Fred Whitley. Photo taken in WWII France

Fred was in WWII and served inThe First Special Service Force(FSSF) as well as the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate) The 474th regiment included members of Ranger Battalions the 99th Infantry Battalion(Separate)the Viking Battalion and the 552nd Anti-Tank Company. The 99th was made up of select men of Norwegian descent. These soldiers were the first 'Special Forces' of the US ARMY. Task Force A - US Army, Norway 1945

The 99th Battalion was the only Norwegian American Battalion in WWII, formed of Norwegians living in America and Norwegian Americans from across the country. It was activated at Camp Ripley in 1942, and went on to train at Ft Snelling before their move to the Mountain and Winter Warfare Center at Camp Hale Colorado. The FSSF, the 99Th and the 474Th fought in Europe and were the Guard of Honor for the Royal Family on their return to Oslo in 1945.
The 99th was part of the special forces of the US Army in WW II in Norway for four and one half months after the German surrender were attached to and part of the 474th Infantry Regiment(Separate). The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Mission to Norway under the command of General Sir Augustus Francis Andrew Nicol THORNE, K.C.B., C.M.G., and D.S.O. The 474th was made up by soldiers from the 99th Inf. Bn. (Sep.), the First Special Service Force (FSSF), the First, Third and Forth Ranger Battalions plus the 552nd Anti-Tank Company.

All of these units making up the 474th noted for their extraordinary achievements in many of the battles of WW II. The 474th’s three battalions were the 1st Battalion from the first Special Service Force, ( FSSF), 2nd Battalion from the 1st, 3rd, & 4th Ranger battalions and finally the 99th Infantry Battalion

Fred J Whitley