Brazilian Expeditionary Force

Brazilian Expeditionary Force
Força Expedicionária Brasileira
Brazilian Expeditionary Force shoulder sleeve insignia (Army component)
Active	1943–45
Country	Brazil
Branch	Brazilian Army Brazilian Air Force
Type	Expeditionary force
Size	25,700
Nickname(s)	Cobras Fumantes (Smoking Snakes)
Patron	The Duke of Caxias
Engagements	World War II European theatre of World War II Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II Italian Campaign Gothic Line Battle of Monte Castello Battle of Castelnuovo Spring 1945 offensive in Italy Battle of Collecchio Battle of Montese
Commanders
Notable commanders	Mascarenhas de Moraes

World War II

The Brazilian Expeditionary Force or BEF (Portuguese: Força Expedicionária Brasileira; FEB) consisted of about 25,700 men arranged by the army and air force to fight alongside the Allied forces in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II. This air–land force consisted of (replacements included): a complete Infantry Division, a Liaison flight, and a Fighter squadron.

It fought in Italy from September 1944 to May 1945, while the Brazilian Navy as well as the Air Force also acted in the Battle of the Atlantic from the middle of 1942 until the end of the war. During almost eight months of its campaign, fighting at Gothic Line and in the 1945 final offensive, the BEF managed to take 20,573 Axis prisoners, consisting of two generals, 892 officers, and 19,679 other ranks. Brazil was the only independent South American country to send ground troops to fight overseas, losing 948 men killed in action across all three services during the Second World War.