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

Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. A girl. Watters. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. He was arrested in June 20020 and pleaded guilty in 2022. O9A espouses neo-Nazi, antisemitic and Satanic beliefs and promotes extreme violence to accelerate and cause the demise of Western civilization. The 3rd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment (3-319th) of the 82nd Airborne Division, was attached to the brigade and organized as a maneuver task force (Task Force Gun Devil). General Deane sent his forces 20 kilometres (12mi) west and southwest of Dak To to search for the PAVN 24th Regiment. [103] Throughout their 15-month deployment, the brigade participated in more than 9,000 patrols throughout the region. 4th ID had to relocate their forces from Turkey to Kuwait and were subsequently slowed down in Baghdad. [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. During this operation multiple buildings belonging to the airfield were secured. At 06:58 the following morning, Alpha Company began moving alone up a ridge finger and triggered an ambush by the 6th Battalion of the 24th PAVN Regiment. contact us. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. or redistributed. [6] Controlling the oil fields had been a specific operational goal of the Task Force[85] because they were viewed as the most valuable strategic asset in northern Iraq. If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Following his time in service . [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. . 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. He was hit and killed later, still tending to the wounded. A search of the battlefield revealed only 15 dead North Vietnamese. Yashinski, Michael E. SGT. [citation needed]. All rights reserved. [78] VCorps was not able to surround Baghdad as quickly as it had hoped because of a lack of available forces in the north. [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. 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. In command for five months, I had been assured that I would be leading the company for one year, which suited me fine. 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. [The 173rd] were good soldiers and did their fair share, said Steve Stark, who was an artillery liaison specialist with 6th Bn., 29th Artillery, 1st Bde., 4th Inf. "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," the Justice Department said. mfah.org/terms. It would be in combat 12 days later. Short Range Ambush Platoon 1968 - 1969. [62] Combined with noncombatant losses, this represented one-fifth of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's total strength. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. it would be another war . Neither Fox nor the Trump campaign could be immediately reached for comment by Raw Story. U.S Army badge is seen on a uniform of American soldier. Fox Corporations blatant and cavalier act is a prohibited corporate contribution," she added. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. [88] In the weeks before there had been heavy rain and the mud created problems for those doing the jump. . They participated in Operation Crimp in 1966, a failed attempt to root out VC forces from the C Chi tunnels. [5] It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's VCorps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe. Reproduced from VFW Magazine, March 2006 issue, article by Tim Dyhouse. 12/24/2003. Official websites use .gov Abandoned weapons, helmets, rucksacks, clothing, canteens and empty ration containers littered the battlefield. The artist, Queensland, Australia; purchased by MFAH, 2010. [32] The brigade was put under the command of IIField Force, Vietnam. 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 . Melzer was taken into custody by the FBI on June 10, 2020. [3] The reorganized brigade consolidated at a single location in Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe.[3]. verso bottom right in pencil "Ambush of 173rd airborne / Iron Triangle 9/1965" in pencil on stamp "2/2k8" Signed in pencil on verso lower right: "Tim Page 8/25" Circular stamp on verso lower right: "chromacolour.com.au * / ARCHIVAL / ILFOCHROME / CLASSIC" Cataloguing data may change with further research. [132], Numerous servicemen from the 173rd, mostly from the Vietnam era, gained notability after their military careers ended. 12 June 2005. [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). And about 60 of the dead paratroop-ers29%were killed by friendly fire.. was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which . Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. (Department of Justice). [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. [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". After the new units were integrated into the brigade, the preponderance of the forces within the brigade were stationed in Germany, apart from the brigade headquarters in Italy. 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. [98] On 21 February 2004, the brigade returned to Italy for a one-year rest before a new deployment.[5]. As the father of four young boys, I know that childhood is as special as it is short. 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. (Photo: U.S. Army) Melzer sent messages to members and associates of O9A and, in particular, a sub-group of O9A known as the RapeWaffen Division, providing details about his units anticipated deployment including troop movements, relevant dates, locations, armaments, topography, and security, all in connection with the proposed attack on his unit and the Military Base. During fierce, close-quarters fighting, some of the paratroopers made it into the PAVN trench line but were ordered to pull back as darkness fell. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam Tim Page/Corbis Expand Favorite Artist Tim Page British, 1944-2022 Titles Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam Date 1965, printed 2004 Place Vietnam Medium Silver dye bleach print Dimensions Image: 18 3/8 12 3/8 in. . The soldiers chose to have it contain a parachute and dagger to symbolize their participation in Operation Junction City and the other heavy fighting they had been through. Privacy Policy. Upon learning the importance and sensitivity of his upcoming deployment, Melzer immediately began passing that information to members of O9A. So heavy, in fact, that the NVAs 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments were unable to participate in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Email: wambicook@aol.com [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 Americans reacted to the NVA buildup by launching Operation Mac-Arthur, with the 4th Infantry Division assuming operational control over the 173rd Airborne Brigade. It was reorganized in December 1921 at Mobile, Alabama, redesignated on 23 March 1925 as the HHC 173rd Brigade, and redesignated as HHC 173rd Infantry Brigade on 24 August 1936. Nov. 18 saw the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf., lose seven KIA on Hill 882, while D Company of the 4th Battalion had six dead to friendly fire.. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Melzer was convicted of attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. 501FSC, 173rd Abn Bde. Company D, 16th Armor was engaged in a battle that took place on 4 March 1968 at North Tuy Ha. The 2-503rd conducted combat operations in Zabul Province. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. "Operation Rapid Guardian III 10 Years Ago", "U.S. forces find suspected gold cache in Iraq", "Enemy, Arms Captured During Operation Bayonet Lightning", "TIOH Heraldry Special Troops Battalion, 173 Airborne Brigade", Infantry Training Reinforces Combat Skills, Commander: Media reports on Afghanistan outpost battle were exaggerated, "ABC News: Even 500Lbs Bombs Couldn't Stop Taliban", "U.S. troops quit remote Afghan base after attack", "Army Prepares for Next Rotations in OEF", "DOD Announces U.S. Army In Europe Force Structure Changes", Ukraine crisis: France suspends delivery of Russian warship; US to send 200 troops as Putin talks of ceasefire, "Nagyszabs amerikai-magyar hadgyakorlat lesz", USAREUR to increase Baltic presence ahead of Russian war game, 173rd Airborne Brigade to head north and south, Russia's Zapad war games unnerve the West, "United States of America vs. Ethan Phelan Melzer", "U.S. Army Soldier Charged in Neo-Nazi Plot to Attack Fellow Troops", "Soldier Used Upcoming Deployment to Plan Deadly Attack on Unit, Indictment States", "US Army soldier accused of trying to help Satanic neo-Nazi group attack his own unit", "U.S. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. Click here. [106] The brigade repositioned the base three days later. [68], After widely publicized reports by battalion commander Lt. Col. Anthony Herbert, investigators confirmed that military interrogators of the 173rd Airborne Brigade "repeatedly beat prisoners, tortured them with electric shocks and forced water down their throats". . An official website of the United States government. 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. Among the first ground combat troops in northern Iraq, Haynes parachuted in this time with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. . (Markus Rauchenberger/Army) A former Army private who pleaded guilty last year to plotting. On 23 June, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment (1st Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division) arrived to bolster the 173rd. ", 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. Web. 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. [16] The brigade deployed to France along with the rest of the division in September 1918, but it did not participate in any campaigns and never saw combat, instead being utilized as a pool of laborers and reinforcements for frontline units. [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. Bringing the 173d Airborne . [119][122][121] The paratrooper was charged with leaking classified information (including the unit's location) to the RapeWaffen Division and the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a European Satanic occult-based neo-Nazi and white supremacist group that is also anti-Semitic, and has expressed admiration for Nazis such as Adolf Hitler and Islamic jihadists. First Military Choice. A former soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to plot with a hate group to attack his unit. [104] Journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington were embedded with Battle Company of 2nd Battalion which saw extensive action in the Korengal Valley. remember that day and the jump that followed for the rest of our lives.. 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. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting for Murder Fellow Service Members in Deadly Ambush. 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. Hebert's patrol was caught in a midnight ambush as it crossed what has become known the "Bridge of Death." 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. The next day, Pfc. Within a week these units began to fall apart due to desertions. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. . Privacy Policy | For corrections contact corrections@rawstory.com, for support contact support@rawstory.com. 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. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq. [92] On 10 April the brigade was able to move into the city, securing it after a short urban battle. DEDICATION. On Nov. 20, 1967, Pfc. [63] For its combined actions during operations around Dak To, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. 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. 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.. No reviews. Also in the mix were six ARVN battalions. 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. The 173d, composed of two airborne infantry battalions and associated artillery, reconnaissance, and support elements was essentially given the mission originally assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, that of opening a [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". Non-hostile - electrocution. Russian Column Reacts To Ukrainian Ambush. In May 2020, Melzer joined a unit set to deploy to Turkey, according to the Justice Department. 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. In order to successfully accomplish this mission, the battalion . [23] The soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade created a patch with a wing on it to symbolize their status as an airborne unit, along with red, white, and blue, the national colors of the United States. While there, he consumed extremists propaganda from O9A and the Islamic State. He had been quietly discharged from the Ohio National Guard last year after his arrest, Military.com reported. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. Army paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct a combined arms exercise in Germany. [69] A U.S. Army report detailed a pattern of "cruelty and maltreatment" between March 1968 and October 1969. A class of prime youth shredded in seconds. One of these was the 101st Airborne Division, which had also been redeployed to Fort Campbell. 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. [102] In the early 2007, the 173rd again deployed to Afghanistan, as Task Force Bayonet, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF 0709),[102] their first deployment as a fully transformed brigade combat team. $6.98 delivery Mar 14 - Apr 4 . The 173rds 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., led the assault. .] Engineers of 1st Air Cav at Chu Phong Mt. 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. Kirkuk. 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.. [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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. By Nov. 19, the NVAs 174th Regiment, moving south along the Laos/Cambodia border, had covered the retreat of the 66th Regiment. [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. 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. 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th battalions of the 503rd Inf. They were ambushed by approximately 1,200 VC fighters, suffering 48 deaths. He was arrested in May 2020 while in Italy, before he could carry it out. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The acrid odor of decaying and rotting flesh combined with the smells of vomit, feces, urine, blood, gunpowder and napalm etched itself permanently into the memories of those who were on Hill 875, Murphy wrote. 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. from around the world. [citation needed], In July 2012, the 173rd IBCT(A) once again deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Bayonet to relieve the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Task Force Bulldog in the Logar and Wardak Provinces. 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. 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. [I]t would be another war I wouldve died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. By October, the 173rd, the 4th Infantry Division, and six ARVN battalions were moved to Dak To. Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division. On 1 December 1951, the troop was inactivated and released from its assignment to the 87th Infantry Division. 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. 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 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. Lozadas actions garnered him a posthumous Medal of Honor. Training also included securing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and treating and evacuating casualties. BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. At its peak of its deployment in Vietnam, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) comprised over 7,000 soldiers. [43], On 22 February 1967, the 173rd conducted Operation Junction City, the only combat parachute jump of the Vietnam War. 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.