Everyone knows “The French Chef” Julia Child, and most know of her secret past as a top secret researcher for the OSS. Too tall to enlist in the Women’s Army corps, she joined the OSS, and was quickly promoted from her position of clerk typist to research under the direction of General William Donovan. She was first tasked with tracking officers in the secret intelligence division, but soon had the opportunity to create her first pièce de résistance.
Apparently curious sharks were setting off too many OSS underwater explosives. Asked to solve the problem, Child’s solution was to cook up various concoctions to use as shark repellent. These were sprinkled in the water near the explosives, and proved to be so effective they are still being used!
(Photo Credit: Lynn Gilbert)