The Limping Lady Summary

Virginia Hall "The Limping Lady"

1. Introduction

One of the world’s most dangerous allied agents in France was “The Limping Lady” Virginia Hall when the Germans took over France. Virginia Hall was an American Civilian, who was in France when the Germans took control, but do to her hatred of the Germans ways of treating the people of France, became one of the best spies in American History. Even after Virginia lost her leg in a gun accident, which never stopped her from doing her job, she proved to be a valuable asset in the war.

2. Background

Virginia Hall was born on April 6, 1906, in Baltimore, Maryland to the parents of Edwin Lee Hall and Barbara Virginia Hammel. Virginia attended Radcliffe (Harvard University’s college for women)

In 1941, Virginia was sent Vichy France under her new identity where she spent fifteen months, while most agents at this time only spent six months behind enemy lines. Virginia had to leave France in 1943 because the Germans were getting too close to capturing her, so for her safety, the SOE told her to get out. Virginia received the code name of “Artemis” from the Germans because she was so good at her job and was causing the Germans a lot of grief. By the time the Germans were getting close to Virginia, she had fled to Spain. Virginia hiked all the way across the Pyrenees and into Spain thru the winter snowstorms. Once Virginia arrived in Spain she was imprisoned for twenty days due to not having the correct documentation for entry into Spain. Virginia was released and finally made it back to London were she was welcomed as a hero by her peers of the SOE. Virginia was now on top of the Germans most wanted list. Virginia was put in charge of organizing safe houses for the French Resistance because the SOE did not want to put her back behind enemy lines. In 1943, King George VI made her a Member of the British Empire but Virginia refused the medal because she was afraid it would blow her cover. Virginia sought out to find someone who would allow her to go back behind enemy lines. After the SOE would not send Virginia back behind enemy lines she joined the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1944. The OSS send Virginia right back behind enemy lines to help the French Resistance. Virginia was now disguised as an old lady that worked on a farm and would go to the local flea market and gather information. Virginia was a radio operator and now was reporting the German troop movements to London. Since the Germans had such sophisticated radio equipment, Virginia’s job was incredibly dangerous. Virginia was always moving to stay one step ahead of