Melzer, who was a private assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, planned a jihadist attack on his Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent. 501FSC, 173rd Abn Bde. it would be another war . [37] Late in August 1966, the 173rd received another infantry battalion, the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. One of these was the 101st Airborne Division, which had also been redeployed to Fort Campbell. U.S. aircraft hit enemy positions as close as 50 meters to the perimeter as GIs dug in for an NVA night attack. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The 3rd Battalion, 503rd joined the brigade at Tuy Ha Province in September 1967 following the former's activation and training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. He used his membership in the military to pursue an appalling goal: the brutal murder of his fellow U.S. service members in a carefully plotted ambush. 4-503 suffered 28 killed 123 wounded, and four missing. [82] A few days later, the 173rd and 10th Special Forces Group departed for northern Iraq. The dust-offs started coming within 30 minutes. Afghan War veteran Sgt Ryan Pitts, also of the 503rd, received the Medal of Honor later that year. The following year, he deployed to Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. [76] The original plan was for the 173rd to be attached to the 4th Infantry Division as a flexible force of airborne troops to complement the heavy weapons of the division's three brigades. Russian Tank Gets Absolutely Shredded by Ukrainian Fire. A class of prime youth shredded in seconds. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th battalions of the 503rd Inf. The enormous amounts of ordnance expended by both forces had turned the once-lush tropical jungle into a scarred and torn landscape.. The 23rd and 26th Mike Force companies (indigenous outfits led by Green Berets) were engaged as well. Russian Column Reacts To Ukrainian Ambush. "[119][120][121] He was charged in June 2020 with conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, and providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. For example, Melzer also promised to leak more information once he arrived at the Military Base including real-time photographs of the facility and the frequency and channel of U.S. Army radio communications in order to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit or on a replacement unit deployed to the Military Base. Melzer, who is from Louisville, Ky., joined the Army in 2018. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. As part of this intensive training, Melzer learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. C and D companies soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction. Prosecutors said Melzer was involved with the group starting in 2017 and joined the U.S. Army the next year specifically to help O9A "infiltrate its ranks," according to a Justice Department statement Friday. [143] On 13 May 2014, former 503rd Infantry Regiment Sergeant Kyle White received the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony. "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. [82] This force was assisted by Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and tasked with attacking key airfield and oil production positions deep in northern Iraq. Melzer also wrote that he was expecting results and was willing to die to further the agenda of the Order of the Nine Angles. The 173rds rifle companies sustained some 90% of the units casualties. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. Consequently, the HHC 173rd Infantry Brigade was designated as the 87th Reconnaissance Troop in February 1942 and activated on 15 December 1942. 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. On the afternoon of 21 November, both battalions moved out to take the crest. If you served in 173rd Airborne Brigade, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. [7], In August 2016 the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment became part of the brigade under the Army's Associated Unit Pilot Program. Official websites use .gov 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. The participating US units brought substantial air, artillery, engineer, and other support to the combined endeavor from their parent units, and American and Vietnamese commanders generally colocated command posts, shared a common area of operation, and planned and carried out operations together. [34] During more than six years of continuous combat, the brigade earned 14 campaign streamers and four unit citations, the Presidential Unit Citation, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and a Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal. Find 173rd Airborne Brigade unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. The goal of the activity was to exercise the combat, combat support and combat service units of both armies and to achieve a higher cooperation level in airborne operations planning, organization and management tasks. All Rights Reserved. Regt ., and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. [121], In May 2021, as part of the NATO training exercise Swift Response 2021, soldiers of the brigade were simulating seizing and securing the decommissioned Cheshnegirovo airfield in Bulgaria. General Deane sent his forces 20 kilometres (12mi) west and southwest of Dak To to search for the PAVN 24th Regiment. Tragically, 50% of the deaths were due to friendly fire. Enemy fire claimed 41 GIs lives that day. An internal inquiry had confirmed an officer's widely publicized charge that members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade had tortured detainees in Vietnam. Under the bill Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough introduced Friday, any court could intervene if a child is receiving gender-affirming care, the report said. [40], The attached helicopter unit became the Casper Aviation Platoon, befitting a separate infantry brigade as the only separate aviation platoon deployed in Vietnam. 25th Div Support Troops Taking Cover from Prop Wash. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq. A South Vietnamese Marine, severely wounded in a Viet Cong ambush, is comforted by a comrade in a sugar-cane field at Duc Hoa, about 12 miles from Saigon, on August 5, 1963. . 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. Unknown to the Americans, they had walked into a carefully prepared ambush by the 2nd Battalion of the 174th PAVN Regiment. "Operational Report Lessons Learned (1 May 1969 31 July 1969)." [25] They took their theme song from the television series Rawhide. [98] On 21 February 2004, the brigade returned to Italy for a one-year rest before a new deployment.[5]. "Grand Junction Police approached Peters in a bagel shop in Feb. 8, 2022, to execute a warrant related to her iPad, on which she is suspected of improperly recording a court hearing for her deputy clerk," said the report. A second base was opened in Vicenza called Del Din and is the current headquarters of the 173rd. Read the full press release at the DOJ's website. Thus began the Battle of Dak To.. Resupply became a necessity, because of high ammunition expenditures and lack of water, but was impossible to accomplish: Six UH-1 helicopters were shot down or badly damaged that afternoon trying to get to 2503.[59]. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 738 173rd Airborne Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE Collections Project #ShowUs Creative Insights Custom Content EDITORIAL VIDEO BBC Motion Gallery NBC News Archives MUSIC BLOG BROWSE PRICING BOARDS CART SIGN IN Editorial Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All 74th LRS operated out of FOB Price near the town of Gereshk in the Helmand Province. On Veterans Day, Task Force Black (170 men of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf.) from around the world. The group has expressed admiration both for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. 2nd Battalion was initially attached to 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and conducted stability and combat operations in Kunar Province for the first half of the deployment. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. [20] It was then designed uniquely from other separate brigades. He also allegedly said he shared Biden's debate strategy during the 2020 campaign with Kushner. The changing face of the 173d Airborne Brigade now offers opportunies for both Female and Male individuals. Image Saber Strike 15 - Apaches take Flight. In May 2020, Melzer was reassigned to a unit preparing for deployment. These warnings, however, made little impression on the paratroopers, who were about to become victims of their own overconfidence. Have You Heard of the 173rd - YouTube 0:00 / 3:45 Have You Heard of the 173rd Greg Johnson 53 subscribers 453 46K views 14 years ago Have you heard of the 173rd Airborne Brigade? "Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group. Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade pauses to remember the loss of 48 Paratroopers during Operation Hump in Vietnam, on this day 52 years ago. American and Vietnamese local intelligence was poor, the area was a traditional VC stronghold, and province and district officials were never able to eliminate the local VC infrastructure. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets remember that day and the jump that followed for the rest of our lives.. The 173d Airborne Brigade was now attached to JSOTF-N as the conventional force. [111] Also in mid-2013, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (ABN) moved from Schweinfurt, Germany to Grafenwoehr, Germany. 56,244 10 months ago (NSFW) Russian Soldier Grenades Ukrainian Trench and Bunker . Membership. most respected brigade in the army. ; and the attached 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav Regt. [91] Over the next 96 hours, the wing landed in the remaining 1,200 soldiers of the brigade as well as their vehicles. All rights reserved. In-Depth Coverage . On 23 June, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment (1st Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division) arrived to bolster the 173rd. In November 1967, the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 4th Infantry Divisions 1st Brigade slugged it out with four NVA regiments in the Central Highlands. Of the 3,200 paratroopers from the 173rd deployed to Dak To, 27% were either killed (208) or wounded (645). Web. [144], NATO Training exercise incident in Bulgaria. [119][122][121] The paratrooper was charged with leaking classified information (including the unit's location) to the RapeWaffen Division and the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a European Satanic occult-based neo-Nazi and white supremacist group that is also anti-Semitic, and has expressed admiration for Nazis such as Adolf Hitler and Islamic jihadists. [79] The force also received force field artillery headquarters from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery, which brought a Tactical Operations Center, a Q-36 counterfire radar and Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT)a pair of Dragoneye Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the US Marine Corps, to be operated by the Brigades Ground Surveillance Systems (GSS) team. On 23 April 2014, four paratrooper companies of the 173rd were deployed to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to reassure America's NATO allies threatened by Russian military maneuvers along the borders of eastern Ukraine during the 201415 Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. Six helicopters from the 335th Aviation Company attempting to resupply the pinned-down troopers were shot down during the day. Lieutenant Sanford later said of Olive's act that "It was the most incredible display of . [15] Four months later, the brigade returned to the United States, and was demobilized with the rest of the division in January 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Privacy Policy. In an interview with FBI agents, he admitted being a traitor against the U.S. and confessed that he planned to cause the mass casualties of U.S. service members. A recon patrol made the first contact on Nov. 2, briefly skirmishing with NVA, resulting in one U.S. KIA. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He was arrested by the FBI on June 10, 2022 after investigators claimed he gave sensitive military information to the Order of Nine Angles, a British neo-Nazi Satanist group with pro-Jihadi views that encourages extreme violence in an effort to destabilize society and attempts to overthrow what it views as Jewish control of global culture and economics. Cataloguing data may change with further research. [70] However, with the ending of conscription following America's disengagement from Vietnam, many of the Army's formations had to be rebuilt for the volunteer force. On Nov. 23, the 4th Battalion from the north slope coordinated a final assault on the hilltop with the 1st Bn., 12th Inf., 4th Inf. The 173rd had been operating near Bien Hoa Air Base outside Saigon and had been in combat only against the VC. Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed for attempted murder Sky Palma. 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. Some 42 Americans (many of them already wounded) were killed and 45 wounded in the wars worst friendly fire incident. "Todays sentence holds Mr. Melzer accountable for an egregious and shameful act of betrayal against his own military unit and his country," said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. Following his time in service . After. Companies C and D started up the hill at 9:43 a.m., with A Company providing rear security and attempting to cut out a landing zone at the bottom. The unit fought in the Iron Triangle, a VC stronghold north of Saigon,[35][39] seeing many engagements with VC forces during that time. Specifically, Melzer corresponded with individuals belonging to an O9A subgroup known as the RapeWaffen Division, which is known to promote rape and murder as weapons in the groups pursuit of a race war. When his weapon jammed, an NVA bullet ripped into his head. 16 December 1967. Gen. John W. Barnes officially ended the unit's pair-off program and replaced it with Operation Washington Green, an intensive area security effort with territorial and paramilitary forces in Bnh nh Province. The sign had read "American who read this die. [citation needed], In mid-2013, some of the returning forces reorganized and re-designated the 173rd Airborne Brigade. [69] A U.S. Army report detailed a pattern of "cruelty and maltreatment" between March 1968 and October 1969. "Jurors found Peters guilty of obstruction of government operations but acquitted her on a charge of obstruction of a peace officer. [104][107] The 173rd's tour ended in July 2008, and the last redeploying paratrooper from the brigade returned to Europe by the beginning of August 2008. until 0400 est. In an instant, he leaped on the device, shielding the blast with his body. Market data provided by Factset. She's scheduled for sentencing April 10," reported Janet Oravetz. While stationed abroad, Melzer consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. 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. Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fighting on Hill 823 during the Battle of Dak To. 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. [103] Throughout their 15-month deployment, the brigade participated in more than 9,000 patrols throughout the region. [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. The package also includes a provision authorizing the state to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment if the establishment admits a child to a live adult performance that depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, or lewd exposure., Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law Schools Cyberlaw Clinic in a tweet described the measure as a full elimination of recognition and a limitation on access to care for all trans people, including adults.. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. In November 1967, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units were determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Neither battalion faced heavy resistance as the NVA had decamped during the night, denying the Americans a chance at some revenge. Silver Falcon 23 is a bilateral exercise between the United States and Cyprus and is designed to enhance interoperability between both nations militaries to ensure they are prepared for any contingency, particularly those involving crisis response and non-combatant evacuation operations. During the battle, Father Watters had ventured outside the perimeter at least five times, carrying wounded troops back to the aid station. Short Range Ambush Platoon 1968 - 1969. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. After the end of major combat operations in mid-2003, the 173rd Airborne Brigade did not engage in any major battles, though it was regularly involved in skirmishes with Iraqi insurgents. [6] During the operation, some of the troops discovered at least two caches of Iraqi gold, totaling more than 2,000 bars. By integrating these support elements, the unit became able to maintain its fighting forces with all that is required to keep the ground soldiers supplied and moving. [3][18] After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was posted at Birmingham, Alabama from 1947 until 1951. [139], Sixteen soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor for service with the 173rd IBCT(A) and its subordinate units. 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