Ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the United States house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon and welcome to the United States capitol. Its good to see all of you here today. Since the days of the revolution, congress has awarded gold medals to express the peoples appreciation for distinguished achievements. The first recipient was general George Washington himself in march of 1776. Today pursuant to House Resolution 324 we will present a gold medal in honor of the First SpecialService Force. The force was activated in 1942 as an elite unit of 1800 american and canadian commandos. Just how elite . Well, for every man they lost, they killed 25. For every man they captured, they took 235. The force was so fierceless that the enemy dubbed them the devils and so effective today that our special forces refer to them as pioneers. These men represent the finest of the finest. So, today we bestow them on them our highest honor. Let me thank all of you for being here, especially ambassador dorr, secretary mccue and all of our army leaders. In addition to many family members, were truly humbled to have with us some 42 veterans of the force. Please join me now in welcoming these great men to our hall. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the presentation of the colors by the United States army color guard. The singing of the canadian and United StatesNational Anthems and the retiring of the colors. O canada our home and native land true patriot love in all thy sons command with glowing hearts we see thee rise the True North Strong and free from far and wide o canada we stand on guard for thee god keep our land glorious and free o canada we stand on guard for thee o canada we stand on guard for thee o say, can you see o say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there yet wave oh, say, does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as the chaplain of the United States senate, dr. Barry black, gives the invocation. Let us pray. Eternal god, the heavens tell stories of your glory and the skies display your marvelous craftsmanship. In the wisdom of your loving providence, you blessed the world with the 1st special Service Force, a joint world war ii american canadian commando unit, that made the freedoms we enjoy today possible. Lord, we praise you for the volunteers who comprise this 1,800person force that contributed immeasurably to victory over tyranny. Using their intensive training these patriots in uniform were willing to give their all to ensure that libertys bell would continue to ring. Bless this opportunity you have given us to celebrate and honor their competence, courage and commitment with the congressional gold medal. We pray in your great name amen. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, United States representative from the First District of florida, the honorable jeff miller. [applause] with each passing day, the legacy of the greatest generation is in more danger of becoming a distant memory. But we must not forget. Thats why its imperative for those of us who have the ability to help preserve the memory of your service and sacrifice do exactly that. Although the medal we are presenting is a physical token of our gratitude for your heroism, the most important aspect of todays event is that it provides us an opportunity to strengthen the great legacy of the 1st special Service Force. At a time when we desperately needed heroes, to wage war against tyranny, our two nations banded together and successfully defeated evil. The 1st special Service Force is a shining example of what can be accomplished when america and canada stand together as one. Your actions embody the Enduring Partnership between our two nations that president john f. Kennedy referenced when he said, and i quote, geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath join together let no man put us under, end quote. Those words as appropriate today as they were more than half a century ago, when president kennedy uttered them before the canadian parliament. It took four years to make this day a reality. And when i look at this crowd, and see the faces of all the 1st special force veterans in attendance, i know that it was worth it. God bless our nations and may god bless you, our veterans. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, United States senator from montana, the honorable jon tester. [applause] thank you. Today is a very good day. Today we honor a group of men who dedicated themselves to ensuring that this great nation would remain free. And we honor the enduring friendship between the United States and canada. These men made up of patriots from two nations were assigned a mission that the world had never seen. They played an Important Role in defeating our enemies during world war ii. The men of the devils brigade paved the way for the special forces units that we honor today. They organized and trained at ft. Harrison in my home state of montana. Today ft. Harrison is the headquarters of the Montana National guard. It is where montanas citizen soldiers still train and prepare to deploy. On the same grounds the devils brigade did 73 years ago. The men were honoring today trained in rugged conditions at top of mountain peaks in the rockies, ski and rock climbing in frigid temperatures of the montana winters. Little did they know their unbreakable spirit would not only help change the course of world war ii, but it would also change what it means to be an elite member of the military. Today their legacy lives on in americas special force units who represent the best of the best, who serve our nation. Im proud that these Service Members called montana home and am proud of those men and women who are willing to sacrifice and fight for the liberties that we hold so dear. On behalf of all montanans and americans, this medal is a small token but a powerful symbol of your bravery, commitment sacrifice and dedication. Thank you for your service to this great nation. God bless you all. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the United States army band and chorus. O beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plains america, america, god shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea o beautiful for patriot feet who sees beyond the years america, america, god shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea America America america [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the army song. March along sing our song with the army of the free count the brave count the true who have fought to victory were the army and proud of our name were the army and proudly proclaim first to fight for the right and to build the nations might and the Army Goes Rolling along proud of all we have done fighting till the battles won and the Army Goes Rolling along then its hi hi hey the armys on its way count off the cadence loud and strong for where we go you will always know that the Army Goes Rolling along [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the democratic leader of the United States house of representatives, the honorable nancy pelosi. [applause] good afternoon. Speaker boehner, leader mcconnell, senator durbin, minister otoole, general votel mr. Ambassador, mr. Ambassador secretary mchugh, thank you, and all of our special guests. What a wonderful afternoon it is and made possible because congressman jeff miller, the chairman of our Veterans Affairs committee in the house and senator jon tester introduced legislation remembering our special forces, the 1st special Service Force. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, senator. We can applaud them. [applause] that would be good. Again. And thank you, mr. Speaker, for bringing us all together. It is fitting that we are gathered here in emancipation hall because the heroes we honor today helped win the fight to free the world of tyranny. For generations our northern neighbor has been vital as a trusted ally and friend to our country. The 1st special Service Force made up of men from both the United States and canada continue that tradition. Canadians and u. S. Citizens, men who made their living laboring as lumberjacks and trammers, mountain mountaineirs and miners, answered the call to serve and changed the course of the war. Two great democracies came together to help defeat the axis. Together they trained for stealth combat in arctic conditions. Together they sacrificed personal safety to save the world. I take special pride in recognizing that the leader of this elite unit, a man of courage, conviction and character, was a proud son of San Francisco who returned to his beloved california after the war, the late Major General robert t. Frederick. [applause] undaunted by the seemingly Impossible Mission before him, frederick raised, trained and led the unit and was awarded a record eight purple hearts. Today it is our privilege to honor him and especially the people he led. Those who are here, those that are not with us. We are honored that some of these legends are here today and we remember so many husbands and fathers, sons and brothers, who never returned. The 1st special Service Force was given the moniker black devils. For conducting missions with their faces obscured by black boot polish. Under the cover of night they trudged through mountainous terrain, captured thousands of prisoners and eventually breached the gates of rome to help liberate the eternal city. Today a plaque hangs on a section of the walls in rome honoring their sacrifices. Although the 1st special Service Force was disbanded in 1944, the legacy of this indomitable force lives on today in todays special forces, the u. S. Army special forces known as the green berets and 1st special forces Operational Detachment delta known as the delta force. Some are with us today. Thank you for your service to our country. These heroes remind us that although victory is never certain, where there is courage, where there is unity, where people are willing to sacrifice their own comfort to help save the lives of others, victory is possible. It is our privilege to present the congressional gold medal to the world war ii veterans of the 1st special Service Force and to recognize the Enduring Partnership of canada and the United States. May god continue to bless both of our countries. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the assistant democratic leader of the United States senate, the honorable dick durbin. [applause] welcome to all of you heroes from both canada and the United States who come here today for this great honor. You may have heard that we had a little snowstorm in chicago over the weekend. More than 19 inches of snow, more snow in 24 hours than we usually see in two or three months. And yesterday morning, while the snow was still falling, the winds were blowing at 45 miles an hour, and someone asked, do you think lewis knox and casey selsky are going to make it to washington . I said nothing not even an historic blizzard would stop the devils brigade from being here today. [applause] i honor the sons of illinois as part of the group being honored. Louis knox had a tough time getting into the service. He went down to the post office to volunteer to serve in the marines. He took a look at the young man and said, sorry, with that overbite, youll never be able to serve. Six months later, he was in the army and became part of this elite fighting force. Thank you for being here with us today. [applause] casey selski is here. He fought at the battle of anzio. They were among the first allied soldiers to enter rome and liberate it from the nazis. Hes here today with one of his 11 children, the former mayor of alito, illinois, mayor lee celski. When casey came home from world war ii, like a lot of the genuine heroes of war, he didnt have much to say. He left the war on the battlefield. 40 years later his family coaxed the stories out of him. And 50 years after his return from world war ii, casey and lee traveled back to europe, back to the places where hed fought, to visit the towns that the force had liberated. Near the anzio beach head an italian man realized finally who they were. The man dropped to his knees crying and thanked casey celski. Then he pointed to a plaque written in italian and english trying to explain what this was all about to his own son. This is one of the soldiers, he said, who saved our village. It was 50 years after the war had ended. Casey celski turned to his son lee and said, all these years i wondered what i was doing here. Now i know why we fought. The 1st special Service Force yes. [applause] the 1st special Service Force were all volunteered. The astonishing fact fact is not how many didnt finish but how many survived. They operated under cover of darkness, deep behind enemy lines using Unconventional Warfare tactics and support of other units. Every mission was a suicide mission. When a forceman went awol, it was from a hospital bed. Thats true. More than one wounded ssfs man hearing his unit was heading out lept up from his bed and rejoined his unit, still stitched, bandaged and many times dressed in a hospital robe. The unit suffered 2,300 casualties. More than 130 of their original combat strength, but it never lost a mission. Not one. The 1st special Service Force [applause] the force existed for only two years but its spirit lives on in the green beret, army rangers, even the navy s. E. A. L. S and marine recon units, and in all of todays special forces. For decades after the war ended, the story of these canadian and american heroes and how they helped save the world was classified top secret. But now we know. And on behalf of the congress of the United States, and freedom loving people around the world we say thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the majority leader of the United States senate, the honorable mitch mcconnell. [applause] sometimes truth can be more impressive than fiction. When it comes to the heroes we honor today, thats certainly the case. Members of the elite devils brigade excelled in rock climbing and amphibious assault. They advanced on skis and through the air. They survived by stealth and trained in demolitions. Some of their more Daring Mission plans would have made james bond blush. And through it all, they helped save a continent in chaos. They helped defeat some of the greatest menaces the world has ever known. But this isnt a hollywood script. Its a true story about a Fearless Group of young canadian canadians and americans, including many kentuckians, who were willing to put their lives on the line in the truest sense of the term. Some probably did it to protect neighbors and families. Others to defend cherished democratic ideals. Many likely fought for all these reasons. And they volunteered for this danger. Heres how the forces recruiting slogan read vigorous training, hazardous duty, for those who measure up get into the war quick. Typical madison avenue spin, this was not. But it was honest. The fighting could be fierce conditions could be awful, the missions seemingly impossible. Yet dark masses of boot polish and young courage, fighting knives gripped tightly in hand elements purged consciously in fight, held strong against the forces of fascism. The devils brigade heeding churchills call for specially trained troops of the hunter class, who might unleash a rain of terror against the nazis became a feared adversary. But these devils only rented space in the shadows. They moved within darkness in order to defeat it. And today here they are, champions of freedoms, heroes in two nations, saviors to many others, and to you we offer our most profound gratitude for distinguished service. To the families gathered today know your loved one made a difference. Know that the veteran youve loved made a contribution to history that we as a people will not soon forget. As the son of a world war ii veteran, im particularly determined to ensure that we dont. Thats why we will soon dedicate the highest civilian honor congress can bestow. It may only be a piece of metal, but it carries the gratitude of a nation. May you always remember it. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the United States house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. [applause] let me again thank all of you for b