Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. While he was deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in the fall of 2019, Melzer "consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups" such as O9A and the Islamic. You slept with corpses. All rights reserved. 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. Eric Melzer, a 24-year-old from Kentucky, shared location and layout information about a sensitive U.S. military installation to the violent, anti-government, neo-Nazi organization Order of Nine Angles. Its "glorification of violence and mysticism has found a renewed international audience," he said. 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. In more recent years, the group has become a source of inspiration for violent white supremacists in the United States, Brian Levin, a terrorism expert at California State University in San Bernardino, said in 2020. Click here. [131] In the 1998 movie The Siege, fictional Major General William Devereaux, played by Bruce Willis, states that he was in the 173rd Airborne Brigade at the same time that character Anthony Hubbard was in the 82nd Airborne Division. [15] The troop entered combat in 1944 and fought in three European campaigns; central Europe, the Rhineland and Ardennes-Alsace operations. [71], It was Shinseki's idea to reactivate a few separate brigades and assign them their own support and sustainment units, which would allow them to function independently of division-level headquarters. When his weapon jammed, an NVA bullet ripped into his head. While several of its units, including the 2-503rd and A/3-319th were ordered to Tuy Ha to repair and refit,[64][65] the 173rd was transferred to Camp Radcliff in An Kh and Bong Son areas during 1968, seeing very little action while the combat ineffective elements of the brigade were rebuilt. So heavy, in fact, that the NVAs 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments were unable to participate in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Plan. During this operation multiple buildings belonging to the airfield were secured. [7], In August 2016 the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment became part of the brigade under the Army's Associated Unit Pilot Program. Melzer was taken into custody by the FBI on June 10, 2020. The Justice Department will use all available resources to disrupt and bring to justice those who would aid foreign terrorist organizations and use violence to harm our men and women in uniform or any American anywhere., Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. At 08:28 on 11 November, after leaving their overnight laager and following a PAVN communications wire, the force was ambushed by the 8th and 9th Battalions of the PAVN 66th Regiment and had to fight for its life. . Regt. A soldier of D Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, takes a break from the heavy fighting during the battle for Dak To. Neo-Nazi Soldier Who Plotted 'Jihadist Attack' on His Unit Gets 45 [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. [62] Combined with noncombatant losses, this represented one-fifth of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's total strength. In May 2020, Melzer was reassigned to a unit preparing for deployment. They participated in Operation Crimp in 1966, a failed attempt to root out VC forces from the C Chi tunnels. . Ethan Melzer displays personal effects, including paraphernalia associated with the extremist group Order of the Nine Angles. [22] Consistent with regimental combat teams activated before them, these separate brigades were given their own shoulder sleeve insignia. 1st Cavalry Division units1st Bn., 12th Cav Regt., and 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalryalso played a part in the campaign. A former member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison on Friday for plotting with a white supremacist group to attack his fellow soldiers, officials . Todays sentence makes clear that Melzers brazen actions backfired and that this office along with our partners in law enforcement and the military will work tirelessly to bring traitors like Melzer to justice and to protect the safety and integrity of our armed services.. While her case was underway, she ran for Secretary of State of Colorado, and lost the GOP primary. Of the 137 men that comprised the unit, 76 had been killed and another 23 wounded. A girl. It would be in combat 12 days later. Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. [87] The jump took a total of 58seconds, though 32 paratroopers were unable to jump because they would have landed too far from the rest of the force. 3rb Battalion News - Bullentin Board The company was able to take the hill but suffered 9 dead and 28 wounded. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. 4th ID had to relocate their forces from Turkey to Kuwait and were subsequently slowed down in Baghdad. McKinney. The 173rd Support Battalion and the 173rd Combat Support Company provided logistical support from Kandahar, while sending individual soldiers to assist at other forward operating bases. Among the first ground combat troops in northern Iraq, Haynes parachuted in this time with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. This video shows rare footage from an actual Vietcong ambush [25] They took their theme song from the television series Rawhide. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. On Nov. 20, 1967, Pfc. This move was called the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) plan. On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. (U.S. Army Photo by Visual Information Specialist Davide Dalla Massara) Read more. . Close air support was impossible for the same reasons. In April 1969 Brigade commander Brig. The Army did not immediately respond Friday to comment about when Melzer was discharged from the service. Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. His first duty assignment was with Alpha Company, 3d. During the battle, Father Watters had ventured outside the perimeter at least five times, carrying wounded troops back to the aid station. [55], Following an attack on the k T Base,[56] and actions on hill 882 by the 1-503rd that saw 7 men dead and 34 wounded,[57] 330 men of 2-503 moved in to assault Hill 875. The group is a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist organization. [34] The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment[35] and the 161st Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery[36] were attached to the brigade for one year in 1965. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. The 173rds 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., led the assault. The military has been dealing with an extremism problem for years, specifically far-right extremism, which has garnered increased attention recently. 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. Soldier Used Upcoming Deployment to Plan Deadly Attack on Unit The New York Times. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam - Collections The LRS detachment was also tasked at times for recon and intel gathering for other brigade assets, and target acquisition and designation for U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and RAF aircraft. C and D companies soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction. The first of the separate brigades was the 172nd Infantry Brigade, activated in 1998. Alpha Company managed to survive repeated attacks throughout the day and night, but the cost was heavy. . The 173rd Airborne Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in March 2005 under the command of Colonel Kevin Owens, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. 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. "[69], From April until August 1971, the unit underwent the process of redeployment to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the first time that the 173rd Airborne Brigade in name had returned to the United States since 1942. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. The 173rd was also assigned Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry. [86] The force had been strung out over a 10,000-yard drop zone, and it took 15 hours before it was completely assembled. Under the direction of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 1/50th formed this special collection of hand picked volunteers. Former Pvt. Every objective was taken. [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. Task Force Black left Hill 823 to find the PAVN who had attacked B/4-503. Have You Heard of the 173rd - YouTube Soldier indicted for conspiring with neo-Nazi group seeks dismissal The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. [114] This program was known as Fearless Guardian which was congressionally approved under the Global Contingency Security Fund. PDF ~ The Battle of the Slopes ~ Hill 1338 - corregidor.org [3] This was the brigade's fifth deployment since 2003, their fourth to Afghanistan as they prepare for a complete transition of the security of Afghanistan to the Afghan National Security Forces. 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. Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade - 173rd Airborne Brigade | Facebook National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. He allegedly pledged his allegiance to O9A and relayed sensitive information about his unit's upcoming deployment including the location, movement and security of the service members. [144], NATO Training exercise incident in Bulgaria. 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. [102] The 173rd IBCT(A) officially relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division on 6 June 2007.[102]. The obstruction charge carries a minimum sentence of six months in jail. The noncoms kept shouting, Get up the hill, get up the goddamn hill. But we couldnt. In May 2010 2nd Battalion returned to 173rd IBCT(A) and was responsible for security and stability in northern and western Wardak Provinces. C/4-503 was then assigned the mission of relieving Task Force Black and they too encountered significant PAVN fire, but they made it, reaching the trapped men at 15:37. 173rd Airborne Brigade Captain earns Silver Star for actions during LRS provided the 173rd Brigade command group with key recon and intel of the province, and held control of Helmand with a 5th Special Forces Group ODA element. One of these was the 101st Airborne Division, which had also been redeployed to Fort Campbell. The Americans reacted to the NVA buildup by launching Operation Mac-Arthur, with the 4th Infantry Division assuming operational control over the 173rd Airborne Brigade. A second base was opened in Vicenza called Del Din and is the current headquarters of the 173rd. (Staff Sgt. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. [73], In 2002, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (2-503rd) activated, providing a second infantry battalion. Former Army soldier who plotted 'jihadi attack' on fellow service [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. By 3 p.m., Terrence Maitland and Peter McInerney wrote in A Contagion of War, the C Company commander reported they were surrounded by 200 to 300 NVA and under attack by mortars, automatic weapons and B-40 rockets.. Official websites use .gov NVA snipers made the going slow, but B Company finally reached the perimeter by dusk. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [I]t would be another war I wouldve died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. February 15th, DVIDS Hub works best with JavaScript enabled, Version: 89f6906e9817dc7b192edf8e8d786e2b331150b5_2023-02-27T10:21:17, B-Roll Package: Squad Ambush with Cypriot Troops, Strategic It is a merciless land of steep limestone ridges, some of them exceeding 4,000 feet, wrote Robert Barr Smith in, Vietnam magazine. In May 2020, Melzer joined a unit set to deploy to Turkey, according to the Justice Department. cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark. Melzer also acknowledged in his messages that he deleted some of the communications regarding the planning of the attack because the plot amounted to treason. Web. A paratrooper in the 173rd Airborne Brigade's Sky Soldiers, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, in Vicenza, Italy, in 2019 through 2020 plotted an ambush on his unit, "to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible. 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]. Training also included securing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and treating and evacuating casualties. [78] VCorps was not able to surround Baghdad as quickly as it had hoped because of a lack of available forces in the north. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Friday to 45 years in prison, the maximum, for plotting what prosecutors described as a "murderous ambush" overseas on members of his own troop. [108] 42 soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. 173RD Airborne Brigade Sergeant Major CSM Christopher D. Clapin CSM Christopher D. Clapin entered active duty service on 7 January, 1998. On 23 June, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment (1st Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division) arrived to bolster the 173rd. Tiffany Muller, president of the End Citizens United PAC, called on the FEC to "immediately investigate," according to a copy of the complaint provided to NBC News. 5, March 1970 173rd Airborne Brigade Newsletter A bolt of an AK47 rifle betrayed an enemy ambush, and soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) turned the tables on the Viet Cong. Greeley, a combined search and destroy effort by elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Army of the Republic of (ARVN) 42nd Infantry Regiment and Airborne units. 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. A former soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to plot with a hate group to attack his unit. [75], In 2003, as preparations were being made for Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was assigned to be a part of an assault from the north of Iraq. Bringing the 173d Airborne . On Veterans Day, Task Force Black (170 men of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf.) These warnings, however, made little impression on the paratroopers, who were about to become victims of their own overconfidence. . In-Depth Coverage . Though they were severely bloodied, the paratroopers inflicted even heavier losses on the NVA. All rights reserved. [37] Late in August 1966, the 173rd received another infantry battalion, the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. [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. Artillery support was rendered ineffective by the limited range of visibility. As far as brutal fighting goes, 4th ID commander Maj. Gen. William R. Peers told news correspondents, I would say this is the worst weve had., That was confirmed by the 1st Brigades Presidential Unit Citation for defeating a numerically superior enemy during 33 days of violent, sustained combat., Slept with Corpses Tragically, one air strike hit too close to the paratroopers. Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist at campaign watchdog Public Citizen, explained to Business Insider Friday that non-monetary goods or services, including "non-public opposition research, provided to a candidate free of charge or at a discount for campaign purposes, is defined under the campaign finance law as an in-kind contribution, subject to the reporting requirements and contribution limits.". The brigade was the first major United States Army ground formation deployed in Vietnam, serving there from 1965 to 1971 and losing 1,533 soldiers. Lieutenant Sanford later said of Olive's act that "It was the most incredible display of . Melzer, a private, was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was deployed to Italy. | 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.
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