Hello!!! - Eric Morgensen

Hey everyone,

In case you are new to the Forum or haven't been to the website www.firstspecialserviceforce.net I am here to let you know all about me.

My name is Eric Morgensen and my grandfather was Herb Goodwin of 6-1. I started a tribute website to my grandfather after his passing and it eventually grew into the "official" FSSF Association website.

At the 2008 reunion family and friends friends of the force were asking about a way to keep in touch so I started this forum as an extension of the website to accomodate their request.

I hope you will take the time to share and get to know each other by using this site.

Don't forget!!! I NEED YOUR PICTURES and STORIES about your force family member. If you haven't already sent me pictures or stories to add to the regular site please do so. That way I can get a tribute page up for your special force member.

Hi Everyone,
I'm Tricia Hofeld and I am the granddaughter of Harold "Ted" Johnson 4-2. I have had the pleasure of being involved with the First Special Service Force for over ten years. After hosting the 2008 62nd Reunion in St. Paul, I am already looking forward to next year to see friends of old and new again.
A little about my grandfather... H. Ted Johnson 4-2 was born in S. St. Paul, was raised there and in Randolph MN. He drove a couple up to Canada and joined the military in Vancouver, BC. There he volunteered for the force. He trained with a specialty as a flame thrower. He was hit with shrapnel on Dec. 5th, 1943 on Monte La Difensa. After walking down the mountain he was transfered to a hospital in North Africa. He rejoined the force in record time and finished out his time with them. After returning home, he met and married Joyce Salberg and the had 8 girls and 1 boy followed by 19 grandchildren.
Welcome all and thank you Eric,
Tricia Hofeld
H.T. Johnson 4-2

Hello, My name is Gerry and I have been interested in the FSSF for over twenty years, my father's best friend Daniel Wade 1-2 was a member of the Force and was KIA at La Difensa. My father gave me a few Force items that belonged to Mr. Wade and since that time I started to research the FSSF and became an avid collector and amateur historian. I'm in regular contact with over 10 Force veterans and thoroughly enjoy hearing of their stories about the training they went through and the perils of combat they endured. I have a very large collection of Force memorabilia and photographs and I'm always looking to my collection. I look forward to meeting friends and relatives of the veterans of the FSSF, an honourable and proud unit.

Redberet wrote:Hello, My name is Gerry and I have been interested in the FSSF for over twenty years, my father's best friend Daniel Wade 1-2 was a member of the Force and was KIA at La Difensa. My father gave me a few Force items that belonged to Mr. Wade and since that time I started to research the FSSF and became an avid collector and amateur historian. I'm in regular contact with over 10 Force veterans and thoroughly enjoy hearing of their stories about the training they went through and the perils of combat they endured. I have a very large collection of Force memorabilia and photographs and I'm always looking to my collection. I look forward to meeting friends and relatives of the veterans of the FSSF, an honourable and proud unit.

Nice to see you here Gerry. If you have any pictures of Daniel Wade I would love to make a page for him on the main site. Please feel free to email them to me along with any other specific force members pictures if you have them and would like to share.

Yes I have a nice original Force identification photograph of Daniel Wade that was taken in 1942, I'll scan it and send it to you.

Redberet wrote:Yes I have a nice original Force identification photograph of Daniel Wade that was taken in 1942, I'll scan it and send it to you.

That would be great!!! That is what the main site is really all about, a way to remember ALL the members of the Force. We are getting close to the 100 mark of pages for original force members. Only thousands to go!!!

Hi there,
My name is Michelle D and my grandfather is Norman Beech in the first special service force. I don't know much about his time there as he does not like to talk about it. If anyone has any information on him and his time there that would be great.
He is still alive and well at 92 years of age and he still lives in Calgary. I read on another topic here that the reunion may be held here and that would be great as he cannot travel far.
This site is great i wish there was more info about these guys they derserve our outmost respect.

mdmytruk wrote:Hi there,
My name is Michelle D and my grandfather is Norman Beech in the first special service force. I don't know much about his time there as he does not like to talk about it. If anyone has any information on him and his time there that would be great.
He is still alive and well at 92 years of age and he still lives in Calgary. I read on another topic here that the reunion may be held here and that would be great as he cannot travel far.
This site is great i wish there was more info about these guys they derserve our outmost respect.

Hello Michelle, I have a photo of your grandfather and I sent you a PM .

Redberet wrote:

mdmytruk wrote:Hi there,
My name is Michelle D and my grandfather is Norman Beech in the first special service force. I don't know much about his time there as he does not like to talk about it. If anyone has any information on him and his time there that would be great.
He is still alive and well at 92 years of age and he still lives in Calgary. I read on another topic here that the reunion may be held here and that would be great as he cannot travel far.
This site is great i wish there was more info about these guys they derserve our outmost respect.

Hello Michelle, I have a photo of your grandfather and I sent you a PM .

Now that is just cool!!! And exactly what I hoped would happen with the site and the forum.

Hi there guys

Paul Dray here, guess someof you know me, but I'll itroduce myself anyweay...

I am not a relative of any Forcemen (though was raised by my step father John Ireland - Read that a Srgt Ireland was wounded on La Difensa)...I am from Edinburgh, Scotland, but now live in Engerland (have to admit I know)....

First began "re-enacting" with Scottish Highlander of the Wallace/Bruce era, moved onto Jacobean and after Braveheart left that "scene"...If ye have watched it and know yer history, you would understand

Having had an interest in 1940' and 1950's music from very early (indeed was a hepcat in my teen, when everyone was into duran duran ) and have been an avid wargamer for 20 odd years it was natural that I drifted into the WWII re-enacting scene here in the UK...

Why did I choose FSSF?...One day in late 2001 the other founder member of the group here in the UK phoned up with "found a badge with USA-CANADA" and as my grandmother had spent the last nigh on 30 years in Montreal it drew my attention...

Well, after some research, trawling the internet and finally contacting John Dallimore from Ontario we decided on drawing up a constitution and formally creating the FSSF LHG UK with openning a Treasurers Account and attending living history events here in the UK...

Well, without going into boring details suffice to say I have travelled far and wide Force related, met lot's of fabulous people..Climbed La Difensa with J Dallimore, Kyle McNally (who's dad is from Edinburgh!!) and Angelo Andreoli...Have been back there a few times with this year all the UK members and Canadian John Fortin as well as Sam Magee...I'll try and get a report done and post here...

Hopefully I'll be posting some photos and links to the things we do here in the UK and with our friends in France and Italy...

Hope to see you gyus this Reunion!

Welcome Paul! It's good to see you here. I have made a Living History topic in the Forum and I think that will be a perfect place for all the FSSF LHG's to be and share experiences. I hope you enjoy the forum and take the time to share your experiences with us all.

Hello everyone,
My grandfather, Noel Hansen, passed away in February in Saint John, New Brunswick. Growing up I always knew he did some training in Montana, however it wasn't until after his death that I became aware that he was part of the FSSF. I am coming to understand that he instructed paratroopers. I have some pins (arrows) and patches (not the arrowhead one) of his and showed it to a knowledgeable collector and historian who confirmed that is was of the FSSF.
I would love to find out any information about his role in the FSSF. I will post pictures that I have, so that maybe someone can help me find out more about this part of my grandfathers life.
Thanks,
Audrey Sanojca

Marocma wrote:Hello everyone,
My grandfather, Noel Hansen, passed away in February in Saint John, New Brunswick. Growing up I always knew he did some training in Montana, however it wasn't until after his death that I became aware that he was part of the FSSF. I am coming to understand that he instructed paratroopers. I have some pins (arrows) and patches (not the arrowhead one) of his and showed it to a knowledgeable collector and historian who confirmed that is was of the FSSF.
I would love to find out any information about his role in the FSSF. I will post pictures that I have, so that maybe someone can help me find out more about this part of my grandfathers life.
Thanks,
Audrey Sanojca

Hello,...I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your grandfather. I checked the roster in the back of Burhan's book and it looks as if your grandfather was in the 1-2 ( 1st Company, 2nd Regiment) while he served with the FSSF. I would be very interested in seeing the photographs of the patches and insignia that you mentioned.