To further the attack plan, Melzer and his co-conspirators passed these messages to a purported member of al Qaeda. 12/24/2003. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. [26][31] As larger US Army commands were established in Vietnam, the brigade was assigned to the IIICorps and IICorps tactical zone, which they would serve in for the next six years. Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team . He was arrested May 30 at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza. Regt. The song was based on the story of Niles Harris, a member of the 173rd, during Operation Hump. no news. Manage Preferences 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 fire training exercise in Larnaca, Cyprus, Feb. 16, 2023, as part of Exercise Silver Falcon 23. ", 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. [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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Murdoch's alleged hand-off of the confidential information to Kushner was revealed this week as part of the $1.6 billion Dominion Voting Systems defamation case against Fox News and the Fox Corp. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. William G. Cromie's medal was presented by Maj.. Harold B. Birch, battalion commander at the time, recalled that about 14 Red Warriors were wounded in the attack, some by a misdirected American helicopter gunship.. From April 1969 until its withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1971, the brigade served in Bnh nh Province. 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. In May 2020, Melzer was reassigned to a unit preparing for deployment. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images), Black Vietnam veteran receives long-awaited Medal of Honor. In January 1966 they launched Operation Marauder, the first U.S. military operation in the Plain of Reeds. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. (See the sidebar on page 36 for the 4th IDs role.). Want to write for Task & Purpose? [5][12][13], The 173rd Infantry Brigade was constituted on 5 August 1917 as an infantry brigade and organized on 25 August at Camp Pike, Arkansas,[14] as an element of the 87th Division[15] along with the 174th Infantry Brigade. [70] The brigade was inactivated on 14 January 1972 at the fort,[5] and its assets were used to form the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, a parachute component within the airmobile 101st. U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade and Cypriot troops train on the M4A1, Tavor x95, MG3, Negev 7.62, and RPG-7V in Larnaca . Todays sentence took that opportunity from him.". 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. [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. [6] During the operation, some of the troops discovered at least two caches of Iraqi gold, totaling more than 2,000 bars. [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. The 173rd Support Battalion and the 173rd Combat Support Company provided logistical support from Kandahar, while sending individual soldiers to assist at other forward operating bases. According to survivors, he was on his knees giving last rites to a dying paratrooper when the bombs hit, killing him instantly. Lozadas actions garnered him a posthumous Medal of Honor. [7] The 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry colors were moved to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina to serve under the 82nd Airborne Division. According to court documents, Melzer planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. 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 (O9A), a white supremacist Satanist, neo-Nazi, and pro-jihadist group. He also allegedly said he shared Biden's debate strategy during the 2020 campaign with Kushner. Opposing them at one time or another were the NVAs 24th, 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments, totaling 7,000 men, constituting the NVA 1st Infantry Division. The brigade was dispersed throughout the east of the country, with units operating in Kunar, Paktika, and Laghman Provinces. The enemy loss in lives was about four times that of the allies.. Seven soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. 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 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. [78] VCorps was not able to surround Baghdad as quickly as it had hoped because of a lack of available forces in the north. 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. An official website of the United States government. Image Saber Strike 15 - Apaches take Flight. The company was able to take the hill but suffered 9 dead and 28 wounded. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Legal Statement. Phone: (626)664-0219. [3] This was the brigade's fifth deployment since 2003, their fourth to Afghanistan as they prepare for a complete transition of the security of Afghanistan to the Afghan National Security Forces. U.S Army badge is seen on a uniform of American soldier. "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. [93] The brigade used field artillery assets, as well as coordinated airstrikes to attack Iraqi Republican Guard units defending the city. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. Given the province and its three major districts saw a massive influx of both foreign and domestic fighters due to the relatively calm winter prior to the brigade's arrival, its company-sized and platoon-sized elements found themselves in combat against anti-Coalition forces almost daily from the start of March 2010 until its relief. February 15th, DVIDS Hub works best with JavaScript enabled, Version: 89f6906e9817dc7b192edf8e8d786e2b331150b5_2023-02-27T10:21:17, B-Roll Package: Squad Ambush with Cypriot Troops, Strategic Bnh nh was not easily pacified by military action alone. Last year a former member of an Air Force security team was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a police officer in the name of sparking a second civil war. [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. Gen. John W. Barnes officially ended the unit's pair-off program and replaced it with Operation Washington Green, an intensive area security effort with territorial and paramilitary forces in Bnh nh Province. [123][124][122][120][121][119][125] He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. He was dead, but he kept me warm.. 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. US Army soldier gets 45 years for neo-Nazi plot to ambush his own paratrooper unit . most respected brigade in the army. [66] The company commander, Captain Robert Helmick, was awarded the DSC. Cataloguing data may change with further research. 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. 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. Regt. In May 2020, the Army told Melzer he would be assigned to another unit slated for deployment where they would be guarding a military base. The sign had read "American who read this die. (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. Those of us fortunate enough to be there will. These brigades had difficulty operating without support from higher headquarters. [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. Melzers sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. 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. He acknowledged that would likely be killed if he carried out the attack, writing, who gives a f--- [. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Friday to 45 years in prison, the maximum, for plotting what prosecutors described as a "murderous ambush" overseas on members of his own troop. Supporting the Veterans, Soldiers and Friends of the 4th Infantry Division Since 1919. In fact, the first significant contacts were made by its elements on Nov. 3-4 around Hill 1338. Former Army soldier Ethan Melzer was sentenced to more than four decades in prison for an attempted plot to ambush and kill his comrades in a jihadi attack while deployed abroad. Melzer, who also goes by the name Etil Reggad, joined the Army in 2018. In 2019, he deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, prosecutors said. 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. Company D, 16th Armor was engaged in a battle that took place on 4 March 1968 at North Tuy Ha. For the medics in the mix, casualties represented far more than statistics. The following day, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam's (ARVN) elite 1st Airborne Task Force (the 5th and 8th Battalions) and the 3rd Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division (5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry; and an additional infantry battalion) arrived to conduct search and destroy operations north and northeast of Kon Tum. Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division. 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. Forward-based in Italy and Germany, the Brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build interoperability and . Download full-resolution image Also in the mix were six ARVN battalions. 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. A girl. In 2020 he was told he would be transferred to a sensitive base in Turkey, which is when he allegedly began plotting the attack. 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 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. Market data provided by Factset. [139], Sixteen soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor for service with the 173rd IBCT(A) and its subordinate units. Melzers proposed attack evolved as he gathered and distributed additional sensitive information about the deployment. Nicholas Slayton 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 . Specifically, Melzer corresponded with individuals belonging to an O9A subgroup known as the RapeWaffen Division, which is known to promote rape and murder as weapons in the groups pursuit of a race war. [citation needed]. Melzer is a 22-year-old infantryman assigned to the 173rd Airborne's 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, in Vicenza, Italy, 173rd spokesman Maj. Chris Bradley told Military.com. He said Melzer's fellow paratroopers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were left feeling angry as . At 6:58 p.m., a Marine Corps fighter-bomber mistakenly dropped two 500-pound bombs on the U.S. position. Assistant U.S. [43], On 22 February 1967, the 173rd conducted Operation Junction City, the only combat parachute jump of the Vietnam War. The plan eliminated regiments but reintroduced brigades to the Army's structure, allowing three brigades to a division. Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed for attempted murder Sky Palma. [105] Though the platoon was able to drive the insurgents back with air support, the fight resulted in 9 soldiers killed and 16 wounded; the deadliest attack on troops in the country since 2005. Deadly Prelude The Battle of Dak To was actually a series of intense clashes culminating in the decisive battle for Hill 875. There is something gut-wrenching about severely wounded men that I will never forget, recalled Earle Jackson, a 173rd medic who served on Hill 875. 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. 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. $13.98 $ 13. [61], The battle of Hill 875 had cost 2-503 87 killed, 130 wounded, and three missing. These contacts prompted division commander Major General William R. Peers to request reinforcement and, as a result, on 17 June, two battalions of Brigadier General John R. Deane's 173rd Airborne Brigade were moved into the Dak To area to begin sweeping the jungle-covered mountains in Operation Greeley. cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark. Melzer also acknowledged in his messages that he deleted some of the communications regarding the planning of the attack because the plot amounted to treason. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. The next day, Pfc. 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th battalions of the 503rd Inf. Supported by A/2-503, the Americans moved up the hill and set up for the night. Div., at Dak To. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS "[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. The brigade was the first major United States Army ground formation deployed in Vietnam, serving there from 1965 to 1971 and losing 1,533 soldiers. U.S. losses were 20 killed, 154 wounded, and two missing. Of the 3,200 paratroopers from the 173rd deployed to Dak To, 27% were either killed (208) or wounded (645). [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. | I would've died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark," authorities said. 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. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. Gold Star, Active Duty, etc.). (47.9 32.5 cm) A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Friday to 45 years in prison, the maximum, for plotting what prosecutors described as a "murderous ambush" overseas on members of his own troop. 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. Reproduced from VFW Magazine, March 2006 issue, article by Tim Dyhouse. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The bill is part of a package of so-called parental empowerment and child safety legislation that includes a ban on instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity for students through Grade 8, and requiring licensed health care facilities to attest that they do not provide sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures to patients under 18 years of age, the State Senates office announced in a news release. [64], The intense fighting during the Battle of Dak To took a heavy human toll on the 173rd. Neither Fox nor the Trump campaign could be immediately reached for comment by Raw Story. Afghan War veteran Sgt Ryan Pitts, also of the 503rd, received the Medal of Honor later that year. Del Din hosts 173rd Brigade Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, the Brigade Support Battalion, and the Brigade Special Troops Battalion. At that time, he consumed propaganda from several extremist groups. [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. 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. "He deserved punishment, but he also deserved the chance to prove he could do something positive with his life. Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fighting on Hill 823 during the Battle of Dak To. 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. It was then, they contend, that Melzer broadened his extremism diet, consuming propaganda from the group then known as ISIS, or the Islamic State. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. "He is not the unrepentant monster the prosecutors and the Court portrayed him to be," defense attorney Jonathan Marvinny said by email. 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. Watters. [5] The 173rd incurred 1,533 deaths and around 6,000 wounded. Justin Hebert was killed on Aug. 1. [32] The brigade was put under the command of IIField Force, Vietnam. U.S. aircraft hit enemy positions as close as 50 meters to the perimeter as GIs dug in for an NVA night attack. 173rd Airborne Brigade deploys to South Vietnam The lead element of the 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers"), stationed in Okinawa, departs for South Vietnam. In approximately October 2019, MELZER deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. 173rd Airborne Afghanistan Veteran Enduring Freedom Patch Design Military Cap Black. it would be another war . After the brigade finally left South Vietnam in 1971, the greater portion of the province reverted to VC control. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. 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. Ethan Melzer displays personal effects, including paraphernalia associated with the extremist group Order of the Nine Angles. [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. The enormous amounts of ordnance expended by both forces had turned the once-lush tropical jungle into a scarred and torn landscape.. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. Online. Melzer and his unit also received in-depth training about and practiced for numerous threat scenarios at the Military Base, including how to respond to various potential terrorist attack scenarios. Soldier charged with plotting 'mass casualty' attack on his own unit", "Army soldier charged with giving classified info to satanic neo-Nazi group", "Press Release - Statement regarding incident in Cheshnegirovo", "Big and Rich talk about inspiration behind their '8 November', "Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0886", "Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam (A-L)", "Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam (M-Z)", "Readout of the President's call with Specialist Salvatore Giunta", "Former sergeant to receive Medal of Honor for Afghanistan actions. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq. The LRS detachment was also tasked at times for recon and intel gathering for other brigade assets, and target acquisition and designation for U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and RAF aircraft. 25th Div Support Troops Taking Cover from Prop Wash. Soon, U.S. air strikes and artillery fire were being called in, but they had little effect on the battle because of the dense foliage on the hillside. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. I wouldve died successfully . The centerpiece of the battle was the 110-hour fight for Hill 875.