# FSSF Black Devils



## Gunpowder (Sep 13, 2018)

Last Surviving Members of the Devil’s Brigade, First Special Service Force | The Veterans Breakfast Club | Creating communities of listening


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## x SF med (Sep 14, 2018)

I live within minutes of Fort Harrison, the home of the FSSF.


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## Gunpowder (Sep 14, 2018)

x SF med said:


> I live within minutes of Fort Harrison, the home of the FSSF.



Back in the early 80's we did an FTX there.  My job was to establish a cold weather survival site up at Mullin Pass.  Prior to our departure, both gentlemen honored us by showing up and sharing a few (quite a few) Mt. Rainiers at the NCO club along with a few no-shit stories. I have a few old photos someplace.  It was quite an honor being in their presence...something that will stay with me for many more years.


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## Cookie_ (Sep 15, 2018)

They were some amazing warriors. I remember this bit of info about their training. (stolen from wiki)

"Since the unit needed to be trained quickly, the soldiers began parachuting within 48 hours of their arrival in Helena, Montana. The camp had no training towers and preliminary flights were not carried out, so for many this was their first experience at jumping."

That's impressive, knowing that the idea of airborne ops was still extremely new to Allied forces.


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## Gunpowder (Sep 15, 2018)

The one story I remember was the  Canadians had road marched from Canada to Ft Harrison with Pipers leading the way...


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## Devildoc (Sep 15, 2018)

I have a friend who was with 12th SFG, did not appreciate that they took their unit lineage straight to FSSF.  

FSSF was no joke.  They had enormous attrition in training.


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## Gunpowder (Sep 15, 2018)

Another unit widely associated with the origins of the Army Special Forces was the First Special Service Force, a joint Canadian-American unit formed in 1942 and disbanded in 1944. Members of the First Special Service Force were retroactively awarded the Special Forces Tab upon its creation in 1983 for their part in Special Forces' history. Each year, a joint 1st Special Forces Group-Canadian Special Operations Regiment exercise, known as Menton Week is held to commemorate the historical link that both units share in the First Special Service Force.  Wiki


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## x SF med (Sep 16, 2018)

The best Menton Week is at Ft Lewis (JBLM)…  The first time I went to ne after being out for many moons... an old buddy, then a CSM, was in the receiving line for the Menton Ball, standing next to the CSOR COL, CSM and RWO...  I was across the room and he yelled my name, I mean an old school barracks yell, that quieted everyone in the area (everyone knew Mark as a quiet guy, a SGM of the old school) I beelined over (bypassing the receiving line, hell I was a civilian- yeah a vet that knew the rules) and didn't even shake the CSOR guys hands on the way, huge bro-hug, with the crowd wondering why the CSM was loud and bouncing like a puppy.  I spent the night dealing with people who asked me how come CSM D was so familiar with a guy in a suit, until they noticed the miniature SF Tab, wings and SFA life member badge on my lapel...  all I had to say at that point was I've known him since he was a PFC.  I didn't let on that I was there when he got his team nicknames...didn't then  and won't share them now.

Yes, I finally apologized to the CSOR command team, greeted them properly, and was told by them there were no worries, that's what Special Ops is supposed to be, a brotherhood.   I spent the rest of the time catching up with old friends, and a former member of this board who is in CSOR.

That year there were 10 members of FSSF at the Menton Ball, the number has reduced over time.


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## Gunz (Sep 16, 2018)

Cookie_101st said:


> ..."Since the unit needed to be trained quickly, the soldiers began parachuting within 48 hours of their arrival in Helena, Montana. The camp had no training towers and preliminary flights were not carried out, so for many this was their first experience at jumping."...




This was also the case with the SAS in N. Africa early in the war. Hard hitters. Some were infantry guys, medical staff, whatever. They just jumped. There was a lot of improvisation and OJT among specialized units early on.


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## Gunpowder (Sep 16, 2018)

x SF med said:


> The best Menton Week is at Ft Lewis (JBLM)…  The first time I went to ne after being out for many moons... an old buddy, then a CSM, was in the receiving line for the Menton Ball, standing next to the CSOR COL, CSM and RWO...  I was across the room and he yelled my name, I mean an old school barracks yell, that quieted everyone in the area (everyone knew Mark as a quiet guy, a SGM of the old school) I beelined over (bypassing the receiving line, hell I was a civilian- yeah a vet that knew the rules) and didn't even shake the CSOR guys hands on the way, huge bro-hug, with the crowd wondering why the CSM was loud and bouncing like a puppy.  I spent the night dealing with people who asked me how come CSM D was so familiar with a guy in a suit, until they noticed the miniature SF Tab, wings and SFA life member badge on my lapel...  all I had to say at that point was I've known him since he was a PFC.  I didn't let on that I was there when he got his team nicknames...didn't then  and won't share them now.
> 
> Yes, I finally apologized to the CSOR command team, greeted them properly, and was told by them there were no worries, that's what Special Ops is supposed to be, a brotherhood.   I spent the rest of the time catching up with old friends, and a former member of this board who is in CSOR.
> 
> That year there were 10 members of FSSF at the Menton Ball, the number has reduced over time.


My memory tells me there was a pilot who flew between church steeples in Helena...I believe that might have been another no-shit story...my memory is a great deciever


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## SpitfireV (Sep 16, 2018)

Ocoka said:


> This was also the case with the SAS in N. Africa early in the war. Hard hitters. Some were infantry guys, medical staff, whatever. They just jumped. There was a lot of improvisation and OJT among specialized units early on.



I was reading last night the Seleous Scouts did the same- one week of leave after they completed their training then straight into patrols.


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## Gunz (Sep 16, 2018)

SpitfireV said:


> I was reading last night the Seleous Scouts did the same- one week of leave after they completed their training then straight into patrols.



I've read that also. And when the Rhodesian Light Infantry went airborne in the 70's their jump training was pretty quick and dirty.

The more dire the need, the shorter the pipeline.


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