James served as a Lieutenant, Office of Strategic Services, U.S. Navy during World War II. He resided in New York State prior to the war. He earned degrees from Harvard and Cambridge. He had a PhD in archaeology. Having spent much time abroad in different countries he was familiar with 14 languages and spoke 6. The Office of Strategic Services, of which he was a member, was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the main World War II intelligence agency, and a predecessor of today's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Information on this office's records and activities were not released until 2008. Lt. James Harvey Gaul became a member, and second in command, of what was called the "Dawes Team" when he was sent to Slovakia on October 17, 1944. Sent with him to join the team on that date were Lane Miller, William McGregor, Kenneth Lain, J. Dunlevy and Navy photographer Nelson B. Paris. The original "Dawes Team" that was sent into Slovakia on September 17, 1944 included Lt. James H. Green, Cpl Robert R. Brown, S/Sgt Joseph L. Horvath, and M/Sgt Jerry G. Mican. They were later joined by a two man team with the code name of "Houseboat" which included SP(X)2 Charles S. Heller and Private John Schwartz. The "Dawes Team" was sent into Czechoslovakia (Present Day Slovakia) to rescue downed American/Allied airmen. On October 7, 1944 a team called the "Bowery Team" were sent to the region and that team was comprised of 1st Lt. Tibor K. Keszthelyi, Steve Catlos, and civilians using the code names Francis Moly and Stephen Cora. Sometime in October, 1st Lt. Francis Perry was sent in under code name "Dare" to join the "Dawes Team". He was to represent the German Austrian desk collecting information on Slovak headquarters and exploring the possibility of courier routes over the frontier. Two other civilians also were dropped at the same time. Emil Tomes, an American who lived in Slovakia, was sent in to work independently on counterintelligence, and Associated Press correspondent Joseph Morton. Lt. James Harvey Gaul was captured by the German SS in Czechoslovakia (Present Day Slovakia) and was taken to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria. James was tortured and then "Executed While A POW" by the German SS. His remains were cremated. He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross", Prisoner Of War Medal, and the Purple Heart. Service # O-246370 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Citation Synopsis submitted by Dwight "Andy" Anderson: Distinguished Service Cross The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant James Harvey Gaul (NSN: 0-105695), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company B, 2677th Regiment, Office of Strategic Services, in action against enemy forces from 17 September 1944 to 26 December 1944. With full knowledge of the extreme hazards involved, Lieutenant Gaul volunteered for an intelligence mission into the heart of enemy-occupied Czechoslovakia. As second in command of the mission, he played a leading role in the securing the military information of great value to the Allied cause, and assisted in the rescue and evacuation of a large number of downed Allied airmen. Until deterioration of the fighting front in Czechoslovakia rendered further operations impracticable, the team of which Lieutenant Gaul was a member operated successfully for many weeks behind enemy lines under conditions of utmost peril and hardship, transmitting a constant flow intelligence to Allied authorities. During the absence of the team's commanding officer on an urgent mission to attempt renewal of radio contact with the operations base, Lieutenant Gaul assumed leadership of the group. By his courage, decisiveness, and driving energy, he maintained the spirit and strength of the group despite the extreme sufferings from exposure and privations it was then undergoing. In order to obtain medical aid and a safe place of refuge for the seriously ill members of the group, he undertook numerous dangerous reconnaissances, being forced on several occasions to flee under enemy fire. Lieutenant Gaul's heroic and selfless performance of duty, until his capture and subsequent execution by the enemy, is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Services. General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army-Mediterranean Theater of Operations, General Orders No. 293 (1945) Action Date: September 17 - December 26, 1944 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Company: Company B Regiment: 2677th Regiment Division: Office of Strategic Services ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OSS members executed at Mauthausen Concentration Camp: Baranski, Edward V ~ Capt, Army, Illinois, "Day Team" Brown, Robert R ~ Corp, Army, Illinois, "Dawes Team" Gaul, James H ~ Lt, Navy, New York, "Dawes Team" Green, James Holt ~ Lt, Navy, North Carolina, "Dawes Team" Heller, Charles S ~ SP(X)2, Navy, Illinois, "Dawes Team" Horvath, Joseph J ~ S/Sgt, Army, Ohio, "Dawes Team" Keszthelyi, Tibor K ~ 1st Lt, Army, New York, "Bowery Team" Mican, Jerry G ~ M/Sgt, Army, Illinois, "Dawes Team" Morton, Joseph ~ Civilian, War correspondent, AP, "Dawes Team" Paris, Nelson B ~ PhoM1C, Navy, Oregon, "Dawes Team" Pavletich, Daniel ~ Civilian, "Day Team" Perry, Francis ~ 1st Lt, Army, New York, "Dawes Team" British Military executed at Mauthausen Concentration Camp: Sehmer, John ~ Maj, Army, British ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two others, with the last names of "Willis" & "Wilson" were also executed with the above group. It is unknown if they were American Military, British Military, or civilians. Steve J. Catlos, who was an U.S. Army Soldier and a member of the "Bowery Team" evaded capture and survived the war. Private John Schwartz, William McGregor, Kenneth Lain, and J. Dunlevy members of the "Dawes Team" all became POW's and survived the war. Anton Novak, a civilian with the "Day Team" escaped capture and survived the war.
Source: Find a Grave