"The First Special Service Force"

A Brief History

By Gary A. Adkins (papajoad)

     The "First Special Service Force", (1^st S. S. F.), originally began from a decree by Allied High Command to organize a Commando type unit to attack the hydroelectric and heavy water plants in Norway as well as the oil refineries and cracking plants at Ploesti, Rumania and the hydroelectric plants in the Po Valley of Italy.  Made up with troops from the United States and Canada this was the first multi-national unit within the Unit States Army and a separate Branch of the Army, as well as being the for-fathers of the Special Forces of to-day.  The Commander of the Force was Colonel, (later General) Robert Frederick.  The Force began life on 20 June 1942 at Fort William Henry Harrison, Helena, Montana.

     The Force was organized into 3 combat regiments and a service regiment.  Men for the Force were recruited from occupations such as mountain men, lumberjacks and explorers from the Northwood's of Canada and the U.S.  All members of the Force were trained military personal who volunteered for hazardous duty; a few of the Canadian troops had fought at Dunkirk.  The force was trained to be demolition experts, paratroopers, ski troops, amphibious troops, mountain trained and all types of commando training then available.  The Force obtained a high level of morale and Esprit-De-Corps, and was recognized by General Eisenhower as the best combat unit man per man in the whole Allied Army.

     The First assignment for the Force was as a part of Amphibian Training Force 9 or "Corlett's Long Knives", in the Pacific Theater of Operations attacking the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands.  A separate invasion force fought a hard battle on the Island of Attu and by the time the 1^st S.S.F. invaded the island of kiska the Japanese had evacuated and the invasion became a training exercise.  After the Aleutian Island campaign the Force was transferred to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations to participate in the Italian Campaign.  It was in the Italian mountains that their reputation was won.  The Force participated in the Maples-Foggia campaign attacking Mount La Difensa by scaling cliffs that the Germans had thought were unapproachable.  This flanking attack and the suicidal fight that followed won the Force the reputation for doing the impossible and achieving victory in the face of overwhelming odds.  Continuing battles in the Italian mountains depleted the Forces strength down to less than 1000 men.  At this point they were assigned a reserve mission near Naples were they absorbed 250 replacements.   

     The next assignment for the Force was ANZIO.  While at Anzio the Force held a division sized sector or one quarter of the defense perimeter.  During their 98+ days in the Anzio Beachhead the Force through continuous attack's and night patrols against the enemy actually moved the front lines back up-to 2 miles distant.  It was during this assignment that they earned their nickname "Devils Brigade", and their motto, "Das Dicke Ende Kommit Noch" or "The worst is yet to come", for their night reconnaissance missions and continual harassment of the enemy.  Also during this time the Force received replacements from the decimated Ranger Battalions formerly under the Command of Colonel Darby who formed and Commanded the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th Ranger's.  These unites were nearly wiped out at the Battle of Cisterna di Littoria along the Anzio perimeter, the largest number of Rangers came from the 4^th Battalion with a few from the 1^st and 3^rd.  The Rangers were considered to be the only unit qualified to join the Force due to their high level of specialized training.  After their time at the Mussolini Canal, the Force was chosen to spearhead the drive to Rome.  Elements of the Force were the First Allied Troops in to the Eternal City capturing the bridges over the Tiber River running through Rome.

     The next mission for the Force was the invasion of Southern France.  The Force was assigned to take two islands, Ile de Port-Cros and Ile du levant of the Iles d'Hyeres Group.  Both islands were garrisoned by the Germans and contained radar and coastal gun emplacements that could in-danger the landings.  After taking both objectives, the Force was reunited with General Frederick. (who had left the Force as Commander to create the First Airborne Task Force for the invasion of Southern France), and fought the Germans to the Franco-Italian Maritime Alps.

    The Force was officially disbanded at 1400 on 5 December 1944.  Canadians in the Force left on that day, 37 Officers and 583 other ranks, 8 U.S. Officers and 345 enlisted joined the 82^nd and 101^st Airborne.  The First Special Service Force was redesignated on 6 January 1945 as the 474^th Infantry Regiment, (separate), with Colonel Edwin Walker in command.  The 474^th Infantry Regiment consisted of:  684 Officers and men from the original 1^st S.S.F., 434 Officers and men from the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th Ranger Battalions, 900 Officers and men of the 99^th Infantry Battalion, (made up of Norwegian Americans), 156 Officers and men of the 552^nd antitank company and 1,064 Infantry replacements to the First Special Service Force and the 474^th Regiment.  On 1 April 1945 the 474^th joined the U.S. Third Army and following in the wake of Third Army's advance the 474^th carried out security missions until V-E Day, 7 May.  On 9 May the 474^th joined Task Force A to move to Norway to undertake the disarming and repatriation of some 3000,000 German troops.  The 474^th departed Norway aboard the Victory Ship "Dominican Victory" arriving in New York on 25 October 1945.