admin | - Part 2

‘It was just amazing’: 80 years ago 1st Special Service Force paraded down Last Chance Gulch

BILL WOON

First Special Service Force Association

Apr 6, 2023

It was 80 years ago Thursday the 1st Special Service Force paraded down Last Chance Gulch as a farewell to Helena as they left for the East Coast for more training and eventual deployment to the Pacific and then Mediterranean Theaters of World War II.

The force was a unique joint Canadian-American top-secret unit under Lt. Col. Robert T. Frederick on July 9, 1942, at Fort William Henry Harrison west of Helena and later became known as the “Black Devils” by the Germans.

It was airborne-trained and highly skilled in mountain operations and amphibious assaults with tough, physical training concentrated on weapons proficiency and demolitions. When tested by the U.S. Army prior to deployment, the FSSF scored the highest in infantry proficiency of any unit in the Army.

The 1st Special Service Force saw most of its action in Italy where they were instrumental in breaking the German Winter Line, which was a series of mountains and ridges heavily defended by the German Army and had stymied the Allied advance to liberate Rome.

The Force then played a key role at Anzio where they held a division-sized sector along the Mussolini Canal. Aggressive patrolling and raids by the blackened faced Forceman earned them the nickname “Black Devils” by the Germans.

Members of the 1st Special Service Force were the first Allied troops to enter Rome on June 4, 1944.

Their final campaign was the liberation of Southern France. The Force seized two islands off the coast of Southern France to open the way for the Allied landing force, and then fought northeast along the coast through the towns of Grasse, Plascassiere and Menton where the unit was deactivated on Dec. 5, 1944.

In 251 days of combat the Force suffered 2,314 casualties – 134% of its combat strength. They captured 30,000 German prisoners, won five U.S. campaign stars and eight Canadian battle honors.

They never failed a mission.

Jim Cottrill of Helena was 4 years old at the time and remembers that parade of April 6, 1943, well.

“There were a helluva lot of people and I think the whole town turned out,” he said. Cottrill was with his mother and he said they walked down the hill to the parade and stood at Sixth Avenue and Last Chance Gulch, where a Montgomery Ward store used to be.

“They were impressive,” he said of the soldiers. “They came down that street and they marched. You could tell they were well-trained and ready to go.”

He said they were loved by the community as a lot of Helena residents had them over for Sunday dinners and holidays. Cottrill said many of the soldiers came back to Helena after the war and returned to their sweethearts and wives.

He said those who returned never talked much about their adventures.

Cottrill said one was Roy Hudson, who started a furniture store. He had been shot in the leg trying to rescue a buddy.

“I asked him if he was scared, he said, ‘Nah, those Germans couldn’t shoot worth sh*t,’” Cottrill said.

The surviving veterans of the FSSF dedicated a monument to their fallen brothers in August 1947 in Helena’s Memorial Park. The Cenotaph east of the monument includes the names of 488 men who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II.

Most gratifying to the veterans of the FSSF is that its traditions and honors have not died but are carried forward, with its lineage embracing the outstanding active Special Forces units of two great democracies: The Canadian Special Operations Regiment and the United States Army Rangers and Special Forces.

On Feb. 3, 2015, Congress presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the 1st Special Service Force, “In recognition of its superior service during World War II.”

There were 43 original FSSF veterans attending the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, along with over 800 family members, friends and members of Congress.

On Aug. 21, 2015, those veterans presented their Congressional Gold Medal to Fort William Henry Harrison, where the force trained 73 years earlier.

Cottrill does not know if Helena has ever had a bigger day than that parade 80 years ago.

“It was just amazing, the people all turned out,” he said. “They clapped and yelled.”

“The people of Helena really went all out for them,” Cottrill said. “They were proud to be what they were and the people just loved them.”

Independent Record Staff Writer Phil Drake contributed to this story. Bill Woon is with the First Special Service Force Association. Raymond Read is with the Montana Military Museum. For more information, contact Woon at 406-461-7485, or Ray Read of the Montana Military Museum, where there is a large collection dedicated to the Black Devils, 406-235-0290.

Montana’s Participation in World War II

Information highlighting some but not all, of Montana’s participation in the Second World War, or as it is known, World War II. It is provided it to you as a testament to Montana’s World War II generation, their dedication to duty and sacrifice to keep our nation free from tyranny.’

While May 8th was being celebrated as V-E day in Europe, many Montanans were fighting in the Battle of Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa (April 1, 1945-June 22, 1945) was the last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. On April 1, 1945—Easter Sunday—the Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. The invasion was part of Operation Iceberg, a complex plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa. Though it resulted in an Allied victory, kamikaze fighters, rainy weather and fierce fighting on land, sea and air, it led to a large death toll on both sides.

Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment
Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division, the Jungleers, was called to Active duty on September 16, 1940 for one year of training, and on the same day the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 introduced the first peacetime conscription (for men between 21 and 45) in United States history.
• March 11, 1941: United States President Roosevelt established the Lend Lease Act allowing Britain, China, and other allied nations to purchase military equipment and to defer payment until after the war.
• August 1941: President Roosevelt signed an extension of service of 6 months for those Americans who been called up in 1940, such as the 163rd Infantry training at Fort Lewis, Washington.
• December 7, 1941: The United States came under attack by Japanese Forces at Pearl Harbor and locations throughout the Pacific.
• December 8, 1940: The United States declared War on Japan.
• December 11, 1940: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. The United States reciprocates and declares war on Germany and Italy.

The largest ever mobilization of American manpower continued, ultimately calling up over 15 million U.S. men and women to serve from 1941 to the end of hostilities in 1945. Over 75,000 Montanans were a part of that force.

The 163rd Infantry Regiment served with distinction on the west coast of the United States until its departure to Australia in April 1942. This Regiment served as a part of the Southwest Pacific Command going on to fight in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The 163rd Infantry Regiment was recognized as the first U.S. unit to defeat Imperial Japanese Forces in the Battle of Sanananda, Papua, New Guinea in January 1943. It was subsequently recognized by the 28th Montana Legislative Assembly by resolution and in a famous painting by Irwin ‘Shorty’ Shope in April 1943.

The 163rd Infantry Regiment served in the Pacific Theater in three major campaigns and a battle; the Papuan Campaign of 1943, winning the battles at Sananada, Gona, and Kumsi River; the New Guinea Campaign of 1944, winning the battles of Aitape, Wadke and ‘Bloody” Biak; the Southern Philippines Campaign of 1945, winning battles at Zamoanga, Sanga Sanga Island; and the Battle of Jolo and the key village of Calinan against seasoned Japanese land forces. This battle was stopped only because of the cessation of hostilities due to the dropping of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Regiment finally became an occupation force on the Japanese mainland. The 163rd was demobilized in Japan, January 1, 1946, and sent home by ships.

First Special Service Force
The First Special Service Force was a joint US-Canadian special operations force secretly formed at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana in July 1942, to organize and train for Operation Plough. Operation Plough included plans to attach a hydro-electric target in German-held northern Norway responsible for creating heavy water for Germany’s atomic bomb. The unit went on to serve in both the Pacific theater and European theaters, with battle credits in the Aleutians, Naples –Foggia, Rome –Arno, Southern France, the Rhineland and Southern France. They were inactivated December 1944 without losing a battle and with battle casualties’ equivalent to 137 % of its strength.

Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center
Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center was established at Camp Rimini, west of Helena where it trained as a part of the effort to disrupt the Axis power. It went on to acquit itself along military air routes as search and rescue services. They provided specialized transport in remote areas of the Northern Hemisphere such as Newfoundland and in Europe during winter operations as providing transport of war materiel to our American forces.

7th Ferrying Command, Air Transport Command
The Army Air Force organized and trained bomber forces throughout Montana at such locations as Great Falls, Lewistown, and Cutbank. The 7th Ferrying Command, Air Transport Command was formed at Great Falls (Gore Hill) and at East Base (now Malmstrom AFB), Montana to carry out the mission of providing aircraft and critical supplies to our allies over the Great Circle Route, a critical part of Global War Air Operations.

Fort Missoula
Fort Missoula became an alien detention camp housing Italian sailors who had been caught up in the war from 1942 to 1943. After working with local farmers and ranchers, many of the men went on to immigrate to the United States.

Triple Nickels
Specialized units such as the African-American, segregated, 555th Parachute Battalion, known as the Triple Nickels, trained and fought forest fires throughout Montana and the Northwest.

The Home Front
The people of Montana supported the war effort in many ways on the Home Front, providing food, and other strategic supplies and minerals, meeting or exceeding the quotas for the eight War Bond Drives.

Montanans support, fought, were wounded and died in all theaters of World War II. As Joseph Howard Kinsey wrote in his book “High, Wide, and Handsome” of the more than 15 million men and women in the U.S. armed forces during “World War II, Montana furnished 75,000” to the effort. “Proportionately this was near the top of all states. In World War II, as in World War I, Montanans were quick to enlist and they were healthy; the proportion rejected because of physical defect was smaller than the national average. Montana’s death rate in World War II was only exceeded by that of New Mexico in proportion to population.”

Victory in Europe (V-E Day)

“Our Victory is only Half Over”

Victory in Europe, or V-E Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allied Nations of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces. German military leaders signed the surrender documents at various locations in Europe on May 7, 1945.

The surrender prompted mass celebrations in European and American Cities. President Harry S. Truman dedicated V-E Day to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had died just weeks earlier, and is quoted with saying “Our victory is only half over” in reference to continued fighting in the Pacific Area.

On May 7, 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrated Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine.

The largest ever mobilization of American manpower, ultimately calling up over 15 million U.S. men and women to serve from 1941 to the end of hostilities in 1945, over 57,000 men and women seeing combat but a total 75,000 Montanans served World Wide.

Proportionately this was near the top of all states. Montanans were quick to enlist and they were healthy! The proportion that was rejected because of physical defect was smaller than the national average. Montana’s death rate in World War II was exceeded only by that of New Mexico, in proportion to population. Montana had the record of oversubscribing first in eight World War II savings bond drives.

The eighth of May spelled the day when German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms: in Prague, Germans surrendered to their Soviet antagonists, after the latter had lost more than 8,000 soldiers, and the Germans considerably more; in Copenhagen and Oslo; at Karlshorst, near Berlin; in northern Latvia; on the Channel Island of Sark—the German surrender was realized in a final cease-fire.

More surrender documents were signed in Berlin and in eastern Germany. The main concern of many German soldiers was to elude the grasp of Soviet forces, to keep from being taken prisoner. About 1 million Germans attempted a mass exodus to the West when the fighting in Czechoslovakia ended, but were stopped by the Russians and taken captive. The Russians took approximately 2 million prisoners in the period just before and after the German surrender.

Meanwhile, more than 13,000 British POWs were released and sent back to Great Britain. Pockets of German-Soviet confrontation would continue into the next day.

On May 9, the Soviets would lose 600 more soldiers in Silesia before the Germans finally surrendered. Consequently, V-E Day was not celebrated until the ninth in Moscow, with a radio broadcast salute from Stalin himself: “The age-long struggle of the Slav nations… has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over.”

Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day)

“I deem this reply a full acceptance of—the unconventional surrender of Japan--.” President Truman

Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day) was announced by President Harry S. Truman in the following statement: “I have received this afternoon a message from the Japanese government in reply to the message forwarded to that government by the secretary of state on Aug. 11, 1945. I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam declaration which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan—.”

A little after noon Japan Standard Time on August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito’s announcement of Japan’s acceptance of the terms of Potsdam Declaration was broadcast to the Japanese people over the radio. Earlier the same day, the Japanese government had broadcast over Radio Tokyo that the “acceptance of the Potsdam Proclamation [would be] coming soon”, and had advised the Allies of the surrender by sending a cable to U.S. President Harry S. Truman via the Swiss diplomatic mission in Washington D.C. A nationwide broadcast by Truman was aired at seven o’clock p.m. (daylight savings time, Washington, D.C.) on Tuesday, August 14 announcing the communication and that a formal event was scheduled for September 2. In his announcement of Japan’s surrender on August 14 Truman said that “the proclamation of V-J Day must wait for the formal signing of surrender terms by Japan.”

After news of the Japanese acceptance and before Truman’s announcement, Americans began celebrating “as if joy had been rationed and saved up for three years, eight months, and seven days since Sunday, December 7, 1941.”

Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division

Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division, the Jungleers, was called to active duty on September 16, 1940 for one year of training, and on the same day the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 introduced the first peacetime conscription (for men between 21 and 45) in U.S. history.

March 11, 1941: United States President Roosevelt established the Lend Lease Act allowing Britain, China and other allied nations to purchase military equipment and to defer payment until after the war.

Roosevelt signed an extension of service of six months for those Americans who had been called up in 1940, such as the 163rd Infantry training at Fort Lewis, Washington. December 7, 1941: The U.S. came under attack by Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor and locations throughout the Pacific.

December 8, 1940: The U.S. declared war on Japan. December 11, Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S. The U.S. reciprocates and declares war on Germany and Italy.

The largest ever mobilization of American manpower continued, ultimately calling up over 15 million U.S. men and women to serve from 1941 to the end of hostilities in 1945. Over 75,000 Montanans were a part of that force.

The 163rd Infantry Regiment served with distinction on the west coast of the U.S. until its departure to Australia in April 1942 as a part of the Southwest Pacific Command going on to fight in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The 163rd Infantry Regiment was recognized as the first U.S. unit to defeat Imperial Japanese Forces in the Battle of Sanananda, Papua, New Guinea in January 1943; subsequently being recognized by the 28th Montana Legislative Assembly by resolution and the famous painting by Irwin ‘Shorty’ Shope in April 1943.

The 163rd Infantry Regiment served in the Pacific Theater in three major campaigns:
• The Papuan Campaign 1943, winning the battles at Sananada, Gona, and Kumsi River
• The New Guinea Campaign 1944, winning the battles of Aitape, Wadke and ‘Bloody” Bia
• The Southern Philippines Campaign 1945, wining battles at Zamoanga, Sanga Sanga Island, and the Battle of Jolo and the key village of Calinan

The 163rd fought against seasoned Japanese land forces, stopping only because of the cessation of hostilities due to the dropping of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and finally becoming an occupation force on the Japanese mainland.

The 163rd was demobilized in Japan, January 1, 1946, and sent home by ships.

Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center

Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center was established west of Helena. Dogs and soldiers were trained at the camp as a part of the effort to disrupt the Axis power. Going on to acquit itself in places along military air routes as search and rescue, it provided specialized transport in remote areas of the Northern Hemisphere such as Newfoundland. In Europe during winter operations the team provided transport of war material to our American forces.

The Army Air Force organized and trained bomber forces throughout Montana at such locations as Great Falls, Lewistown, and Cutbank. The 7th Ferrying Command, Air Transport Command was formed at Great Falls (Gore Hill) and at East Base (now Malmstrom AFB), Montana to carry out the mission of providing aircraft and critical supplies to our allies over the Great Circle Route, a critical part of Global War Air Operations.

Fort Missoula became an alien detention camp housing Italian sailors who had been caught up in the War 1942-43 with the result being a well disciplined and trustworthy population some of who went on to emigrate to the United States.

Specialized units such the African-American, segregated, 555th Parachute Battalion, known as the Triple Nickels, trained and fought forest fires throughout Montana and the Northwest.

The people of Montana supported the war effort in many ways on the Home Front, providing food, and other strategic supplies and minerals, meeting or exceeding the quotas for the eight War Bond Drives.

Montanans support, fought, died and or wounded in all theaters of World War II, as Joseph Howard Kinsey wrote, In his book “High, Wide, and Handsome” of the more than 15 million men and women served in the U.S. Armed forces during the War period, Kinsey wrote, “– in World War II, Montana furnished 75,000 men and women to the effort. “Proportionately this was near the top of all states. In World War II, as in World War I, Montanans were quick to enlist and they were healthy; the proportion rejected because of physical defect was smaller than the national average. Montana’s death rate in World War II was only exceeded by that of New Mexico in proportion to population. Montana had the record of oversubscribing first in eight World War II saving bond drives.”

Today less than 2,000 World War II count Montana as their home.

70th Anniversary Invasion by North Korea of the Republic of South Korea

Signaling the Beginning of the Korean War

Montana, a proud partner with the U.S.A. Commemoration Committee of the Korean War, is recognizing the 70^thAnniversary of the invasion of the Republic of South Korea by the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) forces on June 25, 1950. North Korean forces took Seoul, the South Korean Capital, on June 29, 1950. U.S. forces entered the conflict on June 30, 1950, termed a “police action” by President Harry S. Truman.

President Truman was at home that Saturday evening, June 24, 1950, spending the weekend away from Washington, D.C., attending to family business in his hometown, Independence, Missouri. He was sitting in the library of his old frame home when the telephone rang. It was Secretary of State Dean Acheson. Acheson said, “Mr. President, I have some very nervous news. The North Koreans have invaded South Korea.” From June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953 thousands of Montanans were in a war again.

U.S. Intervention consisted of Detachment X (35 men of the 507^th Anti-Aircraft Weapons Battalion ((Bn)) that shot down a North Korean YAK aircraft. The unit sustained eight Wounded in Action (WIA), the first U.S. casualties of the Korean War.

North Korea invaded South Korea across the international treaty boundary established in 1945 with 135,000 troops, spearheaded by a Soviet style tank brigade, initiating war. The UN Security Council immediately demanded cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of the North Korean forces to the 38^th Parallel.

On June 27 the UN Security Council asked its members to help carry out the demand and President Truman ordered general of the Army, Douglas MacArthur to aid South Korea. He ordered the 7^th U.S. Fleet to protect Formosa (Republic of Taiwan) against possible aggression and to keep the Chinese National forces from attacking the mainland. Requested by the UN to name a commander of UN forces, President Truman so designated General MacArthur on July 8, 1950.

The U. S. was unprepared for even a limited war that was thrust upon our nation. The U.S. was destined to furnish the bulk of men, women and war material at a time when our military services were short of personnel and supplies. Among American military units the biggest problems were those of insufficient personnel numbers, inadequate training, and equipment shortages. Even to fight an undeveloped nation in Asia, America had to fall back upon her citizens. And in this, above all else, lies the resulting trauma of the Korean War.

By July of 1950, President Truman was forced to authorize the calling up of our Nation’s military reserve forces. The folly of our sudden reduction of our armed forces after World War II was realized. The result was that the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, U.S.

Coast Guard and the newly created Air Force along with the Coast Guard saw that all their available forces would be involved in this conflict. There would be nothing left for fresh emergencies. The result was that thousands upon thousands of military reservists were mobilized to put on uniforms to fill the ranks of our military organizations.

President Truman called into service four Army National Guard divisions, hundreds of lesser units, and thousand of individual volunteer reservists at the Pentagon’s request. The result that over 4,000 Montana reservists were called into federal service and were soon in combat a thousand miles from home. To deaden the adverse impact at the time, this Cold War conflict was termed a “police action.”

The Korean War was the first military conflict in which Montana had no large identified military unit in action. But Montana individuals fought on the battlefields, on the sea, and in the air in that difficult war. In previous wars Montana had territorial militia in the Indian wars in Montana, a Montana infantry National Guard regiment volunteered for duty in the Spanish-American war and Philippine Insurrection, and a Montana National Guard regiment in World Wars I and II.

Shortly after the end of World War II, the Montana National Guard was reactivated in various cities and town. The Army National Guard’s 163^rd Regimental Combat Team was stood up in 1946 and within a year became the 163^rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Also activated was the 186^th Fighter Squadron, Montana Air National Guard. This was a result of establishment of the U.S. Air Force in 1947, there-designation of the U.S. War Department as the Department of Defense and realization of the Cold War era. In addition, numerous Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps, and Air force Reserve units were being located in various cities and towns in Montana. These units, together with hundreds of individual Montana volunteer reservists, were a part of the great reservoir of strength for the anemic active military establishment that existed at that time.

At that time Montana had three U.S. Marine Corps Reserve rifle companies located at Billings, Butte and Shelby. Their combined strength was a little over 400 men. The company at Shelby had 164 men on its rolls. There were also hundreds of individual Marine Corps reservists called to active duty. These men became members of the 1^st Marine Corps Division which won a name for itself in campaigns in Korea. A total of 27 Montanans in U.S. Marine Corps were killed in action or died of wounds. Scores were also wounded.

From Shelby, Montana to El Paso, Texas; from Boston, Massachusetts to San Francisco, California, the Marine Corps fulfilled its obligations by organizing, training, and sending to the Korean War a hard-hitting mixture of regulars and reserves into hostilities. This included 74,000 regulars and over 89,000 reservists, many from Montana.

Noteworthy among the steps taken to meet U.S. military personnel needs in Korea was the calling to active duty a large percentage of Montana Reserve Officer Training Corps graduates. For example, of Army lieutenants called to duty in 1951 to 1953, 70 percent were ROTC graduates. A large number came from Montana State University and Montana State College. Today those schools are known as University of Montana at Missoula and Montana State University, Bozeman.

The Montana Air National Guard’s 186^th Fighter Squadron, formed in 1947, with its supporting units consisting of 384 officers and men were called into federal service on April 1, 1951. The fighter squadron, flying F-51 D fighter-bombers was assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Moody Air force Base, Georgia, where it was a part of the 146^th Fighter Wing. The Squadron served the nation for the next 21 months.

In November 1951, the Montana ANG squadron was transferred to George AFB, California and assigned to the Tactical Air Command. From there a series of men and aircraft were assigned temporary duty in Iceland for four months. After serving on active duty for 21 months, the squadron was released from duty January 1, 1953. During the 18ths tour of duty many of its pilots and airmen volunteered for duty in Korea. Montana fighter pilots tangled with North Korean and Chinese pilots over Korea numerous times.

In addition to Montana U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and Air National Guardsmen in service in Korea were many individual reservists from the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force. A number of Army reservists were surprised at their call to active duty as they had forgotten they had signed up for the un-assigned reserves. The same was true for a number of bewildered Navy and Air Force Reservists. Due to the Selective Service Act which was in force after World War II, many Montanans were inducted into military service during the Korean War period. Regular quotas of Selective Service men for all branches of the service were requested during the War with many selectees seeing combat service in Korea or serving on worldwide duty.

Montana had 19,915 men and women in service during the Korean War period 1950-1953 with an estimated over 5,000 in the Korean combat zone. A total of 193 lost their lives in the Korean War conflict with many hundreds being wounded or traumatized as prisoners of war. Many more have served in Korea from 1953 until today as peacekeepers and deterrent to further aggression by North Korea. To date, there are 27 Montanans listed as Prisoners of War and /or Missing in Action (POW-MIA) on the 70^th Anniversary of the Start of Korean War.