthur Pelletier, became a victim of Marcheret’s treachery. Sgt. Pelletier was arrested and sent to KZ Buchenwald as one of the 168 men targeted for execution (click here to read the blog, The Last Train Out of Paris). Fortunately, Blandine’s grandfather was not able to make the meeting of young French résistants in August 1944 to pick up guns and ammunition. Otherwise, he would have been massacred by the Germans along with the others. Thank you Blandine for sharing this information with us. I’m looking forward to our future discussions.

If there is a topic you’d like to see a blog written about, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I love hearing from you so keep those comments coming.

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