Force Service Batt. Intro

The FSSF though an elite fighting unit, possessed it’s own service battalion, which “was an experiment of sorts. It was created to relieve the Combat Echelon of any non-combat duties that might detract from it’s training or operations. The Service Battalion was divided into three companies. The headquarters company included the Force headquarters, clerks, air detachment, communications detachment, and a military police platoon. The maintenance company performed all vehicle and weapons maintenance. The service company provided cooks, bakers, riggers, barbers, supply sergeants, and porters to support the Force. Finally, the medical detachment, headed by the Force’s surgeon, provided medics and operated the unit aid stations. Frederick appeared to be satisfied with this initial organization of the FSSF into discrete combat and service echelons. The unit retained this basic form throughout it’s history.
The offical U.S Army history of WWII states that the FSSF was authorized 1,190 trucks and cars and 600 T-24 Waesels. It did not however, receive vehicles in such numbers. For instance, only a small number of Weasels, and these on a temporary basis. Throughout it’s operation in Italy, The Force periodically scrounged it’s needed transport” (And “borrowed” some I am told)…