The Team House: Inside Military Intel in WW2 with Tim Scherrer (Ep. 395)
Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Jack Murphy
Guest: Tim Scherrer (author, Army Reserve Counterintelligence Officer)
Main Topic: Tim Scherrer's experiences in US Army counterintelligence, his military career, and his new book Spy Catchers, Interrogators, and Analysts: Tactical U.S Army Military Intelligence in World War II
Episode Overview
This episode features an in-depth conversation between Jack Murphy and Tim Scherrer, a former Army Reserve counterintelligence section chief and author. The discussion covers Scherrer's extensive military background, with stories spanning his initial fascination with the military, ROTC years, and reserve service, through his direct involvement in operations from the Cold War to the post-9/11 era. Anchoring the episode is Scherrer's new book on World War II military intelligence—focusing on the real “ground level” work rather than just the famous OSS and Bletchley Park stories.
Tim Scherrer’s Background and Military Career
Early Interest and Family Influence [02:02]
- Tim grew up in Quincy, Illinois, where a strong family tradition of military service sparked his interest from a young age.
"If Illinois was a pregnant woman, Quincy would be the belly button." (Tim, 02:03)
- Inspired by library books, movies like Battle of the Bulge, and family stories—one uncle was under Patton, another became a POW after Bataan.
Route to Joining the Army and ROTC Experience [04:06]
- Started in ROTC at college after shifting ambitions from radio broadcasting to history, earning a scholarship.
- ROTC adventures included unique internships, sometimes in unlikely or undesirable assignments, such as working with jail commanders.
- Commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate but was assigned, to his surprise, to the Army Reserve.
Transitioning to Reserve Military Intelligence [07:29]
- Navigating Reserve life: "When you're in the Army Reserve as an officer...you are your own career manager. There's no one you call and say, 'Hey, what jobs are open?'—you have to figure it out yourself." (Tim, 07:44)
- Joined the 485th MI Detachment in St. Louis; recounted deployment mishaps and learning experiences, including vehicle losses and creative problem-solving in annual training.
- Notable unit composition: Many team members were law enforcement or investigators in civilian life, bringing diverse expertise to CI ops.
Early Reserve Deployments and CI Work [20:56]
- Served as Counterintelligence Section Chief in a highly capable Reserve MI unit staffed largely by officers with law enforcement or specialist experience.
- Described Cold War exercises in Iceland (Northern Viking 89), liaising with allied intelligence and honing operational skills.
- Cited unique training activities: “We snuck some guys in...burned off the insulation on their WD1 wires, and we tapped them...We had an interrogator, female, so she put on a pair of shorts and a tank top and went for a ride on the roach coach and started asking questions…” (Tim, 23:12)
Gulf War and Post-Cold War Years
Supporting Operations in the Gulf War [25:38]
- Mobilized to Joint Force Headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, working as a briefer and analyst for TRANSCOM's J2.
- Detailed the demands of high-level crisis work, including managing conflicting intelligence about Scud missile strikes and the logistical challenges of deploying Patriot missile batteries to Israel.
- Captured the pressure and access:
“I was briefing the four-star general within two days of getting there, and I was not a good briefer. I had to figure it out quick.” (Tim, 25:51)
“My colleagues worked that night...The next night they were set up in Israel and we watched them knock missiles out of the sky and save lives. That was so cool.” (Tim, 30:50)
Later Reserve Service, Mobilizations, and Administrative Challenges [35:39]
- Extensive frustrations with Reserve administrative systems—in particular, struggles to get paid during extended active-duty mobilizations.
- Briefly participated in early planning for humanitarian logistics in Iran and supported operations during Operation Restore Hope (Somalia).
Company Command and Leadership [39:15]
- Commanded a basic training company—leading annual training cycles at Knox and Benning, managing the handover to incoming commanders, and grappling with issues of unit discipline.
- Attended Advanced Airlift Tactics Training:
“I did win the biggest puker award. Although in my own defense, I was the third person to puke on that aircraft.” (Tim, 45:41)
Post-9/11: Mobilization, Threat Analysis, and Teaching
Reacting to 9/11 [48:30]
- Recalled watching the second plane hit, thinking “damn it, this is Al Qaeda,” knowing immediately the world had changed.
- Called up to TRANSCOM J2; helped manage terror threat response, and briefed on both J2 and J3 daily intelligence.
“We have fighters on strip alert at Lambert Field in St. Louis. So if you see any threats, let us know, we can send some fighters after them. And I'm like, damn, I'm at like 100 miles from where I grew up...” (Tim, 48:51)
- Described insight into interagency information warfare and shaping of strategic media narratives.
Civilian Life and ROTC/Academy Work [54:19, 62:27]
- Taught ROTC at Mizzou, mentored students who would become FBI leaders or serve and sacrifice in Iraq.
- Later positions included director roles at a military academy, and setting up a new schoolhouse in California for Reserve training.
Writing Career and Book Discussion
Path to Authorship [63:44]
- Academic background in history led to multiple books, starting with an exploration of CB radio as an early form of social media.
- Authored works on local disasters, Army chaplains, Signal Corps’ war pigeons, and a unique local wildfire event—always focusing on overlooked stories and detailed analysis.
Spy Catchers, Interrogators, and Analysts [70:42]
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Book aims to move the spotlight from the OSS and Bletchley Park to the broader, less glamorized, but foundational echelon of World War II US military intelligence.
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Traces the origins and evolution of US Army tactical intelligence, from doctrine to schoolhouses like Camp Ritchie and the emergence of "Ritchie Boys."
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Example: The true story of Fritz Kramer and Henry Kissinger, whose entry into counterintelligence was shaped by circumstance, schooling, and battlefield necessity.
“Most history about intelligence in World War II focuses on really two things: the OSS and [Bletchley Park]...I knew there were a lot of other folks on the ground, so I went through to kind of document all of these other MOSs, which are really the foundation for what we have in MI today.” (Tim, 70:48) On the Kissinger story: “He gets everything going in a period of like two weeks and he gets promoted to sergeant. They tried to get him constructive credit to be a CIC agent and the army said no. And he did actually become a certified agent but that was not until like 1946 or 7.” (Tim, 73:11-73:42)
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Explains how the US intelligence system grew from almost nothing, borrowing British methods and relying on quick scaling and unique talent pipelines (e.g., expat linguists).
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Noted a scandal when the Counterintelligence Corps overstepped by inadvertently surveilling Eleanor Roosevelt, leading to the Chicago school’s temporary shutdown.
Memorable Quotes and Anecdotes
- “When it came time to write my master’s thesis, I was discouraged to write anything military…So I was watching the movie Convoy…I'm like, this is an amazing expression of American culture.” (Tim, 63:47)
- On the administrative grind: “I ended up having to work through my congressman like every single month so I could actually get my drill pay. It was so screwed up.” (Tim, 35:57)
- Regarding uncomfortable moments in high-command briefings:
“I just shot right back, 'Sir, there is no woodwork in Iraq.' And there was this like pregnant moment. I'm like, I am so screwed, like I'm about to get fired. And then he started laughing. And so from then on I became Lieutenant Woodwork.” [32:41]
- On information warfare and the media:
“They were running the information war campaign for that war…they would put stories out there in advance to get picked up by the media.” (Tim, 53:06)
Unexpected, Human Stories
- Closed with a powerful story about rescuing a promising international student from a predatory situation, aided by a security professional, Ryan Burke, whose complex life and controversial end Scherrer personally contextualized.
“This was the dude that showed up from the Human Trafficking Coalition to go get that kid on a Sunday morning that he didn’t know… What I will say is it’s completely out of character with who he is. And I’m just trying to set the record straight because I met him, I looked him in the eye, and he helped me.” (Tim, 85:15)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 02:02 – Tim’s upbringing in Quincy, IL, and early military interests
- 04:06 – ROTC and scholarship stories
- 07:29 – Finding a place in the reserves, learning military intelligence tradecraft
- 20:56 – Detailing life in a Reserve MI unit and Cold War exercises
- 25:38 – Desert Storm service, briefing generals as a young officer
- 32:01 – Scud missile strikes, inside the Joint Force crisis team
- 39:15 – Company command, training challenges in basic
- 48:30 – 9/11 recall and life as an intel officer in the War on Terror
- 63:44 – Pivot to writing, first books, and subject matter choices
- 70:42 – Why and how Spy Catchers, Interrogators, and Analysts was written
- 82:42 – Human trafficking rescue story and the complex legacy of Ryan Burke
Closing & Where to Find Scherrer’s Work
- All of Scherrer’s books are available on Lulu.com (not Amazon as of recording)
- “If you’re interested in the book, go to lulu.com and search for my name, Tim Scherrer—S C H E R R E R.” [87:07]
- The Team House newsletter signup: teamhousepodcast.kit.com/join
Overall:
A compelling, sometimes wry, and always detailed oral history—balancing war stories, institutional wisdom, and authorial insight, while reminding listeners of both the serious and the oddball sides of military intelligence. Highly recommended for those interested in the real mechanics—and personalities—of American military intel across several decades.