Carl Frederick Eifler (27 June 1906 – 8 April 2002) was a U.S. Army officer best known for having commanded Detachment 101, which served behind the enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Burma during World War II. He helped stand up 13 army reserve detachments outside major universities to preserve the expertise and knowledge of the returning GIs.
Eifler enlisted in the Army(age 15) and spent a year as a private in Panama before being returned to the US as underage. He served in the United States Army Reserve in the 1930s, earning a commission, and he was called to active duty in early 1941. Shortly afterwards, Eifler was ordered to report to "Wild Bill" Donovan, commander of the Coordinator of Information, which would soon become the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).
Eifler was selected to command Detachment 101, a paramilitary organization intended to operate against the Japanese army in the Burma Campaign, in China India Burma Theater. Eifler performed his work with distinction, surviving two plane crashes, but finally being disabled by head injuries that required 18 months of hospitalization. He held the rank of colonel when he was relieved of command in 1943 because of his injuries. Eifler turned over command of Detachment 101 to Lt. Col. William R. Peers, and was flown to Hawaii to recover.
In 1945, the OSS had Eifler devise a plan to parachute into Nazi Germany disguised as a German general to kidnap Werner Heisenberg, Germany's top nuclear physicist, smuggle Heisenberg to Switzerland, and bring him to the United States. Eifler did not end up doing the mission, as he was told the Americans had already developed the Atom Bomb. The sole reason for kidnapping Heisenberg was to prevent the Germans from developing the bomb before the Americans. In reality, the mission was still alive, though it was handed to Moe Berg.[2]
After the war, Eifler earned a doctorate of psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology and worked as a clinical psychologist in Monterey, California. He died in 2002 at the age of 95 in Salinas, California. Eifler (a burly 6'2") had outlived both of his wives as well as his son, Carl Henry Eifler.
carl, eifler, carl, frederick, eifler, june, 1906, april, 2002, army, officer, best, known, having, commanded, detachment, which, served, behind, enemy, lines, japanese, occupied, burma, during, world, helped, stand, army, reserve, detachments, outside, major,. Carl Frederick Eifler 27 June 1906 8 April 2002 was a U S Army officer best known for having commanded Detachment 101 which served behind the enemy lines in Japanese occupied Burma during World War II He helped stand up 13 army reserve detachments outside major universities to preserve the expertise and knowledge of the returning GIs Contents 1 Biography 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksBiography editEifler was born in Los Angeles California to Carl Eifler Sr and his wife Pauline His parents were both born in Wisconsin to German American immigrants and his father was a rig builder in a buggy shop 1 He served in the Los Angeles Police Department followed by the United States Border Patrol Eifler enlisted in the Army age 15 and spent a year as a private in Panama before being returned to the US as underage He served in the United States Army Reserve in the 1930s earning a commission and he was called to active duty in early 1941 Shortly afterwards Eifler was ordered to report to Wild Bill Donovan commander of the Coordinator of Information which would soon become the Office of Strategic Services OSS Eifler was selected to command Detachment 101 a paramilitary organization intended to operate against the Japanese army in the Burma Campaign in China India Burma Theater Eifler performed his work with distinction surviving two plane crashes but finally being disabled by head injuries that required 18 months of hospitalization He held the rank of colonel when he was relieved of command in 1943 because of his injuries Eifler turned over command of Detachment 101 to Lt Col William R Peers and was flown to Hawaii to recover In 1945 the OSS had Eifler devise a plan to parachute into Nazi Germany disguised as a German general to kidnap Werner Heisenberg Germany s top nuclear physicist smuggle Heisenberg to Switzerland and bring him to the United States Eifler did not end up doing the mission as he was told the Americans had already developed the Atom Bomb The sole reason for kidnapping Heisenberg was to prevent the Germans from developing the bomb before the Americans In reality the mission was still alive though it was handed to Moe Berg 2 After the war Eifler earned a doctorate of psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology and worked as a clinical psychologist in Monterey California He died in 2002 at the age of 95 in Salinas California Eifler a burly 6 2 had outlived both of his wives as well as his son Carl Henry Eifler Colonel Eifler is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and is honored by Eifler Gym at Fort Huachuca Arizona References edit 1910 U S Census Los Angeles California enumeration district 214 sheet 15 Sheinkin Steve 2012 Bomb First ed New York Flash Point Roaring Brook Press Holtzbrink Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership pp 117 118 119 149 ISBN 978 1 59643 487 5 Sacquety Troy 2001 Behind Japanese Lines in Burma The Stuff of Intelligence Legend Archived from the original on June 13 2007 Retrieved 27 October 2010 McLellan Dennis Carl Eifler fearless colonel dead at 95 Los Angeles Times Retrieved 27 October 2010 Deadliest Colonel dies at age 95 US Customs Today Archived from the original on 23 October 2011 Retrieved 27 October 2010 Further reading editMoon Thomas The Deadliest Colonel New York Vantage Press 1975 External links editPartial Inventory of the Carl Frederick Eifler Papers and selected documents online at the Hoover Institution Archives Stanford University nbsp nbsp This biographical article related to World War II United States Army personnel is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carl F Eifler amp oldid 1194426140, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
