Devil’s Brigade receives praise
Surviving members of the First Special Services Forces, nicknamed the Devil’s Brigade, were invited to Washington, DC, on Tuesday, February 3. They were presented with the US Congressional Gold Medal for services during World War II and were praised by congressional leaders.
Three Powell River residents were members of the brigade. Now deceased, they are Sergeant Marino “Babe” Mitchell, Private George Bruce Butler, and Sergeant Carl William “Tiny” Beacon.
The brigade played a critical role during the 1944 offensive in Germany where they were called “die schartzen teufel” or “black devils” by the Axis forces.
For the first time, Canada and US combined forces in a single unit at the request of Winston Churchill. There were a total of 2,400 members, including 600 Canadians. All of them were volunteers. While the Americans were recognized for their efforts, it took many years for the Canadian members to receive theirs.
Each year, the surviving members and their families meet at a reunion.
The Devil’s Brigade was the forerunner of Canada’s Joint Task Force Two and US Navy Seals.
For more information about the Devil’s Brigade, interested readers can go online.
