First Special Service Force 3 Inch Bronze Medal

The First Special Service Force 1.5” Bronze Medal is a miniature replica of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded at the U.S. Capitol Building on February 3, 2015, for its members’ extraordinary efforts during World War II.

The obverse (heads) highlights the mountaineering, silent landings, and waterway training abilities of the First Special Service Force. The design incorporates the group’s spearhead patch, representing the unique partnership between the United States and Canada. The inscription is “FIRST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE.”

The reverse (tails) features the First Special Service Force’s insignia, with crossed arrows at the bottom of the design, and a banner in the eagle’s beak that reads “USA” and “CANADA.” The medal is inscribed with the names of its five campaigns, “ACT OF CONGRESS” and “2013.”

The First Special Service Force was a highly-trained group of volunteers from the United States and Canada that was activated in July 1942. Its mission was to target military and industrial installations that supported the German war effort. It was the only joint American-Canadian unit formed during World War II.

Following rigorous training in hazardous, arctic conditions, the elite joint force was deployed to Italy in October 1943, where its members engaged in combat in high altitudes, rugged terrain, and severe weather.

The force was instrumental in repelling the advance of Nazi Germany and liberating numerous communities in France and Italy. After the Allies secured the Franco-Italian border, the unit was disbanded December 5, 1944.