Devil's Brigade Honored

US-Canadian fighting group saluted in Congress

   MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -- A joint U.S.-Canadian military outfit that trained in
Montana to fight the Germans has been honored this week in Congress.
   U.S. senators passed a resolution recognizing members of the Devil's Brigade,
which set the path for today's Green Berets and the Navy SEALs.
   The Missoulian reports that the brigade was organized and trained at Fort
Harrison in Helena in 1942 and saw combat in Italy in 1943.
   U.S. Sen. Max Baucus says the men -- organized in three, 600-man regiments,
a service battalion and a small air detachment -- accomplished feats of bravery
on Nazi-occupied soil.
   The group didn't last long.
   Once 1,800 strong, the outfit was reduced to just 500 men. It was disbanded
in 1944 when commando-style units were deemed unnecessary to the war effort.
   AP-WF-10-06-12 1727GMT