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<< return to previous page 3/12/2010 Who: All Media What & When: The First Special Service Force 15 March 2010

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Airborne and Special Operations Museum proudly honors the First Special Service Force, commonly known as the Devil’s Brigade, in its new special exhibit gallery. In existence from July 1942 through December 1945, the First Special Service Force was a Canadian-American special operations outfit that participated in the Aleutian Island campaign, battles in the mountains of Italy, the Allied drive to Rome, and the sweep through southern France to the Franco-Italian border. Dreaded by its opponents, the Devil’s Brigade sacrificed heavily during its missions but contributed greatly to Allied successes in the European theater of operations, and served as a valuable template for future combined special operations. The special exhibit contains abundant information concerning the concept, formation, training, and missions of the First Special Service Force; original artifacts include Force-specific clothing, survival equipment, photos, insignia and accoutrements, and weapons like the second- and third-generation Fairbairn-Sykes knives and the “Johnson” squad machine gun; and a complete M29 Weasel made by Studebaker for a top secret mission, originally designed and built to transport Allied commando troops across the snowy regions of Europe. Where: ASOM Contact: Jim Ryder 910.643.2774 pr@asomf.org