THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THIS ANY MORE

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS 

 

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August 26, 2022

 

                

Eugene Gutierrez, Jr., left, and Charles Mann from Canada, right, received the Congressional Gold Medal in behalf of the members of the First Special Service Force, whose fearlessness and bravery contributed to the liberation of Europe and end to World War II during a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015

 

With a heavy heart, we learn the news that the legendary Eugene Gutierrez, a member of the Devil’s Brigade, an elite American Canadian commando unit in World War II, has died. He was 100.

Born on September 14, 1921, Eugene Gutierrez graduated in 1941 from Harlingen High School and enlisted straight into the United States Army, becoming the first Hispanic to be part of the First Special Service Forces.

Within a few months, Gutierrez and his unit, who trained in Montana, went on to become one of the deadliest commando units in World War II, Nicknamed the Devil’s Brigade for their aggressive tactics and practice of wearing black boot polish on their faces, the unit excelled during nighttime raids against the Germans Italian campaign.

We were trained for six months at the end of the training; we were due to go to Norway in the winter of 1942 to destroy the heavy water plant in Norway. Germany was taking heavy water for their atomic bomb experiments at that time,” Gutierrez said.

The FSSF was made up of 900 American and 900 Canadian volunteers who assembled in Helena, Mont., to answer the call for men of the highest physical prowess to fight in an unknown unit at an undisclosed location for an unspecified operation. The men were trained in commando tactics, including mountain climbing, skiing, demolition, amphibious training, and hand-to-hand combat, using the historic V42 knife for close-quarters fighting.

By the time the war ended, the brigade had captured more than 30,000 prisoners and received five U.S. campaign stars and eight Canadian battle honors.

After the war, Gutierrez returned to Texas, marrying his wife Penny in 1951; the two are still married after 66 years. Gutierrez went into teaching and retired as a school principal in 1990.

In 2004, Eugene Gutierrez made his first return to European battlefields with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, he was one of eight “Black Devils “to return to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Eugene Gutierrez is an American hero and outstanding citizen with a long history of commitment and an unyielding dedication to The Greatest Generations Foundation.

In recognition of his bravery, he received a congressional medal of honor for his service to our country as a soldier.

RIP Eugene Gutierrez.