First Special Service Force
First Special Service Force
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The "mugshot" photos are scans of negatives that Special Forces Historians were given from the Association and they scanned them for us. Huge thanks to Ken Finlayson and Earl Moniz and their team for all the hard work.

Unfortunately we have not been given any scans of 1 -2 as of this time. Hopefully we will see some in the future.

1 - 2


Picture
Kenneth W Betts

Private
2 Regiment 1 Company,1 Bn

Joe J Dauphinais

Sergeant
2 Regiment (1 Company,1 Bn)
Starbuck, Manitoba Hamilton,Ontario
Picture

Please note that Dick is not named in ANY force book. His name is not even listed in the Burhans or other roster lists.

If you have any other info about Dick De Young please contact his son Richard at [email protected]


Pictures and Info contributed by Dick's son Richard De Young III
Richard C. "Dick" De Young


Richard "Dick" De Young was an American, born Feb 16,1923 and raised in Paterson, NJ, where he lettered in 4 sports, held the NJ 880 State record in 1940 and won a football scholarship to U. of Maryland, which he declined to join the NJ National Guard in May, 1940.

He trained at Ft. Dix, NJ, maneuvered in NC in 1941, was assigned to coastal beach patrols in NJ and spent some time learning to swear at mules. He hated that so much he jumped at the chance to join the Force in April, 1942.

He trained at Helena, spoke of his surprise at making his first jump after a 1/2 hour of training? and was in the reserve Regiment (2d) at Kiska. He was in the assault of La Difensa and everything I have researched or remembered so far suggests he was in 1-2.He was wounded in the Winter Line assaults and missed some of Anzio ops.

He was in the assault of Iles d' Hyeres and was seriously wounded shot through the neck on Sept 11. Paralyzed during a counter-attack, he was stripped of watch,weapons and possessions and thought dead apparently by both sides. During the Force assault to retake the position (Capt. Underhill's Co. at the time), he again was wounded by shrapnel in the back of the head. A litter man noticed his eye move and he was transported in a few days to Naples.

He actually returned to service with the 474 in the Rhineland and Norway campaigns and liberation.He returned to the States with 474, and was seperated at Ft. Dix,honorably discharged (as a PFC!)

Joe M Glass

It is hard for me to put up this spot with so little to share about Joe. I was able to meet up with Joe and Mark Radcliffe in March of 2008 and forgot to take a picture with them. He was at my grandfathers funeral and spent some time with me which I appreciate more than he will ever know.

If you have seen ANY documentary or read ANY book on the Force you most likely have heard from Joe Glass. Thank you Joe for all of your service and your willingness to share your experiences in the Force. I am proud to say that I have met Joe and that he was friends with my Grandfather Herb Goodwin.

I hope you enjoy this small honor to Joe Glass.
Joe Glass was born in Sarnia, Ontario, in 1920. He quit school his sophomore year, and at the age of 17 became a steamboat deckhand on the Great Lakes. In 1940 he joined the Canadian Army in Chattum, Ontario.

Glass, who was a bayonet instructor at Ottawa, volunteered for a "suicide mission" so "he could get into combat quicker."

That mission was the First Special Service Force.

During his FSSF training at Fort Harrison, Glass met and became buddies with another Devil's Brigade member, Lorin Waling. The two were best men at each other's weddings, and went on to become lifelong friends.

Assigned to 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, Glass received his baptism of fire in December 1943, during the FSSF's legendary midnight assault up the cliffs of Mount la Difensa in southern Italy.

In an exchange on la Difensa with a German sniper, he was injured when a round from a 9mm shell from a Schmeisser machine gun pistol struck his hand, and when rock chips flew into his face. After the capture of the mountain, the Force had to defend la Difensa against intense mortar fire in sub-zero temperatures.

Next came the siege of the Anzio beachhead, where Glass and Waling were part of the night-time scouting operations near the Mussolini Canal.

During the breakout of Anzio in March 1944, Glass was hit by a mortar.

"A big piece of shrapnel from an '88' went through my chest and out my back. My lung collapsed, it broke all my ribs connected to the backbone and I was paralyzed from the waist down. When I started coughing up blood, I told a friend of mine, 'Say goodbye to my wife and kid.' They picked me up and dragged me out of there, and then another shell hit me in the arm."

He was then transported to the beachhead hospital in a Jeep.

But God was not ready for Joe yet.

In the hospital, the doctors wired his ribs onto his backbone and removed one rib to repair his lungs. Glass returned to Helena on 50-percent disability, working at various jobs over the years, including driving cab for Taylor Taxi, truck driving for Helena Sand and Gravel, tending bar at the Moose Club, selling insurance for Franklin Life and delivering milk for Ernie Krout Dairy.

In about 1958, Glass was part of a group who built and operated the Valley Speedway stockcar race track. He worked for Nalleys Fine Foods from 1959 to 1973, sold cars for Dodge City from 1974 to 1981, and then owned and operated B&J Bingo and Glass's Fish and Chips for about 10 years.

Glass currently resides in Helena.

Taken from the Helena Independant Record http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/08/15/helena/a07081506_02.txt

Please visit the wonderful page that Thomas' grandson Nathan has made in honor of his grandfather.

http://web.mac.com/nathangordon/Memorial/Thomas_Coy_Gordon.html
Thomas Coy Gordon

Unit: 2 Regiment (1 Company)
Rank: Lieutenant (A/Captain)
Number:  
Award: Silver Star
Place: Italy 1944
Additional Information: Canada
from St Catherines,Ontario
born Welland,Ontario
son of Lt Ross Alexander and Mary Adele Gordon
educated St Andrew's College (2 years)
educated Queen's University (Lt,OTC)
FSSF 1942-44
WIA 1944 Rome
1 Canadian Parachute Bn 1945 (Major)
postwar studied University of Toronto
investment councillor postwar
married Helen McCormick 1945 (3 children)
died August 1979

Geoffrey A.W. Hart

2nd Regt 1st Company
Dawson Creek, B.C.
Bronze Star - Colleferro July 9th 1944
Died April 27th, 1966 at Hudson's Hope B.C.

Photo submitted by son John Hart
Picture

Joseph Kostelec

2 Regiment (1 Company)
Rank: Lieutenant
Number:  
Date Of Death: 4th March 1944
Age: 23
Gravesite: Cassino Memorial,Italy Panel 15
Additional Information: Canada
son of Joseph and Katherina Kostelec
husband of Phyllis V.Kostelec,Calgary,Alberta

MIA - 4 March 1944 - Italy

Donald R MacKinnon

Private
2 Regiment (1 Company,1 Bn)
Montreal,Quebec
Picture

Picture
Daniel Wade

Private Daniel Wade was born on 1913 in Gloucester England and settled in Stewart BC. On Aug 2 1940 he joined the Canadian Army as a member of the Rocky Mountain Rangers. He was accepted into the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion on October 9 1942  and he was sent to Fort Benning Georgia where he qualified for his jump wings. On November 09 1942 he volunteered to join the FSSF and arrived at Fort Henry Helena on November 11 1942. He was unfortunately killed in action at La Difensa Italy on Dec 3 1943 and is buried at the Cassino War Cemetery in Italy.

Stewart, British Columbia
1-2

KIA - 3 Dec 1943 Italy

Picture and info submitted by Gerry Shaw


Howard A Wilson

from Simcoe Ontario

1 -2


Photo and info submitted by daughter
Teresa Wilson

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