"Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group. This move was called the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) plan. . [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. 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. 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. [3] Div., charging up the south slope. The participating US units brought substantial air, artillery, engineer, and other support to the combined endeavor from their parent units, and American and Vietnamese commanders generally colocated command posts, shared a common area of operation, and planned and carried out operations together. Company D, 16th Armor was engaged in a battle that took place on 4 March 1968 at North Tuy Ha. 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. [citation needed]. 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. On 23 June, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment (1st Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division) arrived to bolster the 173rd. While there, he consumed extremists propaganda from O9A and the Islamic State. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. 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. The battalion lost 12 KIA. On 8 November 1965, the 173rd took part in Operation Hump, just north of Bin Ha on the outskirts of Saigon,[35] the capital of South Vietnam. All rights reserved. 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. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. 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. Company commanders pulled their troops back and called for more firepower. "He deserved punishment, but he also deserved the chance to prove he could do something positive with his life. The SSI would be given to them in May 1963. 5, March 1970 173rd Airborne Brigade Newsletter A bolt of an AK47 rifle betrayed an enemy ambush, and soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) turned the tables on the Viet Cong. Training also included securing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and treating and evacuating casualties. Marvinny and two other attorneys on Melzer's defense team argued in a sentencing memo last year that Melzer should get 15 years, plus 10 years' supervised release. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. 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. 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. 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? [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. 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 . On the afternoon of 21 November, both battalions moved out to take the crest. Web. The NVA poured thousands of troops into an area where the borders of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam meet. All rights reserved. The operation was a success, and the battered VC division fled. The changing face of the 173d Airborne Brigade now offers opportunies for both Female and Male individuals. [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. 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. A former soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to plot with a hate group to attack his unit. Resupply became a necessity, because of high ammunition expenditures and lack of water, but was impossible to accomplish: Six UH-1 helicopters were shot down or badly damaged that afternoon trying to get to 2503.[59]. [7], In August 2016 the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment became part of the brigade under the Army's Associated Unit Pilot Program. During the day, the company lost 8 men killed and 21 wounded. [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. SENATE GOP PLOTS CONFRONTATION OF WOKE PENTAGON AS MILITARY READINESS, MORALE PLUMMET, U.S Army badge is seen on a uniform of American soldier. 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. Read the full press release at the DOJ's website. Membership. In 2020 he was told he would be transferred to a sensitive base in Turkey, which is when he allegedly began plotting the attack. Private Olive's body absorbed the full, deadly blast of the grenade and he died saving his comrades. This week a former member of the Ohio National Guard was sentenced to six years in prison for manufacturing ghost guns and making threats against Jewish schools and synagogues. The enormous amounts of ordnance expended by both forces had turned the once-lush tropical jungle into a scarred and torn landscape.. Specifically, they sought to destroy Special Forces camps at Ben Het, about five miles east of the Cambodian border, and at Dak To, some 10 miles east of Ben Het. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist at campaign watchdog Public Citizen, explained to Business Insider Friday that non-monetary goods or services, including "non-public opposition research, provided to a candidate free of charge or at a discount for campaign purposes, is defined under the campaign finance law as an in-kind contribution, subject to the reporting requirements and contribution limits.". Download full-resolution image A former soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to plot with a hate group to attack his unit. Some 15 Army artillery batteries along with tactical air support provided immense firepower. 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. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Pfc. remember that day and the jump that followed for the rest of our lives.. Copyright 2023 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | 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. (Photo: U.S. Army) 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. [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". [18], In the late 1990s, Army leaders including General Eric Shinseki began shifting the Army force toward brigade centered operations. 1st Cavalry Division units1st Bn., 12th Cav Regt., and 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalryalso played a part in the campaign. [There were] heaps of dead after that bomb, a survivor remembered. it would be another war . He was hit and killed later, still tending to the wounded. Seventeen soldiers from the brigade died during this deployment. [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. 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. He was arrested by the FBI on June 10, 2022 after investigators claimed he gave sensitive military information to the Order of Nine Angles, a British neo-Nazi Satanist group with pro-Jihadi views that encourages extreme violence in an effort to destabilize society and attempts to overthrow what it views as Jewish control of global culture and economics. [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. 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. General Deane sent his forces 20 kilometres (12mi) west and southwest of Dak To to search for the PAVN 24th Regiment. In November 1967, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units were determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Casper platoon was part of the HHC 173rd Airborne Brigade and its members wore the brigade patch. 173RD Airborne Brigade Sergeant Major CSM Christopher D. Clapin CSM Christopher D. Clapin entered active duty service on 7 January, 1998. The 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry (Mech), 173d Airborne Brigade has the mission of keeping open and securing the section of Route 19 from An Khe Pass to the 4th Infantry Division's area of operations. Melzer pleaded guilty in June 2022 to charges of attempted murder of U.S. Army soldiers, illegally sharing national security information and providing and attempting to provide terrorists with material support. [3][15], From 1961 to 1963, the Army began reorganizing its force so that each division would have a similar structure, which would vary depending on the type of division it was. [70] However, with the ending of conscription following America's disengagement from Vietnam, many of the Army's formations had to be rebuilt for the volunteer force. [24], In mid-1967, the 4th Infantry Division's 1st and 2nd Brigades conducting Operation Francis Marion in western Kon Tum Province were making heavy contact with People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces. Fox News' chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin provides details on Retired Green Beret Col. Paris Davis' military career. The unit fought in the Iron Triangle, a VC stronghold north of Saigon,[35][39] seeing many engagements with VC forces during that time. In the 1987 movie Lethal Weapon, the patch worn by Danny Glover's fictional character Roger Murtaugh during a retrospective of his time in Vietnam was that of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. In May 2020, Melzer joined a unit set to deploy to Turkey, according to the Justice Department. Regt. It. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The next morning, Nov. 20, 4th Bn., 503rd Inf., set out to relieve the 2nd Battalion paratroopers. [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. He also advised them that PAVN regulars were a much better equipped and motivated force than the VC. The anguished cries of the wounded are what they remember most. One of the few combat operations that brigade conducted during this time was an amphibious assault against PAVN/VC forces as part of an operation to clear the rice-growing lowlands along the Bong Son littoral. [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. The next day, Pfc. The DUI was also inscribed "Sky Soldiers" as homage to the nickname that the Taiwanese soldiers had given them. [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. Though they were severely bloodied, the paratroopers inflicted even heavier losses on the NVA. On Nov. 23, the 4th Battalion from the north slope coordinated a final assault on the hilltop with the 1st Bn., 12th Inf., 4th Inf. The 23rd and 26th Mike Force companies (indigenous outfits led by Green Berets) were engaged as well. 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. William G. Cromie's medal was presented by Maj.. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. [69] A U.S. Army report detailed a pattern of "cruelty and maltreatment" between March 1968 and October 1969. The brigade returned to Europe and home station after once again proving itself in combat throughout the eastern mountains of Afghanistan. [141][142], Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions as a rifle team leader in Company B, 2503 INF (Airborne) when his squad was caught in a near-ambush the night of 25 October 2007 during Operation Rock Avalanche in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. 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. The weather, however, during the Nov. 1-23 continuous battles was excellent, according to F. Clifton Berry, Jr., in The Illustrated History of Sky Soldiers, The Vietnam War, with dry conditions and daily high and low temperatures between 91 and 55 degrees. Headquarters and Headquarters Company One of the most notable units to operate out of a FOB was the brigade's 74th Long-Range Surveillance (LRS) detachment. to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade . In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Melzer, who is from Louisville, Ky., joined the Army in 2018. [82] This force was assisted by Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and tasked with attacking key airfield and oil production positions deep in northern Iraq. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. [82] A few days later, the 173rd and 10th Special Forces Group departed for northern Iraq. They participated in Operation Crimp in 1966, a failed attempt to root out VC forces from the C Chi tunnels. Market data provided by Factset. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to provide a Europe-based neo-Nazi, Satanist, and pro-jihadist group by giving it classified information to attack his unit, federal prosecutors said Friday. These warnings, however, made little impression on the paratroopers, who were about to become victims of their own overconfidence. [69] Herbert was relieved of his command shortly after reporting to his superior the war crimes he had witnessed. Former Army private Ethan Melzer planned to ambush soldiers and cause a "mass casualty" attack in the service of a Neo-Nazi group. 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.. Melzer also wrote that he was expecting results and was willing to die to further the agenda of the Order of the Nine Angles. [89] The paratroopers secured the airfield, allowing the C-17s to land and bring in the heavy armor and the 163rd Armor contingents. [74] The unit finally reached "initial operating capability" on 14 March 2003, with all units ready for deployment. Unknown to the Americans, they had walked into a carefully prepared ambush by the 2nd Battalion of the 174th PAVN Regiment. . III, No. Companies C and D started up the hill at 9:43 a.m., with A Company providing rear security and attempting to cut out a landing zone at the bottom. 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. Melzer was listed Friday as an inmate at Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn in New York, according to the Bureau of Prisons. "Melzer allegedly attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his own unit by unlawfully revealing its location, strength, and armaments to a neo-Nazi, anarchist, white supremacist group, then-Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time, Audrey Strauss, said in a statement at the time. most respected brigade in the army. 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.". "[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. Del Din hosts 173rd Brigade Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, the Brigade Support Battalion, and the Brigade Special Troops Battalion. Nine soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. [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. 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. The 173rd was also assigned Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry. [103] Throughout their 15-month deployment, the brigade participated in more than 9,000 patrols throughout the region. [25] They took their theme song from the television series Rawhide. [20] The brigade was also the only separate brigade to receive its own tank company,[21] in the form of Company D, 16th Armor. All Rights Reserved. C and D companies soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction. 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 . The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. 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. (46.7 31.4 cm), Sheet: 18 7/8 12 13/16 in. The unit did this to cover some of the spaces in Southern Europe that have opened up with the withdraw of other American forces from the area. 2023 Stars and Stripes. Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fighting on Hill 823 during the Battle of Dak To. 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. Afghan War veteran Sgt Ryan Pitts, also of the 503rd, received the Medal of Honor later that year. 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. The complaint also argues that the Trump campaign broke the law by not disclosing the contribution. [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. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers. Members of O9A have openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden, among others. 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. 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. [3][18] After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was posted at Birmingham, Alabama from 1947 until 1951. MICHAEL LEVENSON. 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. 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. Soldiers accidentally entered and secured a sunflower oil factory next to the airfield while it was operating. .] Melzer was taken into custody by the FBI on June 10, 2020. This work, B-Roll Package: Squad Ambush with Cypriot Troops, by SGT Mariah Gonzalez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. [3] The reorganized brigade consolidated at a single location in Vicenza, Italy. 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.. [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.

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