Compare Constellations

Bernard Yarrow (1899-1973) was born in Russia. After attending the University of Kraków in Poland and the University of Odessa in Russia, Yarrow came to the United States in 1922. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University in 1925, and in 1928 graduated from the Columbia University Law School. He then maintained a private law practice in New York City until January 1, 1938, when he was appointed an Assistant District Attorney under then Governor Elect Thomas Dewey. Yarrow worked in the Rackets Bureau and served under District Attorney Frank S. Hogan, a classmate at Columbia University. In November 1942, he resigned his assistant district attorney post and joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency. General William Donovan, the Director of the Office of Strategic Services, designated Yarrow as a special assistant, a post where Yarrow readily consulted Donovan and other high ranking OSS officials. He worked in the New York Division of OSS, reporting to John Hughes, head of the Division. In May 1944 he traveled to London to attempt to assist in the formation of a Yugoslav Government. Yarrow resigned his OSS post on August 22, 1945, and shortly thereafter became a member of law firm of Sullivan and Cromwell, where he worked until 1952. While with Sullivan and Cromwell, he represented families in seeking restitution for property lost or confiscated during or after World War II. In March 1952, he joined Free Europe Incorporated, and became its Vice President in February 1954, then Senior Vice President in January 1957.