House of Horrors OSS training at Catoctin

Actual footage from Office of Strategic Services (OSS) training videos produced by John Ford. Courtesy of the National Archives.

[@ericharmon7163]

I like the "quiet now" after discharging a 45 twice, lol.

[@al_lahn4264]

I liked the goofy whispering and the inexplicable switch between 1911 and revolver and back, but my favorite part is how the targets at the end are actually people dressed as German soldiers.

[@dangerman007]

This is the source of CQB. This is where it all started. It may be old but it still works. Notice he double taps on every target.

[@markcarlton1182]

Love these old school videos. Remember in 1941, there was no TV or CIA and Marine Corp consisted of less than 40K men. It was a different time and film production was primitive. Attention to detail was bad. For example, he started out with a 1911 .45, then at 4:03, the guy was shooting a Colt Single Army .45 revolver then was reloading a 1911. Also, he shot 12 rounds out of a 7 shot pistol. Seems like they never thought of a tactical reload. Entertaining to say the least.

[@LegendaryKazooMann1936]

That ASMR tho!!

[@ironstarofmordian7098]

😐

[@nooneofconsequence884]

Looks like they mixed two different scenarios when they edited this footage. He was shooting blanks from the revolver at live "Germans" and he was shooting the 1911 at paper-mache targets with live ammo. Just put the two recordings into one video

[@gordonames1892]

I believe this is Fort Ritchie where I was stationed in the late 70s. It's about 10 miles from Camp David. It is in the Caotictin mountain.

[@ultor__]

What's the purpose of sneaking after you've just blasted a Kraut with a .45acp double tap?

[@hircineshadow5246]

I'm not proud about it but one time i accidentally fired a 44/40 in our bedroom... My wife was downstairs and didn't notive it at all. I live in a old brick house with thick walls but i was still amazed by how "silent" it was. Almost like if just a big book or something had fallen to the ground

[@jean-baptisted.6642]

Good job Boy.

[@mikem6176]

11 rounds out of that first 7 round magazine. Then it turns into a revolver, and back to a pistol. He reloads with a magazine holding at most 2 rounds, and fires all six of them.

[@finncullen]

"One fine day in the middle of the night, two dead men got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other, drew their swords and shot each other"

[@allanbrown747]

No ear protection, but some cool looking safety glasses

[@al_lahn4264]

LOL!

[@GypsyHunter232UK]

Good old batman and Robin in the ww2 wars

[@Fuseflight09]

“Jeremy was putting his pistol back into the holster at the time his NKVD girlfriend shot her first German, who was already shot twice”, that’s how I imagine OSS agents in WW-2

[@AgrippaKCsGunTime]

the magic gun is awesome. 1911, wait no its a revolver, then a 1911, no a revolver.

[@will7its]

He could have had both........

[@kennyli2176]

It might be the first one man cqb training in this world.

[@LieutJAM]

It probably is, it’s way more relaxed back then than now

[@machfiver753]

And be sure to telegraph ever right turn you make with your left arm. And lead with your head from the ground on the right turns

[@jessebaker2769]

Anyone know if the full video is available online anywhere?

[@achillebelanger9866]

It is.

[@jessebaker2769]

@@achillebelanger9866 got a link to it?

[@GhostRanger5060]

This is film noir cool. Hey, this is the generation that won WWII against both the Japanese and the Germans in less than 5 years. Quit criticizing their technique, people!

[@minotaur9419]

4:02 Hmm. Seems that the pistol of the good guy changed from a semi auto into a revolver. It then changed back to a semi auto a couple of seconds later.

[@AgrippaKCsGunTime]

it so it fires the blanks at the “live targets” for the training film. 1911 45 are notorious for handling blanks. its why in the movies a Llama especial is a usual stand in with 9mm chambering.

[@achillebelanger9866]

Dad said the 1911 wouldn't cycle with Blanks, so they used a 1917.

[@AgrippaKCsGunTime]

@@achillebelanger9866 yes.

[@grumblekin]

You'll deafen yourself in short order if you are shooting indoors

[@davidhawley3337]

Yes. I know.

[@BOORAGG]

When did he change pistols/

[@achillebelanger9866]

My Father was the Man with the 1911 Pistol.

[@permanenceaesthetic6545]

This was your dad? That’s awesome! If he’s still around, shake his hand for me. I’m grateful for his service!

[@geronimosrifle2913]

This sure beats CQB of today! It's boring and straightforward in a framed with hardly no walls structure. W what a cool experience it would be to go back in time and go through their CQB House of Horrors it really feels like you're buying a ticket and going through a haunted house! But only better cuz you get to shoot the hobgoblins, Spooks, and boogers that are having all the fun jumping down scaring the crap out of you.

[@michaelmutphy9077]

Why did he have to reload his 1911 when he did his shooting with a revolver?

[@larss337]

Making this film they do the shots with a revolver because a semiautomatic won't reload on blanks without modification (removing the breach locking and party restraining the bore).

[@GhostRanger5060]

Double Tap, baby!

[@michaelleslie6970]

Attleast he didn't shoot the cameraman at any angle/caption

[@doomo]

14 rounds BEFORE he changes magazines.

[@machfiver753]

Why is there a rooftop in my basement?

[@machfiver753]

Who framed that house? That floor sucks.

[@MountainRaven1960]

Honey! I’m home!

[@LateNightRewrites]

I can't believe it took 50-60 years to learn a better way to shoot a semiauto handgun (i.e. two handed high grip)

[@MarkTools]

1940s's ASMR.

[@mainemade300]

45 was only 9 shot so

[@killzinshadows3767]

I have been watching the video as I'm commenting and I keep having to edit my post because shit just gets more and more ridiculous ! 1:13 eyes open... stellar advice Drill😂...this dude would have died 100% of the time if this wasnt a simulated engagement.. 2:05 yea just get low and slowly stick ur head out around a blind corner☠ , ladies and gentlemen I give u the dumbest advice I've ever heard🤦‍♂️. 4:05 boy John Wick would be jealous as hell of buddies reload speed

[@Tysandifer]

To be fair if no one knew you were there then being on the ground works. Even when I was a kid and we played tag I'd run around s corner and lay down tight against the wall. You'd be surprised how easy it is to trick someone. In movies when people are getting chased (or just everyday walking around corners of your house) they always aim around the corner at eye level or something becuae they expect them to be upright or kneeling a few feet away. so someone on the ground right at the corner would be easy to miss (and it'd give them time to disarm you BECUASE you didn't check the ground first and they can grab you)

[@comanchedase]

Trigger discipline wasn't a thing then, even with fairbairn

[@onedirection3510]

One handed, no sights. I guess no time for aiming? Now I know where the Lone Ranger got his mask from. What’s the point in wearing those masks?

[@HydraHolden]

To protect their identities. After WWII OSS men & women went on to form the CIA. So I'd bet these dudes went on to do some light spying during the Cold war. They do look funny though.

[@guillermoavila7739]

Skullface cosplay

[@Tysandifer]

Secret agents man

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

The guy uses his left / non shooting hand on the 45 auto slide release instead of using his thumb on his shooting hand - OK

[@eliot1970]

Maybe you could do a better job fighting the second world war you privileged little shit. Oh that's right. You voted for a 5 time draft dodger... and you're proud of it.

[@jackglockstar]

Larry vickers teaches the same...insert mag and your left thumb finds the release, same as an ar15 reload, thumb on the paddle release. Next time research before showing your ignorance of combat shooting

[@cuntdracula1]

guys walking through the house like he's holding an invisible fucking purse. Fuck outta here.

[@bodyno3158]

Hey it's WW2, most modern shooting technique haven't been invented yet. But I'm pretty sure a guy armed with modern competition/tactical shooting knowledge in mind would be a BAMF in OSS, sung by Sabaton level of BAMF.

[@kirbyculp3449]

I hope that they used hearing protection.

[@moredistractions]

I don't know much about real life tactical combat, but it seems like a professional would use two hands to fire the pistol in that situation and visually aim the gun instead of hip firing cowboy style. Unless he was some highly trained pistolero, I think there would be a good possibility that many of those shots would have missed or at least not hit the vital parts of the target.

[@Tysandifer]

It'd waste precious time having to aim...they practiced shooting like that so they would have an idea in mind where to aim from the hip. Remember 1 second to aim could mean you get shot (also your brain would have to focus on the sight and that'd waste even more time)

[@extrasolar213]

lol

[@adobemastr]

Goofy.😏

[@stephanM5]

This is the stupidest thing I have ever seen, here this instructor is whispering to the student to keep quiet after he's already fired his weapon several times. Yeah the enemy would never hear your gunshots at all, just keep sneaking around they won't suspect a thing! DUH!