No one was sure of the overseas destination of the Special Mountain Warfare Training Detachment, but everyone was convinced that whatever it was, the assignment was a prize one. It was a boisterous group of 5 Officers and 15 EM (Enlisted Men) who left Camp Hale, Colorado on December 15, 1943 by train enroute for Miami, Florida and points east. Part of them, all with previous experience in teaching mountain and winter warfare technique, had just returned from the "dry run" invasion of Kiska, sure that anywhere else on the globe was preferable to that land of wind, mist and mud, while the rest of the men and Officers had been on duty in the West Virginia Maneuver Area teaching rock climbing to four divisions and later, in Pine Camp, N.Y. giving winter training to the 5th. armored Division.

The detachment flew out of Miami in three separate planes just before Christmas, flying the southern route, and had a reunion in Dakar, French West Africa, where they had their first whift of the east in Rufisque and where, in lieu of reveille, black boys paraded through the barracks spraying insect repellent in the faces of protesting sleepers. There, despite a 2A priority, the group stayed for a week, while USO personnel and others on lesser priorities passed through. Anxious to reach the assignment, the personnel began to hitch rides on passing bombers to Marrekech and Port Leauty. After another delay, in Algiers where it was learned that the destination had been changed from the Middle East Mountain School (Br.) at Lebanon to the Snow Warfare School CMF at Sepino, Italy, Lt.-Col J.M. Scott, R.A. commanding, the detachment flew to Naples. Blown up bridges and bombed roads made the trip to Sepino a 12 hour affair and the detachment reported for duty at 0100 January 19th, and arrival that by reason of song and whiskey will not easily be forgotten by either British or Americans. Training duty began the next day, with the members of the detachment at first acting as observers, then exercising a positive influence on the program and teaching methods of the school.

Since then, the Detachment has trained men from virtually every unit in the 5th. and 8th. Armies, sometimes in rear areas, at other times just behind the front lines. Officers and men have lead mountain patrols and conducted reconnaissances into enemy held territory. Officers have lead mule trains of American supplies by mule to the front.

Training has covered every phase of mountain movement. After the snow left Sepino in March, 1944, troops were taught rock climbing, mountain walking and route-finding, mule packing and the movement of heavy equipment by means of rope traverses and bridges, fixed ropes and pulleys. Small "circuses" consisting of officers and men were sent to 28 separate units before mid-August giving demonstrations of mountain equipment and mountain warfare techniques to large units, and training special mountain teams in the fundamentals of rock climbing, mountain movement and rope techniques. Thereafter, individuals were sent to five more units, British and American.

The detachment had been sent overseas on a 3 month TD basis at the request of a British mission to the War Department headed by Brigadier Barclay. This TD status was twice renewed at the request of Lt.-Col. Scott until August, 1944 when the detachment was sent to the 7th. Replacement Depot for shipment to the United States. The movement order was countermanded by AP(?)HQ and the detachment rejoined the British School, now known as the Mountain School, at Terminillo, 65 miles out of Rome.

At Terminillo, with ski lift and abundant snow from November to March, troops from American Divisions as well as from the Lovat Scouts, Highland Light Infantry, Special Service Troops, Long Range Desert Group, Popsky's Private Army (British) and OSS (American) were taught route-finding, map reading in the mountains, rock, snow, and ice climbing, winter bivouacking and skiing. The normal training period of one month for specialized troops produced skilled Army skiers able to negotiate mountain terrain with winter equipment.

The detachment has had a number of commendations. Major Link, Lt. Clement, and Sgt. Duke were commended by the 5th. Army Quartermaster for teaching the proper use of mountain and winter equipment to more than 20,000 troops in II and IV Corps. Lts. Burton and Clement, along with TSgts. Metzger and Sorensen, and Sgt. Schmidtke were commended for leading mountain patrols on Monte della Maiella, near Pescara, for the Household Cavalry Regiment (British).

Written documents issued by the Detachment include a report by Major Link and Lt. Clement on French Corps mountain tactics; reports on Mountain patrolling and the polish Corps snow tactics by Lt. Burton; the rock climbing section of a handbook on Mountain Mobility issued by The Mountain School; and a textbook for Instructors on Rock Climbing by Sgt. Corbett.