A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday after he plotted to ambush his unit and illegally shared classified information with a violent transnational extremist organization, of which he was a member. And vets of that proud unit feel the sting. Melzer also shared the intelligence with someone claiming to be a member of al Qaida, and promised to leak more information, including photos and U.S. radio channel frequencies, upon arrival in-country. 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 . In-Depth Coverage . Unknown to the Americans, they had walked into a carefully prepared ambush by the 2nd Battalion of the 174th PAVN Regiment. Close air support was impossible for the same reasons. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. But the GIs had fulfilled their objective. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. He arrived in Italy in October 2019 and subscribed to encrypted online forums in which he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. Far too often, the part played by Ivy Division GIs at Dak To is glossed over. An official website of the United States government. [3] The reorganized brigade consolidated at a single location in Vicenza, Italy. Legal Statement. Sky Soldiers that died in the service of their country while in Iraq. The bill is part of a package of so-called parental empowerment and child safety legislation that includes a ban on instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity for students through Grade 8, and requiring licensed health care facilities to attest that they do not provide sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures to patients under 18 years of age, the State Senates office announced in a news release. 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. On 14 June 2009, the 173rd IBCT(A) was announced as one of the brigade combat teams deploying to Afghanistan, and the unit prepared to once again return. [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. Accessed 25 November 2015. Soldier charged with plotting 'mass casualty' attack on his own unit", "Army soldier charged with giving classified info to satanic neo-Nazi group", "Press Release - Statement regarding incident in Cheshnegirovo", "Big and Rich talk about inspiration behind their '8 November', "Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0886", "Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam (A-L)", "Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam (M-Z)", "Readout of the President's call with Specialist Salvatore Giunta", "Former sergeant to receive Medal of Honor for Afghanistan actions. 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. NAME AND TYPE OF OPERATION: Unnamed ambush patrol on Route 19, RVN. On Veterans Day, Task Force Black (170 men of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf.) Before that she was a reporter for Killeen Daily Herald and a freelance journalist for publications including The Alcalde, Texas Highways and the Austin American-Statesman. Department of The Army In the days leading up to the fight for Hill 875, 4th ID units sought out the enemy south of Dak To. [5] They were supported by the 173rd Support Battalion, 173rd Engineer Company, Troop E/17th Cavalry and Company D/16th Armor. [86] The force had been strung out over a 10,000-yard drop zone, and it took 15 hours before it was completely assembled. [33], The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 503rd Infantry were the first Army combat units from the 173rd sent into South Vietnam, accompanied by the 3rd Battalion, 319th Artillery. Ex-Soldier Gets 45 Years Behind Bars for Plotting 'Jihadist Attack' on [132], Numerous servicemen from the 173rd, mostly from the Vietnam era, gained notability after their military careers ended. [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. By Nov. 19, the NVAs 174th Regiment, moving south along the Laos/Cambodia border, had covered the retreat of the 66th Regiment. A class of prime youth shredded in seconds. [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. The 173rd was the only separate brigade to have support formations permanently assigned to it, though other separate brigades would receive support elements of their own a year later. was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which . While there, he consumed extremists propaganda from O9A and the Islamic State. The DUI was also inscribed "Sky Soldiers" as homage to the nickname that the Taiwanese soldiers had given them. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. Short Range Ambush Platoon - 50th Infantry Regiment [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. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images), Black Vietnam veteran receives long-awaited Medal of Honor. Market data provided by Factset. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Ethan Phelan Melzer, 24, from Kentucky, planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. Army unit just before he was to deploy to Turkey and sent information about his unit's location, movements, and security to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist group. [7], In August 2016 the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment became part of the brigade under the Army's Associated Unit Pilot Program. [92] Between 30 March and 2 April, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with the Special Forces detachment and the Kurdish forces, engaged and destroyed the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 38th Iraqi Infantry divisions as well as a force loyal to Ansar al-Islam. [51][52], The battle around Dak To became more costly as 4-503 of the 173rd was ordered to occupy Hill 823, south of Ben Het Camp, for the construction of Fire Support Base. Artillery from A Bty., 3rd Bn., 319th Artillery Regt., and air strikes started ravaging the hilltop. Stanton, Vietnam Order of Battle, pp. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. 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. 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. 94,278 11 months ago. Murdoch's alleged hand-off of the confidential information to Kushner was revealed this week as part of the $1.6 billion Dominion Voting Systems defamation case against Fox News and the Fox Corp. it would be another war . [79][80][81], The 173rd Airborne Brigade was made part of Task Force Viking, a special operations task force that contained elements of the 10th Mountain Division[82] and the 10th Special Forces Group. most respected brigade in the army. [40], The attached helicopter unit became the Casper Aviation Platoon, befitting a separate infantry brigade as the only separate aviation platoon deployed in Vietnam. The brigade was dispersed throughout the east of the country, with units operating in Kunar, Paktika, and Laghman Provinces. You didnt know where to go, you did not know where to hide. 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. In 2019, he deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, prosecutors said. The artist, Queensland, Australia; purchased by MFAH, 2010. For example, Melzer subscribed to encrypted online forums where he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew J.C. Hellman and Kimberly J. Ravener for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook of the National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The 1/91st Cavalry was given a mission to transform western Logar province into a secure environment; a mission that was not greeted as an easy task. Leadership - United States Army (Photo: U.S. Army) Jon Simkins is a writer and editor for Military Times, and a USMC veteran. If you served in 173rd Airborne Brigade, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. [110] The brigade returned in early 2013. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. "Combat Operations After Action Report, Operation GREELEY." Privacy Policy | For corrections contact corrections@rawstory.com, for support contact support@rawstory.com. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting 173rd Airborne Brigade in Kirkuk, Iraq (#152) - Any Soldier For the bravery and sacrifices of its paratroopers around Dak To, the 173rd earned the Presidential Unit Citation. MICHAEL LEVENSON. Masthead | Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, parachuted into Iraq in the early days of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and saw intense combat in Afghanistan. The following day, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam's (ARVN) elite 1st Airborne Task Force (the 5th and 8th Battalions) and the 3rd Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division (5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry; and an additional infantry battalion) arrived to conduct search and destroy operations north and northeast of Kon Tum. [3][27][28][29][30][31] Williamson boldly predicted on arrival that his men would defeat the Viet Cong (VC) quickly and that they "would be back in Okinawa by Christmas". [94] As Task Force Bayonet, the brigade included the: 503rd Infantry; 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry; 173rd Combat Support Company; 74th Infantry Detachment (LRS); Battery D, 319th Field Artillery; 501st Forward Support Company; and the attached 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor of the 1st Infantry Division from Rose Barracks, Germany; 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry of the 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colorado; and Company B, 110th Military Intelligence Battalion of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from Fort Drum, New York. 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade currently consists of 3,300 soldiers in seven subordinate battalions as well as a headquarters company:. Email: wambicook@aol.com Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center, Ambush Alley, 25th Division, Recon Cavalry, Ambushed Convoy Sent to Relieve Duc Co SF Camp. In April 1969 Brigade commander Brig. Afghan War veteran Sgt Ryan Pitts, also of the 503rd, received the Medal of Honor later that year. 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. [49] Charlie Company was ordered to support, but heavy vegetation and difficult terrain made movement extremely difficult. . [32] The brigade was put under the command of IIField Force, Vietnam. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. [89] The paratroopers secured the airfield, allowing the C-17s to land and bring in the heavy armor and the 163rd Armor contingents. At the same time that Hello Dolly opened at Nha Trang airbase, a company of 173rd Airborne had walked into an ambush in Viet Cong base zone, known as the Iron Triangle. Click here. 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. [67]:396400, The unit then served in An Kh until mid-1969, seeing little in the way of heavy fighting. For example, Melzer subscribed to encrypted online forums where he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. Manage Preferences Two more companies arrived after dark and provided much-needed food and water to the exhausted troopers. Lost Battles of the Vietnam War - G2mil The staff judge advocate from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, also based in Vicenza, helped investigate Melzer, and a picture included in his now unsealed criminal complaint indicates he was a . Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. [26][31] As larger US Army commands were established in Vietnam, the brigade was assigned to the IIICorps and IICorps tactical zone, which they would serve in for the next six years. Vietnamization, as later conceived in 1969, was not an objective, and, in fact, the entire effort represented a return to the old strategy of pacification, with American combat operations now tied much closer to the overall task of local security. Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. It is a merciless land of steep limestone ridges, some of them exceeding 4,000 feet, wrote Robert Barr Smith in, Vietnam magazine. On Nov. 20, 1967, Pfc. Mariah Y. Gonzalez). On Nov. 19, 1967, Chaplain Watters repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire in order to aid fallen men outside the perimeter. 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. [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. They were ambushed by approximately 1,200 VC fighters, suffering 48 deaths. They participated in Operation Crimp in 1966, a failed attempt to root out VC forces from the C Chi tunnels. [5][7][24] This was a significant change as it signified the ability for the brigade to deploy its forces and sustain itself with its newly integrated support teams. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. (U.S. Army Photo by Visual Information Specialist Davide Dalla Massara) Read more. In command for five months, I had been assured that I would be leading the company for one year, which suited me fine. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility within 18 hours. [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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [26], The brigade arrived in South Vietnam on 7 May 1965, the first major ground combat unit of the United States Army to serve in the country. [3][5][25] During their time in Okinawa, they prided themselves as the "toughest fighting men in Okinawa, if not the entire U.S. Armed Forces". 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. Melzer provided RapeWaffen membership with information on troop movements, relevant dates and locations, security details, weaponry and topography to facilitate a mass casualty jihadi attack, according to court documents. Though they were severely bloodied, the paratroopers inflicted even heavier losses on the NVA. The 173d Airborne Brigade was now attached to JSOTF-N as the conventional force. Abandoned weapons, helmets, rucksacks, clothing, canteens and empty ration containers littered the battlefield. DEDICATION. Lethal Fire: Enemy and Friendly According to the after-action report, GIs sustained 242 KIA and 876 WIA in the battles between Nov. 2 and Dec. 1, 1967. 173rd Airborne Brigade deploys to South Vietnam The lead element of the 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers"), stationed in Okinawa, departs for South Vietnam. Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division. (U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo) By Paolo Bovo, Training Support Activity Europe Vicenza, Italy Jun 25, 2021. 56,244 10 months ago (NSFW) Russian Soldier Grenades Ukrainian Trench and Bunker . The 173rd Airborne Brigade prides itself on being a forward stationed high-readiness unit, available to deploy to U.S. African, European and Central Commands within 18 hours of notification. (Department of Justice). The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. The 173rds 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., led the assault. [I]t would be another war I wouldve died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. The success of the program varied greatly from unit to unit, but the programs of the 173rd and Task Force South were generally regarded as effective. Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Pfc. U.S. Army unprepared to deal with Russia in Europe - POLITICO [5] Under Williamson, the unit trained extensively, making mass parachute jumps. The Army did not immediately respond Friday to comment about when Melzer was discharged from the service. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe.[3]. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Every objective was taken. Former Army soldier who plotted 'jihadi attack' on fellow service On 1 July 2006, a documentary inspired by the song and based on the brigade's actions during the operation premiered on the GAC Channel. 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 . parade field at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza Italy, to help uncase the colors of the most valorous,. The 173rd participated in the initial invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and had four tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 200506, 200708, 200910, and 201213. On Nov. 12, 1967, Pfc. The other hit C Companys command post and aid station. 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. mfah.org/terms. IE 11 is not supported. [19] The reorganization also allowed for the use of "separate" brigades which had no division headquarters and could be used for missions that did not require an entire division. 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. On May 18, 1967, its D Platoon went on a short patrol and chased a lone NVA scout, who led them into an ambush. [85] Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March with V Corps, consisting of the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and 3rd Infantry Division making a forceful push from the south, beginning the Iraq War. Kirkuk. Div., at Dak To. The 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers"[1]) is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy.

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