Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana National Guard training facility
Fort William Henry Harrison is a military base near Helena, Montana. The facility includes functional buildings, parade grounds, and barracks designed for training and daily operations. Today it serves as the headquarters of the Montana National Guard and houses a VA Medical Center for veterans, along with Army Reserve and Navy Reserve units.
Congress authorized the base's establishment in 1892 as part of a plan to consolidate troops at fewer large locations. Soldiers arrived in 1895 and remained until 1913, after which the site served during World War II to train the legendary 1st Special Service Force, known as the Devil's Brigade, before later becoming the Montana National Guard headquarters.
The base is located west of Helena on Montana's Highway 12, making it easily accessible by car. Visitors should note that the small on-site museum is open only two days per week, so checking hours ahead of time is recommended.
During World War II, the base trained the 1st Special Service Force, a joint American and Canadian elite unit known as the Devil's Brigade, which later became immortalized in films and books. This secret force conducted special operations during the war and made the base a significant training site for unconventional warfare.
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