Devil's Brigade to receive Congressional Gold Medal

[The Bread Guy]

The military’s First Special Service Force, formed at Fort Harrison in 1942, may finally receive the nation’s highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal.

The unit, which in its original form traveled to Alaska and Africa before fighting Nazis in the mountains of Italy and along the French Riviera in World War II, became the model for similar special forces, including the Green Berets and Navy SEALs, trained to endure extreme conditions and fight what was considered, at the time, using unconventional methods.

The original unit is also unusual in that it was a joint effort of the armies of the United States and Canada, with commanders from both nations leading the soldiers.

“There’s never been another attempt to do that,” said Ray Read, director of the Montana Military Museum and himself a veteran of the Special Forces in Vietnam.

The Montana congressional delegation is supporting bills to give the unit the honor. Only about a half-dozen military units have previously received the gold medal, most recently the Tuskegee Airmen, the all-African-American unit that flew in the segregated Air Force during World War II ....

Helena Independent-Record, 9 Feb 12

More on the Congressional Gold Medal here

- mod edit to update headline to current status -

 

[wildman0101]

Out-F/N-Standing. Congrat's FSSF.
First Round's on me.
Cheer's,
Scoty B

 

[Danjanou]

(reproduced with the usual caveats.

'We Never Lost a Battle': Devil's Brigade honoured

Their story isn't well known, but Canada's Special Forces JTF 2, the Green Berets and U.S. Navy SEALs can trace their heritage back to the first top secret commando unit called the "Devils Brigade."

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120301/ww2-black-devils-brigade-honoured-joy-malbon-120301/#ixzz1nyz3jYdy

 

[The Bread Guy]

More on the proposed bills and where they're at:

S.1460 - A bill to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.01460:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:SN01460@@X

H.R.3767 - To grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR03767:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR03767@@X

 

[Armymedic]

It is actually CSOR who holds the distinction of linage from the FSSF and it was that unit's members representing the CF at the event.

In the CTV video, if you notice, on Charlie Mann's right lapel, is the CSOR operator badge, given to him and other Canadian members of the FSSF in honour of their service.

http://helenair.com/news/local/military/devil-s-brigade-to-be-honored-by-canadian-embassy-in/article_90f182f0-629c-11e1-9757-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Armymedic]

CBC has finally caught up.

It was on the National.

 

[OldSolduer]

I have had the privilege of meeting a man who was with The Devil's Brigade. He wrote a book called "Once Upon A Wartime", written from his perspective.
His name is Peter Layton Cottingham.

 

[PMedMoe]

Because the article mentions the Congressional Gold Medal, I thought I'd post this here.

Article link

A Canadian member of the legendary Devil's Brigade has died within hours of an American comrade in Helena, Mont., where they both lived.

Ottawa-born Joe Glass, 92 and Mark Radcliffe, 94, originally from Farmington, New Mexico, lived not far from the Montana military base where the Canadian-American commando unit trained in the Second World War.

According to the Tribune of Great Falls, Mont., Glass's death was announced by the Washington office of Sen. Max Baucus.

"Montana and our nation have lost a true hero," Baucus said in a statement Monday. "In a group of hard and brave war heroes, Joe was among the toughest. He endured significant injuries in World War II for our freedom and my thoughts and prayers are with the Glass family at this time."

Baucus is behind an effort to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal on the unit, known officially as the First Special Service Force.

More at link

 

[GAP]

Canadian to receive Congressional medal
By SEAN CHASE, QMI Agency
Article Link

CFB PETAWAWA - Today’s soldiers could certainly learn a thing or two from this seasoned veteran of three wars who has seen his share of combat.

Albert E. Brum was born into one of Petawawa’s founding families who eventually established one of the area’s most endurable businesses. However, Col. Brum’s horizons expanded well beyond the confines of his native Ottawa Valley, taking him to the shores of Italy and the jungles of Cambodia.

The former senior officer’s role in the annals of history will be honoured this weekend when he puts on his uniform one more time to receive the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest civilian award in the U.S. alongside the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Brum is one of the few surviving members of the 1st Special Service Force, the joint American-Canadian commando unit that gained fame during the Second World War as the Devil’s Brigade.

In 2008, he received the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement as a jumper with the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion, a sub-unit of the 1st SSF, during the Italian and northwest European campaigns.

The medal will be presented to him by a delegation including members from the Canadian government and the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.


In advance of his excursion to Washington, D.C., the soldier who left here as a mere boy retraced his own roots and the beginning of his remarkable military career more than 70 years ago.
More on link

 

[Armymedic]

An interesting tidbit in the article that seems to be lost to history is the paragraph when Brum describes fighting Russian women infantry near the close of WW2.

 

[CombatDoc]

It's nice to see him receive this well-deserved recognition while he is still healthy enough to attend the ceremony.  I found his comment that he doesn't remember being a teenager very telling when he talks about his difficulties with return to civilian life after the war.

 

[George Wallace]

Met him a few years back.  A very interesting and humble man. 

 

[Good2Golf]

Had the honour of sharing a few drinks with Col Brum during his most recent visit to Perawawa -- an incredible person indeed!

Regards
G2G

 

[Retired AF Guy]

An interesting tidbit in the article that seems to be lost to history is the paragraph when Brum describes fighting Russian women infantry near the close of WW2.

Caught my attention, too.

Also, that his eldest boy has served eight tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hopefully he's now sitting behind a desk and letting someone else do a few tours.

 

[sonofSSMvet]

It was an excellent story on this fine gentleman. It was also the first time I had seen a reference to fighting "tough russian women" in any SSF  history although I don't doubt it one bit.
Jim

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest ....

This week’s Canada Day and U.S. Fourth of July celebrations have brought belated recognition to a group of Second World War veterans who served together in the elite commando unit known as the Devil’s Brigade — about 175 surviving members of which are to be awarded a U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in honour of their battlefield heroics and sacrifices 70 years ago.

The proposed tribute was approved last week by the U.S. Senate, as it had been in May by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill conferring the medals now awaits only the signature of U.S. President Barack Obama, who is expected to quickly approve the award to the remaining veterans of the 1939-45 war’s eventual 3,000-strong First Special Service Force — including about 60 of the 1,000 Canadians who served in the top-secret unit immortalized in a 1968 film starring William Holden.

The planned U.S. honour for the war’s only joint U.S.-Canada military unit follows Canadian government recognition earlier this year when Defence Minister Peter MacKay presented brigade veterans with the Minister’s Award for Operational Excellence at a ceremony on Parliament Hill.

“I think that would be great,” said 93-year-old Henry Planger, a Devil’s Brigade veteran from Pincher Creek, Alta. “Anytime they want to hand out a medal, it’s OK with me.” ....

Postmedia News, 2 Jul 13

 

[CougarKing]

I only watched the old "Devil's Brigade" movie on DVD a few years ago, if I can recall correctly

Government of Canada Press Release

The Devil's Brigade Honoured today in Washington D.C.

Devil’s Brigade Honoured with U.S. Congressional Gold Medal

February 3, 2015 – Washington, DC – Veterans Affairs Canada

The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today represented the Government of Canada at an event honouring Canadian Veterans of the 1st Special Service Force (FSSF), more famously known as the Devil’s Brigade.

In recognition of its superior service during the Second World War, the Devil’s Brigade was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by U.S. Speaker of the House, John Boehner.

(...SNIPPED)