So heavy, in fact, that the NVAs 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments were unable to participate in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade pauses to remember the loss of 48 Paratroopers during Operation Hump in Vietnam, on this day 52 years ago. The most prominent of these is the 2006 single released by the country music duo Big & Rich, entitled "8th of November". In fact, the first significant contacts were made by its elements on Nov. 3-4 around Hill 1338. The 1-508th (minus Company B) conducted combat operations in eastern Afghanistan, attached to 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. [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. [86] The force had been strung out over a 10,000-yard drop zone, and it took 15 hours before it was completely assembled. C and D companies soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction. The brigade returned to Europe and home station after once again proving itself in combat throughout the eastern mountains of Afghanistan. [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. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. It was the first U.S. Army. MICHAEL LEVENSON. O9A has had active members in Britain, the United States, Italy, Brazil, and New Zealand for several decades and has promoted terrorism, sexual violence, polarization, separatism, and racial hatred, according to the U.K.-based Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. It is that most become delirious and almost always cry out for their mothers., Copyright 2010-2023, National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. [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. He was awarded the Medal of Honor nearly 60 years after he was nominated. 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. We treated around 1,200 wounded during the period of the battle, said William J. Shaffer, who served as the executive officer of B Co., 4th Medical Bn. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. III, No. In November 1967, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units were determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces. 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. One of the most notable units to operate out of a FOB was the brigade's 74th Long-Range Surveillance (LRS) detachment. 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. Step 2 - Use PayPal with the highest . First Military Choice. Reproduced from VFW Magazine, March 2006 issue, article by Tim Dyhouse. He also advised them that PAVN regulars were a much better equipped and motivated force than the VC. [129], Captain Willard, a fictional character portrayed by Martin Sheen in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, was a member of the 173rd assigned to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group. Florida parents are worried about the radical, prurient agenda that has become pervasive across most forms of media, specifically targeting young children, Yarborough said in a statement. [5], In mid-1968 at the instigation of II Corps commander General L Mng Lan, I Field Force, Vietnam commander General William R. Peers paired with the Brigade with the ARVN 22nd Division in Bnh nh Province in what was almost a replica of Operation Fairfax. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade has received 21 campaign streamers and several unit awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Battle of Dak To during the Vietnam War. [60] This time the Americans gained the crest, but the PAVN had already abandoned their positions, leaving only a few dozen charred bodies and weapons. National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. 173RD Airborne Brigade Sergeant Major CSM Christopher D. Clapin CSM Christopher D. Clapin entered active duty service on 7 January, 1998. These battalions were: the 4th Battalion (Airborne), 319th Field Artillery Regiment, the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne), and the Special Troops Battalion[100] stationed at Warner Barracks in Bamberg, Germany, as well as the 1st Squadron (Airborne), 91st Cavalry Regiment, stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany. The artist, Queensland, Australia; purchased by MFAH, 2010. ", 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. 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. 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. BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. Yashinski, Michael E. SGT. 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? [64], The intense fighting during the Battle of Dak To took a heavy human toll on the 173rd. 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. Meanwhile, NVA soldiers began a ferocious attack on A Company at the bottom of the hill. Mississippi, Utah, and South Dakota in the last month have approved bans on health care providers offering gender-affirming care to minors, the report said. [104] Journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington were embedded with Battle Company of 2nd Battalion which saw extensive action in the Korengal Valley. Those of us fortunate enough to be there will. Russian Tank Gets Absolutely Shredded by Ukrainian Fire. One hit outside the perimeter, killing 25 NVA troops. At 14:30 PAVN troops hidden at the bottom of the hill launched a massed assault from the rear. 25th Div Support Troops Taking Cover from Prop Wash. U.S Army badge is seen on a uniform of American soldier. If you served in 173rd Airborne Brigade, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. 24. These formations were termed "brigade combat teams". Jesus, they were all over the place, one paratrooper recalled. But the GIs had fulfilled their objective. . 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. Sky Soldiers that died in the service of their country while in Iraq. New. [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. Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. Melzers sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. The unit was supposed to guard an isolated, sensitive military base. Battle for Hill 875 - or the Siege of Dak To - The 2nd battalion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade with over 300 soldiers advanced up this hill with artillery . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Read the full press release at the DOJ's website. This legislation sends a strong message that Florida is a safe place to raise children. Prior to its deployment to the highlands, Peers' operations officer, Colonel William J. Livsey, attempted to warn the Airborne officers of the hazards of campaigning in the Central Highlands. 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. Regt ., and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. Melzer began active service as an Army infantryman in June 2019 and deployed that October to Vicenza, Italy, as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. | 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. The 2-503rd conducted combat operations in Zabul Province. Every Objective was Taken Throughout the day, U.S. airstrikes and artillery continued to pound the top of the hill, as the NVA lobbed mortars at the U.S. perimeter. 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 . He was dead, but he kept me warm.. was inserted into a landing zone on Hill 823 and wound up losing 20 KIA, 154 WIA and two MIA. or redistributed. [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". Melzer admitted to sharing sensitive information about his imminent deployment with the 173rd Airborne Brigade including unit location, movements and security with an occult-based neo-Nazi group called the Order of the Nine Angles. The goal, Melzer said in an unsealed indictment, was to plot an insider mass casualty attack. Ethan Phelan Melzer, 24, who also goes by Etil Reggad, pleaded guilty last June to charges of attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information during the days leading up his units mid-2020 deployment. [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. Melzer secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. Unknown to the Americans, they had walked into a carefully prepared ambush by the 2nd Battalion of the 174th PAVN Regiment. The noncoms kept shouting, Get up the hill, get up the goddamn hill. But we couldnt. And about 60 of the dead paratroop-ers29%were killed by friendly fire.. Far too often, the part played by Ivy Division GIs at Dak To is glossed over. Before this heroic act, according to his citation, Barnes dashed through the bullet-swept area, manned the machine gun [the team had been killed] and killed nine enemy soldiers as they assaulted his position.. On May 18, 1967, its D Platoon went on a short patrol and chased a lone NVA scout, who led them into an ambush. [53] The following morning Bravo Company was relieved by Lieutenant Colonel David J. Schumacher's 1503, which (against the admonitions of Colonel Livsey) was divided into two small task forces. 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. [109], From November 2009 until November 2010, the 173rd IBCT(A) once again returned to Afghanistan, this time to the provinces of Logar and Wardak. The draws between the ridges are dreary, tangled places of perpetual twilight. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images), "Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. The brigade also participated in Operation Bayonet Lightning in 2003, capturing weapons and materials that the Department of Defense claimed were possibly for use against coalition forces. Web. 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. Piano Sign Up, {{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}, Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed for attempted murder, Critics call for FEC investigation of Rupert Murdoch leak of Biden ads to Jared Kushner, Election denier Tina Peters found guilty and could be going to jail, violating the terms of a protective order, Trans kids could be legally kidnapped by parents under proposed Florida law: report. 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. [91] By 29 March the entire brigade was in Iraq and ready to conduct offensive operations.[91]. Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Though they were severely bloodied, the paratroopers inflicted even heavier losses on the NVA. [32] The brigade was put under the command of IIField Force, Vietnam. Sky Soldiers serving in Vietnam received 13 Medals of Honor, 32 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1,736 Silver Stars and more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. 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. Privacy Policy | For corrections contact corrections@rawstory.com, for support contact support@rawstory.com. Stanton, Vietnam Order of Battle, pp. Two more companies arrived after dark and provided much-needed food and water to the exhausted troopers. Melzer told members of O9A in his encrypted electronic communications [y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this and that he was expecting results. Melzer further acknowledged that he could be killed during the attack and described his willingness to die for O9As goals, writing who gives a fuck [. Melzer, who held the rank of private while in the Army, was a member of the Order of Nine Angles, a Neo-Nazi and Satanic organization which has praised both Adolf Hitler and al-Qaeda. (U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo) By Paolo Bovo, Training Support Activity Europe Vicenza, Italy Jun 25, 2021. 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). (47.9 32.5 cm), Frame (outer): 26 3/8 20 3/8 1 1/4 in. Rose L. Thayer is based in Austin, Texas, and she has been covering the western region of the continental U.S. for Stars and Stripes since 2018. The memo depicted Melzer as a product of neglect, abuse and a troubled family who found himself "in thrall to a bizarre satanic cult" and doubled down on his involvement when subjected to a Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 on base, where he was " drinking heavily, and spending far too much time online.". 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., Melzer betrayed his fellow soldiers and his country, said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division. Air Force). Lozada stayed behind and poured deadly machine-gun fire on an advancing NVA force, allowing his company to safely withdraw. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers. .] The Brigade deployed to France in 1918 as part of the Division, but did participate in any named campaigns. [3][30] The brigade, organized as Task Force Bayonet, assumed control of Regional Command-South (RC South). It was the audio portion of film shot on Hill 724 in Vietnam where a pitched battle followed a highly successful Vietnam ambush in November 1967. [38], The brigade was the first unit sent into War Zone D to destroy enemy base camps, introducing the use of small Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols. For example, after describing the units weaponry during the deployment and providing information consistent with the briefings he had received Melzer described to his co-conspirators how an attack would essentially cripple the units fire-teams.. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. 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. Company commanders pulled their troops back and called for more firepower. 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. from around the world. Scandal-plagued Republican former Mesa County, Colorado Clerk Tina Peters has been convicted of obstruction of government operations, reported 9News on Friday. Online. The army apologized and promised to improve their procedures for defining training areas. Dawn on Tuesday, Nov. 21, revealed a scene on Hill 875 no survivor of that battle could ever forget, Edward F. Murphy wrote in Dak To: Americas Sky Soldiers in South Vietnams Central Highlands. it would be another war . [123][124][122][120][121][119][125] He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Watters received a posthumous Medal of Honor. DEDICATION. [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. Market data provided by Factset. Four additional battalions were activated or designated at Bamberg and Schweinfurt, Germany. But Murphy says that during the actions around Dak To, 376 Americans were killed and 1,441 wounded. [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. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. The 174th set up on Hill 875 about 10 miles southwest of Ben Het and less than a mile east of the Cambodian border. 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. Brigade members received over 7,700 decorations, including more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. "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. [citation needed]. [49] Charlie Company was ordered to support, but heavy vegetation and difficult terrain made movement extremely difficult. [99] The brigade returned to Italy in March 2006. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. The 173rd participated in various operations with the objective of ensuring security and subduing Taliban insurgents in the mountainous regions along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, near the Hindu Kush. [6], On 11 October 2006, as part of the Army's "Unit of Action" modularized unit force restructuring that General Shinseki had originally envisioned the 173rd Airborne Brigade became the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team (an airborne IBCT). "[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. He has deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the 172nd Stryker Brigade and 173rd Airborne Brigade. The paratroopers attempted to continue the advance, but the PAVN, well concealed in interconnected bunkers and trenches, opened fire with small arms and grenades.
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