First Special Service Force
The 1st Special Service Force was an elite joint American–Canadian commando unit in World War II created and formed by Major Robert T. Frederick of the Operations Division of the U.S. General Staff. During the Italian campaign of WWII it was commanded by Frederick and attached to the United States Fifth Army. The Force was later attached to 1st Airborne Task Force which was commanded by then Major General Frederick in August 1944 for the campaign in southern France.
Personnel being briefed before setting out on a patrol at the Anzio beachhead
Plaque located on Interstate 15 between Helena and Great Falls.
As part of the brigade's 65th anniversary celebration, a Canadian special forces soldier arrives at Fort Lewis.
A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines.
Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured
Cape Mounted Burghers, or "kommando," assembling for action in 1846 during the Seventh Xhosa War. The term originally referred to the Boer mounted infantry of this type.
The first appearance and use of the term "commando" was taken from the Afrikaner guerilla units known as "Kommandos" in South Africa during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902
The "commando" name was permanently established with the introduction of the British Commandos in 1942 the elite special forces units of the British Army in World War II
