By David Miller
Members of Special Forces Association Chapter LX gathered on December 4 for an evening of remembrance, gratitude and fellowship during the annual Menton Day Celebration. Hosted at Team House Tampa, the event brought together U.S. Army Special Forces veterans, Canadian partners and members of the community to honor the deactivation of the 1st Special Service Force (FSSF) on December 5, 1944, in Menton, France.
But Menton Day is far more than a commemoration of a date. It is a recognition of a fighting formation whose courage, ingenuity and sacrifice fundamentally reshaped the concept of special operations and laid the foundation for the modern Green Beret and Canadian SOF heritage.
Formed in 1942 as a binational U.S.-Canadian force, the 1st Special Service Force, soon nicknamed the Devil’s Brigade by German troops, was tasked with missions no other unit had the training or audacity to attempt. Operating in extreme environments, advancing against fortified mountain defenses and conducting relentless night raids, the FSSF repeatedly succeeded where conventional forces could not.
Their legendary assault on Monte La Difensa in Italy, scaling sheer cliffs under darkness to seize a position considered unassailable, demonstrated a fusion of endurance, tactical innovation and fearlessness that stunned Allied commanders. At Anzio, Italy, their aggressive patrolling and silent infiltration of enemy lines instilled such fear that German soldiers referred to them as “Die Schwarzen Teufel” — The Black Devils.
The Devil’s Brigade became the prototype for modern special forces in both the United States and Canada. Their seamless binational integration set the early standard for today’s allied SOF partnerships, while their independence as small teams operating behind enemy lines foreshadowed the 12-man ODA structure used by Green Berets today. Their demanding training in demolitions, mountaineering, amphibious operations, winter warfare and close combat shaped the broad skillset now expected of special forces soldiers.
In keeping with longstanding tradition, attendees wore their berets, carried a knife of choice and brought the iconic canteen cup, symbols of field service, shared hardship and the brotherhood that defines the special forces community.
Special Forces Association Team House in Tampa is open to all veterans Wednesday through Sunday from 3-10 p.m.
