. The proposed bill is the latest among a string of measures targeting trans youth. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. Europe, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility. It would be in combat 12 days later. Throughout the movie, he wears the Vietnam-era, mustard yellow, "subdued" shoulder sleeve insignia worn by 173rd paratroopers on their jungle fatigues during the Vietnam War. [47] In August of that year, the brigade received its distinctive unit insignia. [68], After widely publicized reports by battalion commander Lt. Col. Anthony Herbert, investigators confirmed that military interrogators of the 173rd Airborne Brigade "repeatedly beat prisoners, tortured them with electric shocks and forced water down their throats". [5] It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's VCorps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The attached Assault Helicopter Company, the 335th AHC, the "Cowboys", deployed with the brigade all over Vietnam into mid-1968 and comprised the Airmobile capability along with the Caspers. Jesus, they were all over the place, one paratrooper recalled. A former Army private who pleaded guilty last year to plotting to murder members of his own unit with help from satanic neo-Nazis was sentenced today to 45 years in prison, the Justice Department announced. [78] They jumped from aircraft of the 62nd Airlift Wing, 446th Airlift Wing, 437th Airlift Wing and the 315th Airlift Wing ( this included the 728th Airlift Squadron), along with a Tactical Air Control Party of USAF Airmen from the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron[90] and the 786th Security Forces Squadron. Training also included securing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and treating and evacuating casualties. Her awards include a 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Washington Dateline Award and an Honorable Mention from the Military Reporters and Editors Association for her coverage of crime at Fort Hood. 173RD Airborne Brigade Sergeant Major CSM Christopher D. Clapin CSM Christopher D. Clapin entered active duty service on 7 January, 1998. The plot was thwarted in 2020 by the U.S. Army and the FBI, prosecutors said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. [102] The 173rd IBCT(A) officially relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division on 6 June 2007.[102]. "Melzer allegedly attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his own unit by unlawfully revealing its location, strength, and armaments to a neo-Nazi, anarchist, white supremacist group, then-Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time, Audrey Strauss, said in a statement at the time. Supporting the Veterans, Soldiers and Friends of the 4th Infantry Division Since 1919. 16 December 1967. The Army did not immediately respond Friday to comment about when Melzer was discharged from the service. Brigade members received over 7,700 decorations, including more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. If the allegations are true in the Dominion filing, "this is precisely what Murdoch provided to the Trump campaign," he said. [5] The 173rd incurred 1,533 deaths and around 6,000 wounded. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. [95] The unit then took part in Operation Peninsula Strike, quelling Ba'ath party resistance and other insurgent groups. [6] Controlling the oil fields had been a specific operational goal of the Task Force[85] because they were viewed as the most valuable strategic asset in northern Iraq. The most prominent of these is the 2006 single released by the country music duo Big & Rich, entitled "8th of November". Four days later, A, B, C and D companies of the 4th Bn., 503rd Inf., fought the NVA for four hours in the Ngok Kam Leat chain of hills and adjacent Hill 823, losing 16 KIA and 37 WIA. A progressive PAC that advocates for campaign reform has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission arguing that Fox Corporation head Rupert Murdoch broke the law when he shared Joe Biden's campaign ads scheduled to air on Fox with Donald Trump's son-in-law and then White House adviser Jared Kushner, the group reported Friday. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. Online. The 8th of November is a significant date in our Brigade's history as the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment repelled an ambush of 1,200 Viet Cong and continued their mission throughout the Battle of Dak To despite their losses. [84] As the preparations for the brigade were in their final stages, it moved 10 trains and 300 trucks worth of equipment to the air base, as well as 120 busloads of soldiers. The brigade returned to its home station in Europe in November 2010. Official websites use .gov Company commanders pulled their troops back and called for more firepower. no news. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBIs Legal Attach Office in Rome; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Justin Hebert was killed on Aug. 1. Thus began the Battle of Dak To.. Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade. According to the latest filing in the case citing Murdoch's sworn deposition, the Fox boss admitted that he provided a preview of the ads to Kushner before they became public. Melzer was listed Friday as an inmate at Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn in New York, according to the Bureau of Prisons. [22] Consistent with regimental combat teams activated before them, these separate brigades were given their own shoulder sleeve insignia. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The fighting was intense and lasted into the fall, when the North Vietnamese seemingly withdrew. The 1-508th (minus Company B) conducted combat operations in eastern Afghanistan, attached to 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. [5], After Vietnam, the Army retained the 173rd Airborne Brigade as a quick deploying contingency brigade. On 23 November, 2-503 and 4-503 were ordered to renew their assault while the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry assaulted 875 from the south. The 173rd was also assigned Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry. The unit was supposed to guard an isolated, sensitive military base. Following his time in service . Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team . "An arrest affidavit says that when officers tried to seize the iPad, people sitting at the table with her started passing around the tablet. In command for five months, I had been assured that I would be leading the company for one year, which suited me fine. Within a week these units began to fall apart due to desertions. [76] However, this plan fell through when the government of Turkey would not allow offensive operations to be conducted from its soil, and the entire 4th Infantry Division was left stuck on ships in the Mediterranean for the opening of the operation. A former U.S. Army private was sentenced on Friday to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to charges that he had shared sensitive information . [citation needed]. In January 1966 they launched Operation Marauder, the first U.S. military operation in the Plain of Reeds. ", In messages to O9A, Melzer wrote, [y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this" -- in regards to the sensitive information he was sharing. The Order of the Nine Angles, a U.K.-based anarchist operation that espouses antisemitic and satanic beliefs, is known for encouraging its membership to infiltrate the military, among other organizations, with the goal of dismantling from within, according to court documents. [citation needed], In July 2012, the 173rd IBCT(A) once again deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Bayonet to relieve the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Task Force Bulldog in the Logar and Wardak Provinces. I would've died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark," authorities said. Nine soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. Melzers proposed attack evolved as he gathered and distributed additional sensitive information about the deployment. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. [115], In 2017, some 600 personnel (1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment) were deployed to the Baltic countries to be positioned in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia for six weeks to coincide with the duration of the joint Russian/Belarusian strategic Zapad 2017 exercise that began 14 September 2017.[116][117][118]. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. We were ambushed by the NVA a short distance from where we landed. Besides Melzer and O9A, the Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen whose leader was arrested for plotting to attack Baltimores energy grid and other groups have tried to recruit active-duty and veteran service members or have their own members join the military for training. He was awarded the Medal of Honor nearly 60 years after he was nominated. The group is a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist organization. You slept with corpses. However, in the long run the operation appeared no more successful than Fairfax's efforts to clean up Gia Dinh Province around Saigon prior to the Tet Offensive. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. According to the PAC, the maximum penalty for such a "prohibited corporate contribution" is five years in prison and fines of 200% of the value of the contribution. An estimated 2 enemy battalions, the VC 85th Main Force and the PAVN 95th Regiment, were rendered ineffective as they had 297 killed, with D/16 Armor receiving credit for killing 218. Although its roughly 4,000 soldiers . Mariah Y. Gonzalez). First Military Choice. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. Seven soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. The next day, American forces advanced to Kirkuk during Operation Option North, hoping to control oil fields and military airfields in and around the city. Melzer also wrote that he was expecting results and was willing to die to further the agenda of the Order of the Nine Angles. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Melzer and his co-conspirators used this information to plan what they referred to as a jihadi attack with the objective of causing a mass casualty event victimizing his fellow service members. "Operational Report Lessons Learned (1 May 1969 31 July 1969)." [5] During its service, the brigade was involved in what later became known as the "Hood Event", arresting Turkish special forces soldiers, believing them to be plotting attacks against local civilian officials in northern Iraq. The soldiers chose to have it contain a parachute and dagger to symbolize their participation in Operation Junction City and the other heavy fighting they had been through. An ex-soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and illegally transmitting national defense information, the Department of Justice announced Friday. 501FSC, 173rd Abn Bde. [48], On 20 June, Company C, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry (C/2-503) discovered the bodies of a Special Forces CIDG unit that had been missing for four days on Hill 1338, the dominant hill mass south of Dak To. In May 2020, the Army told Melzer he would be assigned to another unit slated for deployment where they would be guarding a military base. Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a Department of Justice release on the sentencing. [3][18] After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was posted at Birmingham, Alabama from 1947 until 1951. [74] The unit finally reached "initial operating capability" on 14 March 2003, with all units ready for deployment. [82] A few days later, the 173rd and 10th Special Forces Group departed for northern Iraq. The author visited Afghanistan's Korengal Valley five times in 2007 and 2008 as a reporter embedded with part of the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade as it attempted to thwart the Taliban in . Melzer secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. Afghan War veteran Sgt Ryan Pitts, also of the 503rd, received the Medal of Honor later that year. . A class of prime youth shredded in seconds. Market data provided by Factset. Army paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct a combined arms exercise in Germany. On Nov. 7- 8, A and D companies of the 3rd Bn., 8th Inf., fought NVA units east of Hill 830, losing 21 KIA and 81 WIA in close combat. U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct an ambush on Cypriot troops during a force-on-force squad-level blank fire training exercise in Larnaca, Cyprus, Feb. 16, 2023, as part of Exercise Silver Falcon 23. Under the direction of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 1/50th formed this special collection of hand picked volunteers. Read the full press release at the DOJ's website. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. One thing that we took a great deal of pride in was that every wounded soldier, many in very, very serious condition, reached the 71st Evac Hospital at Pleiku alive.. The 173rd Airborne Brigade United States Army Beanie Hat Winter Knitted Caps Unisex Warm Hat,Skull Cap Slouchy Beanies. [111] Also in mid-2013, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (ABN) moved from Schweinfurt, Germany to Grafenwoehr, Germany. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. 1st Cavalry Division units1st Bn., 12th Cav Regt., and 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalryalso played a part in the campaign. Those of us fortunate enough to be there will. On the afternoon of 21 November, both battalions moved out to take the crest. until 0400 est. The plan eliminated regiments but reintroduced brigades to the Army's structure, allowing three brigades to a division. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect.. (U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo) By Paolo Bovo, Training Support Activity Europe Vicenza, Italy Jun 25, 2021. By unlawfully disclosing his unit's location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers . But they certainly did no more than the many other non-elites did, like 4th Division grunts, the artillery and others.. Interrogators also employed a technique called the "water rag", which involved pouring water onto a rag covering the captive's nose and mouth, which creates the sensatation of drowning and can lead to death by asphyxiation. Task Force Gun Devil included Headquarters and Service Battery, 3-319th (including two provisional maneuver platoons); Company D, 2504th; Company B, 1508th; Company A, 1-325th; a military police platoon (4th PLT 13th MP Co.); a rotating Romanian mechanized infantry battalion; a Canadian dismounted infantry company (3rd Bn Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry); and an Afghan National Army company advised by French special forces. If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please A former Army paratrooper was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday for plotting with a violent extremist group to ambush and kill members of his own Italy-based unit, federal law enforcement officials said. On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. Last year a former member of an Air Force security team was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a police officer in the name of sparking a second civil war. At that time, he consumed propaganda from several extremist groups. By unlawfully disclosing his units location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect.. [114] This program was known as Fearless Guardian which was congressionally approved under the Global Contingency Security Fund. They were ambushed by approximately 1,200 VC fighters, suffering 48 deaths. Alpha Company managed to survive repeated attacks throughout the day and night, but the cost was heavy. He then eliminated nine enemy soldiers who were assaulting his position. [82] The brigade would take off from Aviano Air Base in Italy, a 4.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}12-hour flight from northern Iraq. [24] Immediately after its transformation, the brigade began intensive training in both Germany and Italy to prepare itself for future deployments. The following day was spent in launching airstrikes and a heavy artillery bombardment against the hilltop, totally denuding it of cover. [5] The infantry battalions and the brigade headquarters remained in Vicenza, Italy through the transition. Melzer was convicted of attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. Soldiers accidentally entered and secured a sunflower oil factory next to the airfield while it was operating. One hit outside the perimeter, killing 25 NVA troops. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam Tim Page/Corbis Expand Favorite Artist Tim Page British, 1944-2022 Titles Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam Date 1965, printed 2004 Place Vietnam Medium Silver dye bleach print Dimensions Image: 18 3/8 12 3/8 in. In the process the American officers tried to increase pressure on local enemy forces through intensive patrolling and to encourage ARVN battalion, company, and platoon-level leadership through longer, more decentralized operations. [123][124][122][120][121][119][125] He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A gavel rests on the judges bench in the courtroom of the 39th Air Base Wing legal office at Nov. 14, 2019, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. In November 2017, 2-503rd Infantry Regiment (The Rock) traveled in US Air Force C-130s to Belgrade, Serbia to conduct training with the Serbian Airborne Forces where they conducted two combined jumps at drop zones near Belgrade. One of the few combat operations that brigade conducted during this time was an amphibious assault against PAVN/VC forces as part of an operation to clear the rice-growing lowlands along the Bong Son littoral. The brigade was dispersed throughout the east of the country, with units operating in Kunar, Paktika, and Laghman Provinces. National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. A transphobic parent could kidnap their trans child in violation of custody agreements and abscond to Florida and be protected by Florida law under this despite likely committing felony kidnapping in their home state, Caraballo said. [41] Soldiers of the brigade became involved in Operation Attleboro in fall of 1966, an operation that started out as a small search and destroy mission north of Saigon, but eventually involved 22,000 troops from 21 battalions. The LRS detachment and 5th Group ODA conducted many combined and individual operations to ensure the stability of the region. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers. Despite reportedly higher enemy body counts, Maj. Gen. William B. Rosson, earlier commander of Task Force Oregon, estimated 1,000 NVA were killed. The 23rd and 26th Mike Force companies (indigenous outfits led by Green Berets) were engaged as well. B Company counted 21 KIA and 17 WIA after the firefight. Private Olive's body absorbed the full, deadly blast of the grenade and he died saving his comrades. "Melzer joined the U.S. Army in approximately 2018 and infiltrated its ranks as part of an insight role to further his goals as an O9A adherent," the DOJ said. Melzer, who also went by the name Etil Reggad, enlisted in the Army in 2018 as part of an insight role to further his goals as part of the terrorist organization, according to the Justice Department. Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade pauses to remember the loss of 48 Paratroopers during Operation Hump in Vietnam, on this day 52 years ago. Soldier Admits Plotting with Neo-Nazi Cult to Kill Fellow Troops", "U.S. The unit did this to cover some of the spaces in Southern Europe that have opened up with the withdraw of other American forces from the area. Todays sentence holds Mr. Melzer accountable for an egregious and shameful act of betrayal against his own military unit and his country, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. Carlos Lozada, after receiving orders to retreat back up the hill, provided covering fire, at times walking backward up the hill spraying M-60 machine-gun fire into the brush on either side of the trail. US Army soldier gets 45 years for neo-Nazi plot to ambush his own paratrooper unit . [5][12][13], The 173rd Infantry Brigade was constituted on 5 August 1917 as an infantry brigade and organized on 25 August at Camp Pike, Arkansas,[14] as an element of the 87th Division[15] along with the 174th Infantry Brigade. [132], Numerous servicemen from the 173rd, mostly from the Vietnam era, gained notability after their military careers ended. So heavy, in fact, that the NVAs 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments were unable to participate in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. (47.9 32.5 cm) This move was called the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) plan. Ethan Melzer, 24, of Kentucky, pleaded guilty last year to attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. [23] The soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade created a patch with a wing on it to symbolize their status as an airborne unit, along with red, white, and blue, the national colors of the United States. was inserted into a landing zone on Hill 823 and wound up losing 20 KIA, 154 WIA and two MIA. Legal Statement. Video shows Peters yell at and struggle with the officers who detained her." BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. [112], In February 2015, 750 soldiers from the brigade and from units of the Hungarian Armed Forces, namely 24th Bornemissza Gergely Reconnaissance Battalion, 34th Bercsnyi Lszl Special Operations Battalion, and the 25/88th Light Mixed Battalion participated in the exercise "Warlord Rock 2015". Name: walter d. {whity} elmore Email: maryaelmore@yhoo.com B1: Submit Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2009 Time: 09:10:34 PM News. Short Range Ambush Platoon 1968 - 1969. In approximately early May 2020, the Army informed Melzer that he would be reassigned to a unit scheduled for a further foreign deployment, where the unit would be guarding an isolated and sensitive military installation (the Military Base). There is something gut-wrenching about severely wounded men that I will never forget, recalled Earle Jackson, a 173rd medic who served on Hill 875. In September 2014, about 200 soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Regiment, 173rd BDE participated in the Rapid Trident exercise near Lviv in western Ukraine. [3] . Prosecutors said Eric Melzer, 24, of Kentucky, gave information about the location and layout of a U.S. military installation overseas to the anti-government group Order of Nine Angles. We were surrounded, and we were firing in all directions.. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets Watters. Lozada stayed behind and poured deadly machine-gun fire on an advancing NVA force, allowing his company to safely withdraw. [40], The attached helicopter unit became the Casper Aviation Platoon, befitting a separate infantry brigade as the only separate aviation platoon deployed in Vietnam. Americans serving their country overseas should never have to fear a terrorist attack from within their own ranks, and todays sentence holds him accountable for his deadly plan to attack the brave men and women of the armed forces who protect our nation.. ; and the attached 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav Regt. 12 June 2005. Melzer is a 22-year-old infantryman assigned to the 173rd Airborne's 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, in Vicenza, Italy, 173rd spokesman Maj. Chris Bradley told Military.com. 12/24/2003. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The New York Times. He and others then passed these messages to a purported member of al-Qaida, according to the Justice Department. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. During the battle, Father Watters had ventured outside the perimeter at least five times, carrying wounded troops back to the aid station. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. In April 1967, I was a first lieutenant commanding a rifle company in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. Supported by A/2-503, the Americans moved up the hill and set up for the night. Given the province and its three major districts saw a massive influx of both foreign and domestic fighters due to the relatively calm winter prior to the brigade's arrival, its company-sized and platoon-sized elements found themselves in combat against anti-Coalition forces almost daily from the start of March 2010 until its relief.