ambush of the 173rd airborne ambush of the 173rd airborne

The 1st and 2nd Battalions saw extensive action in eastern Logar and Wardak. Some 15 Army artillery batteries along with tactical air support provided immense firepower. A and D companies of 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. 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. 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. "[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. [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. Masthead | According to court documents, Melzer is a member of O9A. 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. Because of intense PAVN sniper and mortar fire (and the terrain), it took until nightfall for the relief force to reach the beleaguered battalion. 173rd - United States European Command The author visited Afghanistan's Korengal Valley five times in 2007 and 2008 as a reporter embedded with part of the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade as it attempted to thwart the Taliban in . It. 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. A U.S. soldier wears an Army Airborne patch during military drills in Kazlu Ruda, Lithuania, on March 1, 2022. prosecutors alleged that Melzer intended to spark a jihadist terror attack on his own unit. Email: wambicook@aol.com Regt ., and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. 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 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. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. Before Hill 875 was even assaulted, the 173rd had already sustained 79 KIA and 287 WIA. And about 60 of the dead paratroop-ers29%were killed by friendly fire.. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting Washington Green proved to be the final American campaign in Bnh nh Province, and its greatest achievement may have been in training an impressive number of territorial and paramilitary forces. Download full-resolution image [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. You slept with corpses. He learned details about the deployment, mission and location, and then passed the information to members of his terrorist group. Add the following CSS to the header block of your HTML document.Then add the mark-up below to the body block of the same document. On the afternoon of 21 November, both battalions moved out to take the crest. from around the world. Todays sentence took that opportunity from him.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. According to the Department of Justice, Melzer schemed to ambush soldiers at a base in Turkey, aiming to cripple the bases fire teams and cause a mass casualty attack. [113], In March 2015, a 173rd Airborne battalion of around 600 American paratroopers headed to Ukraine to train Ukrainian national guard troops. 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. [104] Journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington were embedded with Battle Company of 2nd Battalion which saw extensive action in the Korengal Valley. 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. The enemy loss in lives was about four times that of the allies.. 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. On Nov. 20, 1967, Pfc. [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. 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. Women in the military: Moving beyond firsts, Issues with the Armys Europe-based equipment trigger readiness alarms, Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Black Vietnam vet at last getting his due: Medal of Honor, Junior NCO promotions have collapsed heres the data, and why, Army artillery officer dies during assignment in Thailand. Two more companies arrived after dark and provided much-needed food and water to the exhausted troopers. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS During the day, the company lost 8 men killed and 21 wounded. Noted for its roles in Operation Hump and Operation Junction City, the 173rd is best known for the Battle of Dak To, where it suffered heavy casualties in close combat with North Vietnamese forces. Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. [102] The 173rd IBCT(A) officially relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division on 6 June 2007.[102]. Satanist Soldier Who Plotted To Slaughter Companions Sentenced To 45 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. Consequently, the HHC 173rd Infantry Brigade was designated as the 87th Reconnaissance Troop in February 1942 and activated on 15 December 1942. Americans serving their country overseas should never have to fear a terrorist attack from within their own ranks, and todays sentence holds him accountable for his deadly plan to attack the brave men and women of the armed forces who protect our nation.. On Nov. 11, A, C and D companies of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf., engaged the NVA for eight hours at two separate locations south of Ben Het sustaining 21 KIA and 128 WIA. On 1 December 1951, the troop was inactivated and released from its assignment to the 87th Infantry Division. Under the program, the United States trained three battalions of Ukrainian troops over a six-month period. to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade . Melzer was listed Friday as an inmate at Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn in New York, according to the Bureau of Prisons. [70] It was decided that the 173rd would be used to help rebuild the division, which had been converted into an airmobile formation during the Vietnam War. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. or redistributed. IE 11 is not supported. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th battalions of the 503rd Inf. The brigade returned most recently from a deployment stretching from late 2013 to late 2014. [93] The brigade used field artillery assets, as well as coordinated airstrikes to attack Iraqi Republican Guard units defending the city. The 3rd Battalion on Nov. 10-11 sustained another 18 KIA and 118 WIA on Hill 724 during a five-hour ground and mortar attack. 4-503 suffered 28 killed 123 wounded, and four missing. $13.98 $ 13. 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. [139], Sixteen soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor for service with the 173rd IBCT(A) and its subordinate units. Melzer, who also went by the name Etil Reggad, enlisted in the Army in 2018 as part of an insight role to further his goals as part of the terrorist organization, according to the Justice Department. 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 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. In approximately October 2019, MELZER deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. Pitts, White and Giunta each earned their medals for actions taken during bloody battles in. 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 [. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq - 173rdairborne.com The group is a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist organization. William G. Cromie's medal was presented by Maj.. It conducted combat operations in Kandahar Province. cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. She's scheduled for sentencing April 10," reported Janet Oravetz. Privacy Policy. Copyright 2023 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | Four days later, A, B, C and D companies of the 4th Bn., 503rd Inf., fought the NVA for four hours in the Ngok Kam Leat chain of hills and adjacent Hill 823, losing 16 KIA and 37 WIA. The 2-503rd conducted combat operations in Zabul Province. [78] As the brigade had no heavy or mechanized forces and only a few Humvees and an artillery battery, heavier forces were attached to it in the form of two companies of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, M1 Abrams tanks, and M2 Bradleys from a task force of 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor, which was attached to the brigade. 99 U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct an ambush on Cypriot troops during a force-on-force squad-level blank. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 - old.506infantry.org She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. The company was able to take the hill but suffered 9 dead and 28 wounded. [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. The other hit C Companys command post and aid station. Neo-Nazi Soldier Who Plotted 'Jihadist Attack' on His Unit Gets 45 He was arrested in May 2020 while in Italy, before he could carry it out. 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. As part of his plot, he planned on sharing additional security details of the base once in Turkey in order to maximize damage done in an attack. [32] The brigade was put under the command of IIField Force, Vietnam. [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. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. Former Army private sentenced to 45 years in neo-Nazi plot to kill The PAVN, in turn, had moved almost 6,000 troops in four infantry regiments and one artillery regiment. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam - Collections (U.S. Army Photo by Visual Information Specialist Davide Dalla Massara) Read more Image Jumping in July, 173rd Airborne at Aviano U.S. losses were 20 killed, 154 wounded, and two missing. Engineers of 1st Air Cav at Chu Phong Mt. [144], NATO Training exercise incident in Bulgaria. The single deadliest day of Dak To was Nov. 19, when 83 Americans were killed and 110 wounded. Yashinski, Michael E. SGT. The sign had read "American who read this die. In September 2014, about 200 soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Regiment, 173rd BDE participated in the Rapid Trident exercise near Lviv in western Ukraine. 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. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting [5] Under Williamson, the unit trained extensively, making mass parachute jumps. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. McKinney. On Nov. 12, 1967, Pfc. Upon learning the importance and sensitivity of his upcoming deployment, Melzer immediately began passing that information to members of O9A. 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. [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. 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. Have You Heard of the 173rd - YouTube [3] The reorganized brigade consolidated at a single location in Vicenza, Italy. 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. Brigadier General Ellis W. Williamson took command of the unit,[3][25] which was chartered to serve as the quick reaction force for the Pacific Command. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. As part of this intensive training, Melzer learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. no news. [3][15] Commanders during the war included:[17], On 24 June 1921, the unit was reconstituted as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 173rd Infantry Brigade,[15] and was assigned to the Organized Reserve Corps and the 87th Division at Shreveport, Louisiana. 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. Police detained Peters as she allegedly tried to stop an officer from taking the iPad. This legislation sends a strong message that Florida is a safe place to raise children. [I]t would be another war I wouldve died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. Regt., and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. We were surrounded, and we were firing in all directions.. 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. In the days leading up to the fight for Hill 875, 4th ID units sought out the enemy south of Dak To. Assisting the LRS and 5th Group ODA were elements of the 82nd Airborne, Iowa National Guard, and ANA. . All told, the 1st Brigade lost 86 KIA during Dak To, with the 3rd Bn., 8th Inf., accounting for 46 KIA and 3rd Bn., 12th Inf., sacrificing 24 KIA. 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. (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. [46] During the battle, the brigade operated out of the northeastern part of the war zone along with the 196th Infantry Brigade (Separate), as four other brigades from the 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions attempted to surround and destroy the 9th Division in the War Zone. All Rights Reserved. Peters, a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist, is best known for being indicted last year on completely separate charges of election tampering and misconduct, after she allegedly breached voting equipment to try to prove the 2020 presidential election was stolen. In January 1966 they launched Operation Marauder, the first U.S. military operation in the Plain of Reeds. 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 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. [43], On 22 February 1967, the 173rd conducted Operation Junction City, the only combat parachute jump of the Vietnam War. Accessed 25 November 2015. (47.9 32.5 cm), Frame (outer): 26 3/8 20 3/8 1 1/4 in. Regt. 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. [73], In 2002, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (2-503rd) activated, providing a second infantry battalion. He was the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [7] The 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry colors were moved to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina to serve under the 82nd Airborne Division. 173rd Airborne Brigade - United States Army [108] 42 soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. 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.. Melzer betrayed his fellow soldiers and his country, FBI Counter Terrorism Assistant Director Robert R. Wells said following the sentencing. He was hit and killed later, still tending to the wounded. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. [20] The 173rd Brigade was selected to become a separate brigade and a special airborne task force, which could deploy rapidly and act independently. Ethan Phelan Melzer, aka Etil Reggad, 24, of Louisville, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information on June 24, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who imposed todays sentence. Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Kloepper assumes command of 173rd Airborne Brigade - United States Army The dust-offs started coming within 30 minutes. (Markus Rauchenberger/Army) A former Army private who pleaded guilty last year to plotting. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A transphobic parent could kidnap their trans child in violation of custody agreements and abscond to Florida and be protected by Florida law under this despite likely committing felony kidnapping in their home state, Caraballo said. was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which . Conetto, Al, "In the Beginning, there was the Hump,". it would be another war . ALSO IN THE NEWS: Americans belief in God hit an all-time low about 6 months ago here's why. 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. 173rd Airborne Afghanistan Veteran Enduring Freedom Patch Design Military Cap Black. 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. The training took place at the Yavoriv training center near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. But they certainly did no more than the many other non-elites did, like 4th Division grunts, the artillery and others.. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting for Murder Fellow Service Members in Deadly Ambush. The proposed bill is the latest among a string of measures targeting trans youth. During the battle, Father Watters had ventured outside the perimeter at least five times, carrying wounded troops back to the aid station. 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. Joshua Magbanua/U.S. remember that day and the jump that followed for the rest of our lives.. Soldier Admits Plotting with Neo-Nazi Cult to Kill Fellow Troops", "U.S. The U.S. camps represented a major roadblock at the southern end of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. 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.