Devil's Brigade

by Robert H. Adleman, George H. Walton

History of the First Special Force a joint United States and Canadian unit in World War II

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1966

About the author

A photographer and tail gunner in World War II, Adleman was a businessman and a historian who began a collaboration with U.S. Army Colonel George Walton to write books about World War II, the most successful of which was 1966's The Devil's Brigade. A story about the 1st Special Service Force nicknamed the "Devil's Brigade", the book would be turned into a motion picture of the same name.

After selling the movie rights, Adleman and his wife moved from Philadelphia to Malibu, California. They remained there for a number of years until they acquired a large ranch property in Oregon. At which point they opened the restaurant The Bella Union, featuring the "peach baboo", a cocktail named after their grandson's childhood treat. The Bella Union remains successful in Jacksonville, Oregon to this day. Adleman died in 1995. His wife and two daughters scattered his ashes on the ocean at the beach in Malibu.
-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always fascinated by this story. Americans and Canadians were trained together and fought side by side. The training was in Montana and recruits were typically drawn from the Rocky Mt states and provinces.

This was a special ops unit before anyone used the term. These men were commandos that the German troops in Italy feared and became the forerunners of the Green Berets, the SEALS, the Rangers, Delta Force and Canada’s JTF2.

One of them lived in my community and recently passed on. I carry in my wallet the scarlet patch of the First Special Service Force which has CANADA embroidered in white along its length and USA embroidered at the base - the patch is in the shape of an arrowhead.

It’s a fascinating story of courage and of the growth of an intense and devoted comradeship among the men.

The film The Devils Brigade has carried itself forward pretty well. Two of my fave parts are the bagpipe arrival of the Canadians at the Helena training camp (though not all CAN units are highland regiments) and the Donnybrook with the lumberjacks at the pub which manages to bring the Americans and Canadians together as one.

It’s a good book.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1966, The Devil's Brigade is an excellent account of the formation of the Canadian-U.S. First Special Service Force. The film of the same name was based on this book and the written account was as interesting as the movie. If you happen to run across this book in a used book store, check it out.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The World War II story of a joint US and Canadian Force that would eventually become the US Special Forces. It details the training of and the battles they fought in together.

[Ward Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the movie 'The Devils Brigade' many years ago. In one of the scenes they crossed a river in the movie and i used to back the family station wagon there and would fish the river. I met my wife in February 1978 we were talking about movies we had seen and I told her about this movie. She tried numerous times to tell me something about it and i was so excited about it I would not let her say anything untill I was done. Then she said to me would you like to meet one of the men in the force? You know someone I said and she said her Father Henry George Sinclair was a member of the First Special Service Force. The Devils Brigade. I must say in the last years of his life I learned alot about what he did in WWII and where he was when he was shot and sent back to Canada. At Anzio near the Musolina Canals. For many years the people of the American side of the Force tried to get medals for the Canadians. On his 92nd birthday I asked his grandson Craig R Galvin to Present him with the Combat Infantrymans Badge. Petty Officer Galvin gave it to him and he broke down and cried. Just prior to his death the U S Army awarded him with the Bronze Star. It arrived the week after his funeral. He never did see it.
I know I put personal history here but the book was very interesting to me and I would recommend it to all!

[Daniel B. Crandell · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st rate book

Love the book. Couldn't put it down. An accurate portrayal of the men and activities of the First Special Services.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book published after the war and it tells the story well. The basis for the book is a series of questionaires sent to veterans. The narrative is interesting but the incorporation of personal stories reads like a series of inserted quotes. It is not cohesive. The other drawback is that this was published before most of the WWII classified materials were declassified in the 1970s.

If you are really interested in the Force, then you should pick this up. Otherwise, pickup one of the newer books.

[Bill V · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a mediocre book. It reads more like a propaganda piece than a detached and objective history. I have read about the First Special Service Force before but was not aware of how much a role it played in the war. It certainly accomplished a lot given its relatively small size.

[Jim Heivilin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Special Service Force

Not quite what the 1968 movie portrays but an even better story superbly written. Take a look at what Canada's and the US's best accomplished.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever heard of "the Dirty Dozen"? Meet the Devil's Brigade--the real-life story they're based on.

[Thomas Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional in Its Simplicity

It rated 5 stars because it was a great but true story told in bits and pieces by those who actually served in, or with, the FSSF. One minute you are telling yourself this can't be true and the next moment you are chuckling at a humorous tale...and there were many. You find yourself wondering how am outfit so short of discipline out of battle could be so disciplined and courageous in it. Finally, the book showed that both Americans and Canadians are the same brave patriots willing to die for the freedoms we both enjoy. If you like noon fiction and books that tell a remarkable story about war, this is a keeper.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

While just getting into this book, I set is aside to take in the Hollywood portrayal of the legendary 1st Special Service Force, an elite American-Canadian commando unit in World War II. This North American unit sprung from the mind of madcap genius Geoffrey Pyke for snow battles in a specialied vehicle, The Weasel. What actually happened was stockades were emptied to form a ruthless, highly trained, very kinetic force that went from a dry run in the Aleutians to playing a pivotal role in chasing Kesselring and his German soldiers out of Northern Italy and through Southern France. They also partied and pranked as hard as they fought. This is a fascinating look at the brief, bloody career of a unit, that like many other historical units, is claimed as a direct ancestor by two modern special operations units; the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command and the 1st Special Forces Group (1st SFG) of the United States Army Special Forces.

There's also an appearance in the final act of Major General Edwin A. Walker, bringing the brigade's story into connection with the more devisive politics of the 60s.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this first back in the 60s. Interseting, well written, a story that could be fiction but it's history. WWII fans, history buffs, adventure story fans...fits all.

The story of a military unit that almost wasn't and then ended up becoming legendary.

[Mark Erlich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read and for decades I used to read 100 books a year. No movie is a substitute for reading this book; No special services movie I have seen has had close to the impact that this book had on me.

[Fredrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

True story of the First Special Forces comprised of American and Canadian troops during World War II and their operations in the Sicily and Italy.

[Dave Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

More interesting stories of the men of the 1st Special Services Force. Written in the sixties, it also shows a different insight on these men, colored by the times.

[Lew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book for any WWII history buff but not the most exciting book. The Dirty Dozen movie was loosely based on the Special Service Force.

[Sonny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best I can say is it was an "OK" read.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am actually reading the 1966 edition. One of the few books I read over and over again.