The One Man Army Who Taunted the Enemy for Fun

Peter Julien Ortiz lived a life so extraordinary that even Hollywood struggled to make it believable. An American who joined the French Foreign Legion before the United States entered World War II, Ortiz fought the Germans in France, was shot and captured, spent 15 months as a prisoner, and repeatedly attempted escape before finally making his way back to America. After joining the Marines, his combat experience, fearlessness, and ability to speak ten languages eventually brought him to the attention of the OSS, which sent him behind enemy lines to organize the French Resistance. Ortiz became notorious for openly wearing his Marine uniform in occupied France, stealing German vehicles with forged documents, rescuing downed Allied airmen, and reportedly confronting German officers who insulted him inside a café. During a second mission in 1944, Ortiz and two Marines were surrounded in the village of Centron. Knowing continued resistance could bring German retaliation against innocent civilians, he walked through enemy gunfire carrying a white cloth and surrendered only after securing a promise that the village would be spared. The Germans were stunned to discover that the force they believed was an entire company consisted of only three Marines. Captured for a second time, Ortiz continued trying to escape until the final weeks of the war, eventually earning two Navy Crosses for his service. Afterward, he traded covert warfare for Hollywood, appearing in 29 films and working alongside figures such as John Ford and John Wayne. This is the incredible true story of Peter Ortiz, the Marine, spy, prisoner, resistance fighter, and Hollywood actor whose real adventures were almost too unbelievable for the movies. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -