From Feb. 10th KTVQ Billings, Montana, "World War II 'Devil's Brigade' veteran passes away" by Mike Powers.
James "Stoney" Wines died in Helena at age 91, one of just three surviving members of the "Devil's Brigade" still living in Montana. Nation-wide, just 230 survive of the 1800 who volunteered for the elite unit during the war. The unit has a big Montana-connection, as they trained at Fort Harrison in Helena. They were a predecessor for modern special ops forces in the military
Montana Senators Max Barcus and Jon Tester have sponsored a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the unit, known officially as the First Special Services Force.
They were a top secret group, trained in mountain combat, amphibious landings, sky diving, demolition and other unconventional tactics. They never failed any of their operations and received much credit for "Operation Avalanche" in ital where they battle German troops heavily entrenched in the mountains.
After his service, Mr. Wines later became a police officer and captain in Helena.
Another of the Greatest Generation. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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