Born on August 15, 1912 in Pasadena California, Julia Carolyn McWilliams, grew up in a life of wealth and privilege. Her father was a banker and landowner, while her mother had came from the Weston family, owners of the Weston Paper Company in Massachusetts. Her father was civic minded and sought to instill such values in his children.
In September 1941, Child began to volunteer with the Pasadena chapter of the American Red Cross to help get the country ready for war. There she headed the Department of Stenographic Services and worked in the Aircraft Warning Service. She also wanted to join the military, and applied to join the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) and the Womenâs Army Corps (WACs). However, Child was rejected from both organizations because of her height. She was too tall. Wanting to become more involved in the war effort, she moved to Washington, DC in 1942. In August of that year, she become a senior typist with the Research Unit of the Office of War Information. At the close of 1942, Child took up the position of junior research assistant with the Secret Intelligence Branch of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a forerunner to the CIA. She undertook a variety of positions at the OSS, including clerk at the directorâs office and administrative assistant in the Registry of OSS. She also eagerly volunteered to work for OSS overseas. From 1944-1945, she kept intelligence files for the OSS in India. The following year, she worked for the organization in China.
She met her husband Paul Cushing Child who also worked for the OSS.
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