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When the 1968 war film the Devil’s Brigade was being produced, the Utah National Guard played a crucial role in bringing the story to life. Based on the true exploits of the First Special Service Force—a joint American-Canadian commando unit during World War II—the movie was filmed largely in Utah, with significant support from the Utah National Guard.

The Utah National Guard provided equipment, personnel, and logistical support during the production. Soldiers helped portray military extras in the film, adding realism to combat scenes and military operations. Their expertise ensured the accuracy of military tactics and formations depicted on screen, enhancing the film’s authenticity.

More than 1000 members of the UTNG participated as extras and many of the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) portrayed the soldiers of the Devils Brigade. Major General Maurice L. Watts, the Utah National Guard Adjutant General, said “Our Special Forces Guardsmen won’t have to act. They’re well trained in unconventional warfare and guerrilla tactics.” Additionally, many German troops were played by members of the 142nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Linguist).

On May 18, 1968, to celebrate the premiere of the film, a grand parade and convention were held. More than 2,400 members of the UTNG, along with tanks and cannons, marched through downtown Salt Lake City. The day concluded with the premiere showing at the Lyric Theater where the films stars, military and civic leaders, and Utah Guardsmen watched their efforts on the big screen.

Additionally, the Guard supplied vehicles, uniforms, and even access to training grounds and terrain that closely resembled European battlefields. Camp Williams was one of the key locations used during filming along with some scenes shot in the Lehi Armory.

Ther contributions of the UTNG helped the Devil’s Brigade become a memorable war film and a respectful tribute to the elite unit it portrayed. The collaboration showcased the Guard's versatility—not just in defense and emergency response, but also in preserving and promoting military history through film.

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Brief History of the Utah National Guard

The Utah National Guard draws its heritage from a militia called the Nauvoo Legion. The Nauvoo Legion was organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois, under a special charter granted by Illinois legislature in 1840. The charter was annulled by the Illinois government in 1845, allowing mobs to drive the members of the church from the state. The so-called “Mormons” requested aid from the government as they prepared to trek west in search of a new home. Their request came only eight days after Congress declared war on Mexico. President James K. Polk agreed to send aid if the Mormons could provide volunteers for the Mexican-American War.

In response, more than 500 men volunteered to fight in the Mexican American War, many of whom were from the Nauvoo Legion. These volunteers became known as the Mormon Battalion, and they were the only religion-based unit in United States military history. They were led by Mormon company officers commanded by regular U.S. Army officers.

Many veterans of the Mormon Battalion would go on to be leaders in Utah’s first militia, organized in 1852 by the Provisional State of Deseret and the Territory of Utah law. True to their heritage, they called themselves the Nauvoo Legion. The Nauvoo Legion faced off with the United States government in what was called the Utah War of 1857-58. With a total force of approximately 6,000 members, several units of the northern Utah force were mobilized to stop the entry of Albert Sidney Johnston's army into Utah. The Army had been sent by President James Buchanan to quell what in the East had been described as a rebellion of the Utah people against the government. The Nauvoo Legion held Johnston's forces at bay near Fort Bridger, Wyoming until an agreement was reached for the Army to pass through Salt Lake City and establish a post at Camp Floyd, Utah about 40 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. Two cavalry units of the Nauvoo Legion were given federal duty during the Civil War in 1862 to guard the mail and freight routes from Independence Rock, Wyoming to Salt Lake City.

In 1857, members of the Nauvoo Legion participated in the murder of 120 immigrants of the Baker-Fancher Party that was moving through Utah to California. This tragic event became known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The Nauvoo Legion was disbanded by the Edmunds-Tucker Act in 1887. For the next seven years, the defense of the Territory fell to small groups of local militias. The Legion also saw service in several conflicts with local Native American tribes, including the Black Hawk War of 1865-72 and the Walker War of 1853.

The Utah National Guard was officially organized on March 26, 1894, in Salt Lake City, Utah, when the first two companies of infantry and the first battery of artillery were formed. Shortly after in April 1894, the Utah National Guard saw its first state service, aiding state and local law enforcement in controlling Kelley’s Industrial Army as it transited through Utah. In 1898, almost 800 Utahns, most of them Guard members, volunteered for service in the Philippines during the Spanish American War and saw extensive combat in campaigns around Manila.

Trouble along the Mexican border caused President Woodrow Wilson to activate the National Guard in 1916, sending artillery, cavalry, and hospital corps to patrol the border. Some of these troops were still in federal service when Congress declared war on Germany, April 6, 1917. Nearly 1,400 Utah Guard members were involved in World War I with many members seeing action embedded with active-duty Army units.

During the interwar years, the Jordan Narrows was developed into a permanent training area. On April 25, 1928, by executive order from the Governor of Utah, Jordan Narrows was designated as Camp W.G. Williams and underwent numerous Works Progress Administration building projects over the next 15 years, including the camps historic Officer’s Club.

Germany’s aggressive posture and expansion into Europe in the late 1930s made evident the U.S. was not equipped to handle the growing threat of war. The nation was still reeling from the terrible economic woes created by the Great Depression and the nation’s budget was tight. To meet the threat, Congress voted to increase the defense budget and in May of 1940, the President called the National Guard into federal service. Members of the Utah National Guard answered the call with more than 4000 enlisted men and 150 officers activated for service.

Many Utah Guard members were assigned to the 40th Division, which was a mixed Division consisting of Utah, California, and Nevada National Guardsmen. Their initial task was to complete a year of training at Camp San Luis Obispo in California, followed by service overseas.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, their mission changed to defending the west coast before moving to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands in late 1942. Soon after, Utah National Guard units would see combat in numerous Pacific islands including Guadalcanal, Panay and Negros, and Okinawa.

By 1943, approximately 2,600 Utah Guard members had seen action in World War II. The 204th Field Artillery Battalion fought in Europe with Patton's 3rd Army while the 115th Medical Regiment, 115th Ordinance Company, 115th Engineer Regiment, 145th, 213th, 222nd and 225th Field Artillery Battalions, 640th and 815th Tank Destroyer Battalions fought in the Pacific theater.

The Utah Air National Guard was founded on November 18, 1946, with the federal recognition of the 191st Fighter Squadron at Salt Lake City Municipal Airport. The Utah Air National Guard flew the F-51 Mustangs and later, the F-86 Sabre. The assigned mission of the Utah Air National Guard has changed three times since its inception and the Utah Air Guard has employed eight different aircraft throughout the years.

After five years of growing tension, war broke out in Korea in June 1950 when the North Korean People’s Army crossed the 38 th parallel and invaded South Korea. In response, President Harry S. Truman committed United States air, ground, and naval forces to the combined United Nations forces assisting the Republic of Korea in its defense.

Some 3,080 Guard members, representing all the Air Guard and 62 percent of the Army Guard, were activated over the course of the Korean War, from 1951 to 1953. On August 8, 1952, Utah Air National Guard’s Captain Clifford Jolley became the first Air National Guard “Ace” after shooting down his fifth MiG-15 over Korea.

The Utah Army National Guard’s 204th, 213 th , and 145th Field Artillery Battalions, 653d Field Artillery Observation Battalion, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 115th Engineer Combat Group, 115th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the Utah Air National Guard’s 191st Fighter Squadron, 191st Weather Station, 130th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, and 210th Tow Target Flight were called into service. Only three of these units, the 213th, 204th, and 145th fought in Korea while the rest filled a training and replacement missions. Notably, the 213th Field Artillery Battalion distinguished itself during the battle of Kapyong in May 1951, where they fought off a daring nighttime raid and captured more than 800 prisoners of war.

The Berlin crisis in 1961 saw 1,600 Guard members mobilized. Many filled state-side positions vacated by active-duty forces sent to Germany.

In 1965, the Utah National Guard was put on alert for mobilization to Vietnam. No Army Guard units were ever activated, but some Guard members volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Due to increased enlistments during this period, the Guard had a two-year waiting list, and only accepted recruits with prior military service. The Air Guard flew its first volunteer mission to Vietnam in December, taking Christmas gifts to soldiers. The Air Guard flew an additional 96 missions and 6,600 flight hours in Vietnam over the course of the war.

During the catastrophic Utah flooding in the spring of 1983, the Utah National Guard was activated and provided life and property saving support in 13 counties. More than 3,700 man-days and 200 flight hours were used for disaster relief. Utah Air Guard crews were among the first to volunteer for airlift support of the U.S. military buildup in Saudi Arabia after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Six Utah Army Guard units were activated for duty in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, including the 141st and 142nd Military Intelligence Battalions, 144th Evacuation Hospital, 625th Military Police Company, 115th Engineer Group, and 1457th Engineer Battalion. Air Guard units were not activated, but volunteer crews continued providing airlift and tanker support. By the end of the war, 1,706 Utah Guard members had participated either as volunteers or on Active Duty. In 1992, the Utah National Guard’s 23rd Army Band was one of the first U.S. military organizations to visit post-Soviet Russia, accepting an invitation to perform in St. Petersburg. They were invited into military installations no American soldier had ever visited before.

Shortly following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Utah National Guard was tasked with assisting in the security of the Salt Lake International Airport and aiding the FBI in translating incoming intelligence. Since 2001, more than 17,000 Utah Guard members have been activated and deployed for worldwide duty to include Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Joint Forge, and Operation New Dawn. The 2002 Winter Olympics brought approximately 2,400 athletes from over 80 countries and thousands of spectators to Utah. The mission of law enforcement augmentation fell to the Utah National Guard. Over 2,000 guard members from 24 states came to Salt Lake City to joined more than 2,500 Utah Guard members to provide security for the Games. At that time, more soldiers were deployed in support of the 2002 Winter Olympics than any other military operation in the world. In the fall of 2003, the Utah National Guard began its State Partnership Program with the Kingdom of Morrocco. A massive earthquake struck Morocco on February 24, 2004, and the Utah National Guard quickly assembled and delivered more than 3,500 hygiene kits to support impacted civilians.

The partnership recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and Utah-Morrocco continue to train and increase readiness through exercises such as African Lion and Maroc Mantlet.

In 2005 to 2006, the Utah National Guard supported relief efforts and disaster response to the gulf coast region for hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Additionally, the Utah National Guard also sheltered more than 600 displaced persons from New Orleans temporarily at Camp Williams.

In recent years, the Utah National Guard has supported domestic actions including missions aiding the U.S. Border Patrol at the South- west Border, providing security at our nation’s capital, frequent counter drug operations, wildland firefighting, and countless community support requests across the state.

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Oral History

History Highlight

Brief History of the Utah National Guard

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