“Not Too Much Regard For The Speed Limit”: Intelligence Collecting In East Germany

Douglas Guiler grew up during the WWII era, and this, coupled with the draft, encouraged him to enter the service. He participated in ROTC at Yale and commissioned into the Quartermaster Corps, although he eventually served as an Infantry Officer, and finally as a Military Intelligence Officer. During his career, he served in Germany, Vietnam, and the United States. He ended his career and transitioned into civilian life, working on weapons limitations and inspections. In this interview, LTC Douglas Guiler reflects on his career. He discusses his first tour in Germany and the general reaction to the newly constructed Berlin Wall, his tours in Vietnam that included forays into Cambodia, and then his return to Germany as part of the Military Liaison Mission. As a tour officer, he recalls the special modifications made to their Ford sedans, including the new technology of four-wheel drive. This proved useful as on a number of occasions, as he and his driver made use of the car’s unique capabilities to escape from the East German police. LTC Guiler also oversaw the hiring of the first women on the Military Liaison Mission, and talks about the immense value they offered to the unit in the late 1960s and 1970s.