All rights reserved. Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. The brigade returned to the United States in 1972, where the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, were absorbed into the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), and the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery was reassigned to Division Artillery in the 101st. The New York Times. [89] The paratroopers secured the airfield, allowing the C-17s to land and bring in the heavy armor and the 163rd Armor contingents. [15] The maneuver battalions of the Vietnam era 173rd trace their lineage to the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, which successfully assaulted the fortress island of Corregidor in the Philippines by parachute and waterborne operations, thereby earning the nickname "The Rock". . Deadly Prelude The Battle of Dak To was actually a series of intense clashes culminating in the decisive battle for Hill 875. Alpha Company managed to survive repeated attacks throughout the day and night, but the cost was heavy. Regt. U.S. aircraft hit enemy positions as close as 50 meters to the perimeter as GIs dug in for an NVA night attack. All rights reserved. Nva Kia, Dong Lach, After Unsuccessful Attempt to Free POWs. 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. Melzer and his co-conspirators used the information that he attained to plan what they referred to as a jihadi attack with the objective of causing a mass casualty event victimizing his fellow service members. 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. He also advised them that PAVN regulars were a much better equipped and motivated force than the VC. mfah.org/terms. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th battalions of the 503rd Inf. When he learned in 2020 that his unit would help guard a sensitive military installation overseas, he transmitted location, schedule and security information to the O9A subgroup known as RapeWaffen Division, prosecutors said. Official websites use .gov 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. . Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. 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. 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. 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. A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. The 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sky Soldiers) is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapid forces to the United States European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibilities. So heavy, in fact, that the NVAs 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments were unable to participate in the 1968 Tet Offensive. 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. [5] The 173rd incurred 1,533 deaths and around 6,000 wounded. On Nov. 3, A and B companies made a combat assault from Dak To airstrip to a ridge line just below Hill 1338, recalled Alex Cooker, then the platoon leader of 3rd Plt., B Co., 3rd Bn., 12th Inf. The Department of Justice described his enlistment as an infiltration. [citation needed]. 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. Nearly surrounded, Lozada jumped from his covered position and fired his M-60 from the hip, providing further cover for fellow soldiers when he was mortally wounded. This photo provided by the Justice Department seized from an iCloud account belonging to former Army Pvt. from around the world. 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. (67.1 51.8 3.2 cm), Museum purchase funded by the Mundy Family Foundation, courtesy of David and Stephanie Mundy. Meltzer, who ascribed to the groups ideals of promoting extreme violence to accelerate and cause the demise of Western civilization, aimed to essentially cripple the units fire-teams with the inside information he was providing, according to documents. 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 sensitive details about the unit including information about its location, movements and security to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles, according to court documents. no news. Melzer, a private, was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was deployed to Italy. National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. Reproduced from VFW Magazine, March 2006 issue, article by Tim Dyhouse. [66] The company commander, Captain Robert Helmick, was awarded the DSC. 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. 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. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers. DEDICATION. Prior to its deployment to the highlands, Peer's operations officer, Colonel William J. Livsey, attempted to warn the Airborne officers of the hazards of campaigning in the highlands. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. The military has been dealing with an extremism problem for years, specifically far-right extremism, which has garnered increased attention recently. The Army did not immediately respond Friday to comment about when Melzer was discharged from the service. [143] On 13 May 2014, former 503rd Infantry Regiment Sergeant Kyle White received the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony. 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. "Operational Report Lessons Learned (1 May 1969 31 July 1969)." 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. [144], NATO Training exercise incident in Bulgaria. "Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group. [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). 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.". 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. My plan was to make captain and go to Vietnam as an experienced company commander. [3][25] As the Pacific quick-reaction force, they were the first brigade to be sent to South Vietnam two years later when hostilities escalated there. MICHAEL LEVENSON. ", By 12/24/2003. [18], In the late 1990s, Army leaders including General Eric Shinseki began shifting the Army force toward brigade centered operations. Justin Hebert was killed on Aug. 1. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Melzers sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. Neither Fox nor the Trump campaign could be immediately reached for comment by Raw Story. It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's V Corps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe.. During the day, the company lost 8 men killed and 21 wounded. 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. [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. Watters received a posthumous Medal of Honor. 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. While her case was underway, she ran for Secretary of State of Colorado, and lost the GOP primary. [25] The 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division; the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division; and the 1st Cavalry Division quickly followed the 173rd into Vietnam, the first of what would eventually be 25 U.S. Army brigades to serve in the country. Following on the heels of TF Blacks ordeal, A and B companies from the 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., fought for more than four hours near Fire Support Base 16, located about five miles south of Hill 823. BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. 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. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. The dust-offs started coming within 30 minutes. The following year, he deployed to Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. 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. Stanton, Vietnam Order of Battle, pp. Copyright 2023 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | Market data provided by Factset. The 174th set up on Hill 875 about 10 miles southwest of Ben Het and less than a mile east of the Cambodian border. 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. The plan eliminated regiments but reintroduced brigades to the Army's structure, allowing three brigades to a division. | 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. 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. The Vietnamese then unleashed B-40 rockets and 57mm recoilless rifle fire on the Americans. 88, 93. | This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. [76] Supported by the 1st Infantry Division and the 10th Special Forces Group, the 4th Infantry Division was to assemble in Turkey and use its heavy mechanized brigades to attack through Tikrit and eventually assist V Corps, which would attack from the south, in surrounding Baghdad. Not long after its reactivation, elements were deployed to Kosovo as part of Operation Rapid Guardian in support of Kosovo Force (KFOR). [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. [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. 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. Kirkuk. Supported by A/2-503, the Americans moved up the hill and set up for the night. . It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. On Nov. 12, 1967, Pfc. Short Range Ambush Platoon 1968 - 1969. The brigade returned most recently from a deployment stretching from late 2013 to late 2014. or redistributed. [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. [5] They were supported by the 173rd Support Battalion, 173rd Engineer Company, Troop E/17th Cavalry and Company D/16th Armor. This legislation sends a strong message that Florida is a safe place to raise children. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. 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 . Because of intense PAVN sniper and mortar fire (and the terrain), it took until nightfall for the relief force to reach the beleaguered battalion. "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. Step 2 - Use PayPal with the highest . While there, he consumed extensive propaganda from numerous extremist groups, including O9A and ISIS, and routinely downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks and executions, court documents showed. [110] The brigade returned in early 2013. Ethan Melzer displays personal effects, including paraphernalia associated with the extremist group Order of the Nine Angles. I wouldve died successfully . Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. 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. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. All rights reserved. (47.9 32.5 cm) 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. [74] The unit finally reached "initial operating capability" on 14 March 2003, with all units ready for deployment. 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.