Last names starting with M through R

R. A. MacDonald
1st Lt
1-1
North Devon N.B.
Donald R MacKinnon

Private
2 Regiment (1 Company,1 Bn)
Montreal,Quebec
O. M. MacKinnon
aka Murray
5 - 3
from Westville, Nova Scotia. 


Photos and info submitted by Terry MacKinnon
Thomas Cail MacWilliam
Lt. Col. officer commanding the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, who lead the assault on La Difensa, 3 Dec 43 and was killed there after the successful taking of the peak and just before they could move on to attack La Remantena.  It looks to me like it was taken when he was still a Major as, while you can't see the rank insignia on his shoulder, it looks like there is just one thing there, which would be the crown (a Lt. Col. would have a crown and a "pip").  I'm pretty sure the collar dogs are those of the New Brunswick Rangers, his original unit before joining the Force.

Info submitted by son Tom MacWlliam. Photo from original negatives of the FSSF archives.
William James Francis Ernest Magee

3 Regiment (6 Company)
Private
Number: B/53066
Award: Silver Star,Bronze Star
Place: Italy 1944
Additional Information: Canada
from Toronto,Ontario
C. W. Charlie Mann
3 Regiment (4 Company)
Rank: Sergeant
Award: Bronze Star
Place: Italy 1944
Additional Information:
from KIincardine, Ontario, Canada
award made 2007
Robert James Manning
Private A58380
1st. Special Service Force.
August 1941 - January 1946
SIN # 430 158 477
Ingersoll, Ontario

Suddenly at his residence on Thursday, January 27, 2005. Robert James Manning of Tillsonburg passed away in his 87th year. Mr. Manning served in WW II (1941-45) with the First Special Service Force, known as the “Devil’s Brigade”, an 1800 – member of highly trained Canadian & American soldiers. Robert was the beloved son of the late Frank & Beulah (Manary) Manning. Loving husband of Isabella (Smith) Manning. Dear father of son James C. Manning and wife Judy of Port Rowan, a daughter Marie Manning of Tillsonburg, as well as the late Aubrey Wayne Manning (1969), survived by his daughter-in-law Beverly Sulton. Beloved grandfather of Mark Toth, David & Laurie
Toth, Nicole Toth, Tracy Veitch and husband Jamie, Kim Gadson and husband Ken, Jamie Manning and wife Denise, Heather Levchuk and husband Ted. Dear great grandfather to Kaitland & Jessica Veitch, Evelyn Gadson, Nakita Buenbrazo, Aubrey Eric Levchuk, and Ainsley Toth. Dear brother of Frank & Stewart Manning, Dorthy Williams (late husband Albert), and Violet McClintoch and husband Lloyd as well as survived by a brothers-in-law Clayton Farrington, and Floyd Scott, and a sister-in-law May Manning. Predeceased by sisters Margaret Cowan, Isabel Ferrington, & Olive Scott, a brother Harry Manning, and a brother-in-law Albert Williams.
Alfred C Marshall Jr
Unit: 1 Regiment (Commanding Officer)
Rank: Colonel
Number: 0-018611
Date Of Death: 4th June 1944

Additional Information: USA
from Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
or from Haverford,Pennsylvania

KIA by sniper outside Rome,Italy
Lionel John (Jack) Martin passed away suddenly on January 1, 2013 at the age of 87 years in Waikiki, Hawaii. Jack was born June 22, 1925 in Bowden, Alberta the 3rd of 6 boys and a girl to Dolly and Bill Martin. Jack joined the Canadian Army in Alberta in 1941 during the Second World War. In 1942 he volunteered for the First Special Service Force (FSSF) a joint Canadian and American Commando Unit being formed in Helena Montana. After being wounded 3 times in Italy in 1943 and 1944 while a member of 6th Company 2nd Regiment of the FSSF, he was returned to Canada and served the balance of the war with the Western Headquarters of the Canadian Army stationed in Calgary, Alberta. In 1948 he married his loving wife Joan Anita Riley and together they had 3 daughters and 2 sons, Maralyn, Ronald, Sherry, Douglas and Roma. Jack is survived by his brother Howard (Mikki),  daughters Maralyn ( Dwayne) Marchand,  Sherry ( Peter)  Hartridge, Roma ( Don)  Crispin,  sons Ronald Martin and Douglas Martin, grandchildren  Bradly ( Michelle)  Hartridge,  Brian ( Julie-Claire) Hartridge,  John ( Katie) Crispin, Debra Marchand and Rusty Marchand, 4 great grandchildren Brenden and Lauren Hartridge, Cole Hartridge and Jack Crispin,  numerous nieces and nephews and his special friend and companion Adrianne Bonacci.  He was predeceased by his Mother, Father,  sister,  4  brothers and 2 grandsons.  
Jack Martin
Sgt 6-2
Calgary, ALberta

Photos and info submitted by son Ron Martin
After the War, Jack farmed in the Peace River country, worked for the Bank of Montreal and then Lacombe Creamery in Lacombe, Alberta. He then moved his family to Nelson, B.C. where he worked for Transco Developments and then for Nelson Readi-Mix which was purchased by Riv Tow Straights with whom he worked until his retirement in 1987. Jack and his loving wife travelled to Waikiki every year from the mid 1960’s until Joan’s passing.  Jack continued to vacation at the Royal Grove Hotel in Hawaii, which he considered his second home, until his passing. Jack loved life to the fullest and passed that on to his extended family and all of his friends both at home and in Hawaii which to him was his second home. Jack never forgot his comrades in the FSSF as he was an original member of the Force and the post war   Force Association. Jack and Joan and their children attended many of the annual reunions of the Force Association and Jack twice served as president of the FSSF Association. He was a family man first and foremost, assisting his brothers in the care of their mother and as Jack’s brothers passed away before him he took personal responsibility for their sons and daughters. Jack considered his friends in Hawaii part of his family as well and always took their best interest to heart. Jack will be missed by so many but he will never be forgotten. Cremation has taken place and a service of remembrance will be held in the spring.
George Newk McCall
Captain
Fq Hq Det
Townsend, Montana

Photos and info submitted by Capt McCall's Nephew Matt Brown
Herman William McCarthy

2 Regiment (6 Company)
Rank: Private
Number: G/14174
Date Of Death: 2nd June 1944 (Burhans says 6th)
Age:  
Gravesite: Beach Head War Cemetery,Anzio,Italy XVII.A.1
Additional Information: Canada
husband of Kathleen Helen McCarthy,Saint John,New Brunswick

KIA - 6 June 1944 - Italy
Edward L. McDonald

4th Company – 2nd Regiment
Staff Sergeant
Como, Hopkins County, Texas
Date of Death: 29 May, 1944
Age 21
Gravesite: Woodland Cemetery, Como, Texas
Son of Elmer and Faye McDonald, Wife of Virginia Lee Stephens McDonald
Award: Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Additional Information:  Enlisted July 23, 1940, serving in Troop “B” 5th Cavalry in Fort Clark and Fort Bliss, Texas for two years, before he volunteered for the First Special Service Force, August 8, 1942.
On the night of May 28th, Colonel Frederick sent out a demolition patrol from Artena, Italy that included Edward’s platoon of the 4-2 to infiltrate behind enemy lines to destroy a road bridge and a railroad bridge on Highway 6. At both locations a superiority of enemy prevented them from carrying out their plan.  The S-3 reports states that on the night of May 28-29, a 4-2 platoon attempted to blow up two bridges about six km northeast of Artena. One bridge was on Highway 6 and the other was 200 meters away on the railway line that ran parallel to the highway. They ran out of darkness before they could blow the bridges but returned the next night. Their second attempt also failed because of heavy enemy emplacements around the bridges. On their return trip, they got into a fight with an enemy patrol of 15 men. One enemy was killed and 4 were captured. Edward McDonald was killed, three other Forcemen were WIA, and one captured. (Statement concerning his death Courtesy of Karen Bassie) 
Photos and info given by Niece Sarah Stelzer
Michael A. McDonald

4-3
Born in 1916 in North Devon, New Brunswick (now Fredericton, NB) and died in 1979


Photos and info submitted by grandson Mike Bakker
Gerald W McFadden
Major Hq Det
2nd Bn 1st Regt & 5-1
Brockville, Ontario

These picture were in my grandparents photo albums. From finding them I was able to see that Jerry and my grandfather Herb must have been great friends.

Photos and info submitted by Eric Morgensen

To listen to a story about the liberation of Rome from Jerry himself go to the Memory Project here
http://66.241.252.164/digital-archive/profile.cfm?collectionid=856&cnf=wwII
Hector D McInnis

5-3

Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia

Photos submitted by Hector McInnis
Gilbert R McNeese

Sergeant
2 Regiment (5 Company,2 Bn)
Chicago, Illinois
Hugh McVeigh

HQ 2nd Regt
Winnipeg, Manitoba



Photos submitted by granddaughter Kerri Miller
D. I. McWilliams

Lieutenant & Captain
Toronto,Ontario
Charles Edward "Chuck" Mills

2 Regiment (5 Company)
Rank: Sergeant
Number: C/65543
Date Of Death: 18th February 1944
Age: 25
Gravesite: Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery,Netherlands XVI.F.15
Additional Information: Canada
from Whitby,Ontario
Son of Charles Edward and Eva Caroline Mills,Oshawa,Ontario
KIA Holland

MIA PD 18 Feb 1944
Richard A Milner

 5-2
Council Bluffs, Iowa

Rank: Sergeant
2 Regiment (5 Company)

Born Council Bluffs, Iowa 24 August 1921
Son of Charles and Mary (Nash) Milner
Transferred to 82nd Airborne Division when FSSF disbanded December 1944
Milwaukee Railroad inspector postwar
Married Rosalie D. Milner
Died 7 February 2005
Ernest Vernon Mitchell

1 Regiment (3 Company)
Rank: Private
Number: B/63763
Date Of Death: 29th May 1944
Age: 21
Gravesite: Beach Head War Cemetery,Anzio,Italy XVII.A.11
Additional Information: Canada
born Richmond Hill,Ontario
son of Elvin J. and Annie Mitchell,84 Woodfrey Avenue,Toronto,Ontario
attended public school,Richmond Hill
enlisted November 1939 Queen's Own Rifles
award Silver Star (US)

KIA - 29 May 1944 Anzio,Italy
John Donald Mitchell

3 Regiment (4 Company)
Rank: Lieutenant
Award: Silver Star - Italy 1944
Additional Information: Canada
from Halifax,Nova Scotia
or Dartmouth,Nova Scotia
Born 1921
Died 1999 Nova Scotia
Leo Moffet
1-3


Photo and info submitted by
Joel Moffet
Harlan S Morgan
Harlan in the foreground
Picture taken in Gervaro,Italy

3 Regiment (2 Company)
Le Roy,Montana,U.S.A.
Photos and info submitted by son Ted Morin
Edward F "Eddie" Morin

S/Sgt E.F. (Eddie) Morin served with the Force (3rd - 1st) from August 1942, until May 1944. He was captured on May 23rd, 1944, during the breakout from Anzio. He spent the next 335 days, as a prisoner of war (Stalag 7A), until the camp was liberated on April 28, 1945, by Combat Command A of the 14th US Armoured Corp.

He weighed 98 pounds when he received his freedom.

Prior to serving with the Force, he was with the SD&Gs from July 1940 until April 1942, both in Canada and the United Kingdom. He was promoted to a Sergeant in May 1942, and returned to Canada, as a small arms instructor with the Kings Own Rifles of Canada. On August 6, 1942, he volunteered and was accepted into the First Special Service Force.

He passed away, December 24, 1977, at the age of 58. It turns out, this date was the 34th anniversary of the assault on Hill 720.
Herbert E Morris


3-3
Indian Lake, Denville, New Jersey

If you would like to read about Herb's time spent in the Force there is a lot found in the book "A Perfect Hell" by John Nadler.
Frank A Murphy

1 Regiment (3 Company)
Rank: Private
Number: 33083534
Date Of Death: 29th May 1944
Age:  
Gravesite: Sicily-Rome American Cemetery,Italy Plot A Row 14 Grave 2
Additional Information: USA
from Philadelphia County,Pennsylvania

KIA - 29 May 1944 Anzio,Italy
William (Bill) Edward Murray
6-2
KIA - June 4th 1944 - Rome, Italy
Bronze Star Recipient
Oak Park, Illinois


Photos and info submitted by great great neice Julie Jaroc and niece Helen Murray
Robert L Neal
2-2
Salina, Kansas

Thanks to Chuck Samuel for letting my take a picture of his picture.
Arthur C Neeseman
Major
1 Regiment (HQ Detachment - Medical Officer)
Fox Lake,Illinois,USA

born Rockford,Illinois
son of August F. Neeseman,1130 North Court Street,Rockford,Ill.
graduated Old Central High School 1923
graduated University of Illinois
surgeon prewar

Major Neeseman was considered a "Jumping Doctor" and there is a great article about him and his life in the Force found below. I do not know much more about him, but I will after I read the many articles and stories I have from him. These pictures were passed down through the hands of various Force members including Bill Story and my grandfather Herb Goodwin. I hope to honor Major Neeseman by sharing these things with the world. I do not know if he had any posterity but hope they will find this someday if he did.
John Nolan Newman

SSGT 4-1
Weatherford, Oaklahoma
KIA 25 May 1944

Photo submitted by niece Sharilyn Zabinsky
Franklin John "Jack" Norton
SSgt. Franklin John Norton
4th Co, 3rd Regiment, FSSF
Became drill sgt after the force disbanded 
Dates of Service: June 25, 1941 - Oct. 7, 1945
Born in Gould City, MI  Aug 1, 1918
Lived in Detroit, Michigan
Died in Texas, Dec 10, 1982

During his time in the Force he most likely went by Jack

Photo submitted by grandson Michael Norton
Andrew O. Olson

Sergeant
1 Regiment (1 Company)
Glaslyn,Saskatchewan
WIA 9.1.1944

He started in 1-1 and transfered to 4-1.
Samuel V Olson

5-3
Pasadena, CA

Photos submitted by Ben Arnold

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=olson&GSmid=46908180&GRid=73706367&
Wilfrid J Paquette
4-2
Hull, Quebec
Photo submitted by Wilfrid Paquette
Jim Parnell
He joined the U.S. Army (3rd Ranger Btn. in April of 1943).  However, when his unit was decimated at Cisterna, Italy in January of 1944, he was reassigned to the First Special Services Force (5-1).  He stayed with them until December of 1944.  In April of 1945, he participated in the liberation of Dachau (I don't know which unit). He was then sent to Norway with the 474th Infantry Regiment in May of 1945. He returned home in October of 1945.

Photos and info submitted by son Timothy Parnell
Thomas Edwin Pearce Jr
Major - HQ Det
1st Bn 1st Regiment
Seattle, Washington

KIA - 9 Jan 1944

Photo of Major Pearce submitted by daughter Lynn Nymark

Gravesite photos from the US Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy by Eric Morgensen
Ole Johannes Pedersen

1-1
Burlington, Vermont

Enlisted in Regina Sk. Regimental #L-56049. Rank Sgt. Assigned to 110th Field Battery R.C.A. {CA}.  Assigned to FSSF August 1, 1942 Montana, USA.  Served in occupation of Kiska, Africa, & Italy.  Wounded in Italy hospitalized from May 1944 till August, 1944. He was shipped to UK & Canada. Discharged August 9, 1945.

Photos and info submitted by daughter Elly Crawford
Herb Peppard
Truro, Nova Scotia
David A Peterson
Hq Det
Photos and info submitted by Håkon Reinertsen
Lawrence J Piette
Captain 6-2
Info submitted by son Dan Piette.
Please DO NOT publish his document without giving full credits to Dan.
John A Pinciak
3 Regiment (4 Company)
Rank: Private
Number: 32772054
Date Of Death: 6th November 1944
Gravesite:  
Additional Information: USA
from Bergen County,New Jersey

KIA 6 Nov 1944
Felix J Polito
6-2 Seargent
Franklin. Louisiana

Photo submitted by nephew Bob Holbrook
Maurice Harry Richard Powell
6-1

Montreal, Quebec
Photos and info submitted by Maurice's daughter Bernice.
Thomas George "Tommy" Prince

3 Regiment (2 Company)
Rank: Sergeant
Number: H/25272
Award: Silver Star,Military Medal
Place: Italy 1944 (MM) France 1944 (SS)
Additional Information: Canada
from Winnipeg,Manitoba
born 1915 Petersfield,Manitoba
died 25.11.1977
Brookside Cemetery,Winnipeg
I was able to meet up with Mark Radcliffe along with Joe Glass in March of 2008 and forgot to take a picture with them. However some of Mark's stories I still remember and I will forever cherish the time he took to speak with me. I am proud to say that I have met Mark and that he was friends with my Grandfather Herb Goodwin.
Mark Radcilffe
Captain Hq Det 1-1

Mark Radcliffe of the First Special Service Force, while on patrol on the Anzio beachhead before the Allies broke the German defenses, was captured by the Nazis. He was then taken to La Torre for questioning by a German officer.

“All I was giving was my name, rank and serial number,” Radcliffe relates. “Suddenly he whacked me across the throat with a 14-inch rubber truncheon.”

About then the interrogation was interrupted when Allied artillery started shelling the area. Radcliffe’s captors scattered for shelter, leaving only one German to guard three prisoners.

“When he wasn’t looking, I hit him over the back of the head with a piece of wood, and we escaped,” Radcliffe said.

The GIs worked their way back to the Allied line, traveling at night and hiding in trees during the day. On the third day, Radcliffe was almost back to his outfit when he was spotted and hit by mortar shrapnel, severing some tendons in his ankle.

When Sgt. Erickson found his immobile company commander, he began banging Radcliffe’s head on the ground, demanding “Where the hell have you been?!”
Radcliffe was born in Farmington, N.M., in 1918, and graduated from high school in Albuquerque in 1937. He was ordered into active duty in 1941 to Fort Lewis as part of the 41st Division. He deployed to the South Pacific as Operations Sergeant Headquarters of the 161st Infantry Regiment, but before he saw any combat he was selected for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga.

After graduating OCS in July 1942, he was selected to participate in the Plough Project at Fort Harrison in Helena. In early August, while attending a dance at the Armory, Radcliffe’s buddy called him “chicken” if he didn’t approach one particular girl. So he asked her to dance, and it was “love at first sight.” The wedding took place a month later, and this September Mark and Edith (Bauer) Radcliffe will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

Radcliffe shipped out to North Africa with the FSSF as Commander of the 3rd Company, 3rd Regiment. He was involved in the conquests of Mount la Difensa and Mount Majo in southern Italy in the freezing winter of 1943-44, and then the force was assigned to assist at the Anzio beachhead.

After his escape, Radcliffe was transported to the hospital in Naples. He decided to return to the FSSF, in spite of the Army’s standing orders that all wounded were to be sent to Repo-Depo.

“When I got back to Force Headquarters I was AWOL from the hospital. General Fredericks then assigned me to a special mission,” Radcliffe recalls.

He was instructed by Major General Keyes to lead an independent corps reconnaissance mission along Highway 6 and penetrate Rome prior to the main entry.

“I was told the reason an officer from the force was selected was because of the FSSF’s ability to get the job done,” Radcliffe says.

They departed II Corps Headquarters on June 3, 1944, with intentions of joining the Ellis Task Force, which was spearheading the drive on Rome. But after passing a convoy, which they learned later was the task force, near Frascati and encountering enemy fire, the mission turned out to be a lot more than just public relations. They engaged in several skirmishes along the way, and then at 6 a.m. on June 4, Radcliffe’s special corps patrol passed through Rome’s Porta San Giovanni gate, one-half hour before any other Allied unit.

Radcliffe returned to Helena after the war (some of his medals include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with cluster and the Purple Heart with two clusters), where he and Edith raised their children, Bob and Carolyn. He spent a career in civil engineering and stayed involved with the armed forces in the Army Reserves and, more recently, with the Montana Military Museum.

Nowadays, whenever his throat hurts and goes hoarse, it reminds Radcliffe of a certain truncheon-wielding Nazi officer in La Torre, Italy.

Taken from the Helena Independant Record http://www.helenair.com/articles/2002/08/17/stories/helena/6a1.txt
George A Rainville

2 Regiment (2 Company)
Rank: Sergeant
Number: A/29576
Award: Silver Star
Place: Italy 1944
Additional Information: Canada
from Bonfield,Ontario

George was awarded the Silver Star for a gallantry in action for saving Jean Bricker (Kansas) on May 1st 1944 at Anzio.(Borge Piave) Bricker was wounded and he collapsed and George ran 80 yards to pick him up and put him on his shoulder and ran 800 yards with him to behind the lines for medical help. Gene Bricker lost a lung but survived. Jack Knight was also there and he said that the they looked like they had come right out of a butcher shop because of how badly they were covered with blood. George did not know until he returned to England.

Info & photos given to me by George's sister Rita Thomas.
Al Reichle

3-3
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Info and Items shared by Al's daughter Gail Reichle.
THANK YOU for sharing!

Click on the pages photos to read about Al's time in the FSSF or download the PDF
Harland "Victor" Rice

Photo above: Picture while a New Brunswick Ranger

Served in 2-3 from Norton, New Brunswick

Photos and submitted by son Brett Rice and grandson Brad Rice
John A Rich

3-3
Palmer, Washington
Sergeant
Award: Distinguished Service Cross
Place: Italy 1944
Additional Information: USA
from Marengo, Ohio
Harry Keith Richardson

2 Regiment (4 Company)
Rank: Sergeant
Number: C/40568
Date Of Death: 4th December 1943
Age: 23
Gravesite: Cassino War Cemetery,Italy IV.F.1
Additional Information: Canada
son of Thomas and Cassetta Richardson,Warkworth,Ontario
husband of Dorothy Richardson

KIA - 4 Dec 1943 Italy
Finn W Roll

Capt Fe Hq Det
Oslo, Norway

In the book "The Devil's Brigade" by Robert H. Adleman and George Walton (see the Index on page 257) Finn is mentioned several places. He was Captain Robert D. Burhans (intelligence officer) assistant Intelligence officer.


Photo submitted by nephew Jan Roll