10 Special Service Force Members Die During Week of Congressional Gold Medal Award

On Tuesday, January 3, The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to veterans of the First Special Service Force, an elite specialized unit of U.S. and Canadian servicemen who trained in Montana, but whose story is widely unknown. Special Forces Association Secretary Treasurer Bill Woon was in D.C. this week for the occasion and explains why he believes there has been such secrecy about what these brave men did.

"My father was one of the Canadians who came to Helena in August 1942 and the force trained in Fort Harrison from August of 1942 to April of 1943," Woon said. "Much of their story was secret. It was untold. My theory is three-fold. One is that they were a very small unity. Two is they were very top secret; and three they were good soldiers, they were told not to talk, and for 73 years they haven't."

But they are talking this week. Woon said many stories were shared during the last few days, and warned that some of the story may never be told unless we pay attention.

"They get together and they talk. That's what they want to do," Woon said. "For 73 years, with what they went through, we just want to make sure that everyone is still okay. The sad part is, we've for the last 10 days, lost four of these veterans. We're losing them quickly. Every time we lose one, we lose a library of information in terms of what they were a part of."

There are 140 members of the First Special Service Force still living, but all of the members from Montana have died, including Woon’s father. Only 42 members were able to make it to Washington for the Congressional Gold Medal reception.