The U.S.-Canadian 1st Special Service Force, known in World War II as the "Devil's Brigade," will receive the Congressional Gold Medal in a February ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Military Times reported that the unit, which served mainly in southern France and Italy, is often compared to the Green Berets. The group of 1,800 soldiers was brought together in 1942 in Helena, Montana. They fought during the 1944 landing at Anzio, the siege of Monte Cassino and the invasion of southern France. The unit contributed to the capture of 7,000 prisoners as well as 12,000 German soldier casualties.
Currently, 75 members of the brigade are still alive. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported that 46 of the remaining veterans are Americans, 29 are Canadians and one is Australian. While not all of them will be able to attend the ceremony, 90-year-old John Tedore is eager to make his way from Iowa to D.C. for the event.
"Absolutely, I'm going. It's a great deal for us guys, and it doesn't happen very often. I really appreciate it, I'll tell you that. I think about all those guys that were in that outfit," the veteran told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.
The former servicemember told the source that his unit rarely got recognized for its hard work because of its classified status. They approached combat with such ferocity, however, that Nazi troops began to refer to them as "the black devils." A movie about their heroic actions, named "The Devil's Brigade," was produced in 1968, cementing the unit's intimidating nickname.
The Congressional Gold Medal is considered the country's most prestigious award for distinguished achievement, reported Military Times. The group earned recognition from the Canadian government about three years ago, noted the source.