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. Pfc. [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. 4th ID had to relocate their forces from Turkey to Kuwait and were subsequently slowed down in Baghdad. You slept with corpses. In April 1967, I was a first lieutenant commanding a rifle company in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. This video shows rare footage from an actual Vietcong ambush If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Regt. 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. 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. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. 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.. Melzer secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. 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. 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. [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". 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. (47.9 32.5 cm) Click here. Ex-Soldier Gets 45 Years Behind Bars for Plotting 'Jihadist Attack' on 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. [87] The jump took a total of 58seconds, though 32 paratroopers were unable to jump because they would have landed too far from the rest of the force. Russian Fighter Jet Shot Down By Friendly Fire [69] A U.S. Army report detailed a pattern of "cruelty and maltreatment" between March 1968 and October 1969. | "In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. A Tortured Past - Los Angeles Times 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. 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. [26], The brigade arrived in South Vietnam on 7 May 1965, the first major ground combat unit of the United States Army to serve in the country. Supported by A/2-503, the Americans moved up the hill and set up for the night. Four additional battalions were activated or designated at Bamberg and Schweinfurt, Germany. Melzer and O9A also transmitted this information to a purported member of al Qaeda in order to "maximize" the chances of an attack on his unit or future units at the location, the Justice Department said Friday. The surviving paratroopers of A Company hustled up the slope and into a perimeter formed by the beleaguered C and D companies. The obstruction charge carries a minimum sentence of six months in jail. Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fighting on Hill 823 during the Battle of Dak To. [77] This meant that the entire northern front of the war would be conducted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Army special forces operating with aircraft from Europe as their only supply line. "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. The 173rd had been operating near Bien Hoa Air Base outside Saigon and had been in combat only against NLF guerrillas. 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. As part of this intensive training, Melzer learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. Headquarters and Headquarters Company 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. McKinney. And vets of that proud unit feel the sting. [71] These inactivations, along with subsequent reorganization of U.S. Army divisions, saw several divisional brigades stationed in bases that were far from the division's headquarters and support units. Not long after its reactivation, elements were deployed to Kosovo as part of Operation Rapid Guardian in support of Kosovo Force (KFOR). Members of O9A have openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden, among others. 173rd Airborne Brigade in Kirkuk, Iraq (#152) - Any Soldier Sky Soldiers that died in the service of their country while in Iraq. 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. In 2020 he was told he would be transferred to a sensitive base in Turkey, which is when he allegedly began plotting the attack. The 173rds 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., led the assault. The brigade returned most recently from a deployment stretching from late 2013 to late 2014. In November 1967, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units were determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces. 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. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. [73], In 2002, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (2-503rd) activated, providing a second infantry battalion. Lethal Fire: Enemy and Friendly According to the after-action report, GIs sustained 242 KIA and 876 WIA in the battles between Nov. 2 and Dec. 1, 1967. The Department of Justice described his enlistment as an infiltration. 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. [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. In order to form a more lethal unit: the merging of the National Guard [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. A gavel rests on the judges bench in the courtroom of the 39th Air Base Wing legal office at Nov. 14, 2019, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. PDF Red devils: tactical perspectives from Iraq - Army University Press On May 18, 1967, its D Platoon went on a short patrol and chased a lone NVA scout, who led them into an ambush. According to survivors, he was on his knees giving last rites to a dying paratrooper when the bombs hit, killing him instantly. The 174th set up on Hill 875 about 10 miles southwest of Ben Het and less than a mile east of the Cambodian border. Close air support was impossible for the same reasons. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq - 173rdairborne.com [83] The use of the 173rd as a part of a special operations task force was a unique first in U.S. Army history. A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. According to the PAC, the maximum penalty for such a "prohibited corporate contribution" is five years in prison and fines of 200% of the value of the contribution. Regt ., and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. [98] On 21 February 2004, the brigade returned to Italy for a one-year rest before a new deployment.[5]. [88] In the weeks before there had been heavy rain and the mud created problems for those doing the jump. [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. 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. 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. Junger later wrote a highly acclaimed book, War, and, with Hetherington, produced the award-winning documentary, Restrepo, about the deployment. (See the sidebar on page 36 for the 4th IDs role.). "Todays sentence holds Mr. Melzer accountable for an egregious and shameful act of betrayal against his own military unit and his country," said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. 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. Russian Column Reacts To Ukrainian Ambush. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam - Collections 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. 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. [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. it would be another war . The package also includes a provision authorizing the state to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment if the establishment admits a child to a live adult performance that depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, or lewd exposure., Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law Schools Cyberlaw Clinic in a tweet described the measure as a full elimination of recognition and a limitation on access to care for all trans people, including adults.. The brigade was dispersed throughout the east of the country, with units operating in Kunar, Paktika, and Laghman Provinces. The centerpiece of the battle was the 110-hour fight for Hill 875. [78] They jumped from aircraft of the 62nd Airlift Wing, 446th Airlift Wing, 437th Airlift Wing and the 315th Airlift Wing ( this included the 728th Airlift Squadron), along with a Tactical Air Control Party of USAF Airmen from the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron[90] and the 786th Security Forces Squadron. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Manage Preferences Some 15 Army artillery batteries along with tactical air support provided immense firepower. [95] The unit then took part in Operation Peninsula Strike, quelling Ba'ath party resistance and other insurgent groups. The 173rd participated in the initial invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and had four tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 200506, 200708, 200910, and 201213. Former Army private sentenced to 45 years in neo-Nazi plot to kill [69] Herbert was relieved of his command shortly after reporting to his superior the war crimes he had witnessed. Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. 94,278 11 months ago. $13.98 $ 13. [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. [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. 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, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist group. Ethan Phelan Melzer, a 24-year-old from Louisville, Ky., pleaded guilty in June in a federal courtroom in New York 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, according to the Justice Department. In the days leading up to the fight for Hill 875, 4th ID units sought out the enemy south of Dak To. . The affidavit claims that Peters then attempted to kick an officer, and shouted when ordered to stop kicking. A South Vietnamese Marine, severely wounded in a Viet Cong ambush, is comforted by a comrade in a sugar-cane field at Duc Hoa, about 12 miles from Saigon, on August 5, 1963. . 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. 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. The group is a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist organization. Ex-soldier, a neo-Nazi, gets 45 years for plot to ambush his own unit Former U.S. army soldier sent to prison for planning the murder of The jungle is laced with vines and thorns, and in it live diverse snakes, a million leeches and about half the mosquitoes in the world. Another historian called the terrain probably the wildest in South Vietnam if not all Southeast Asia., CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY PHOTOS. [78] Task Force 1-63 consisted of HHC/1-63rd Armor, C/1-63rd Armor and B/2-2nd Infantry. 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. [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. [79] The force also received force field artillery headquarters from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery, which brought a Tactical Operations Center, a Q-36 counterfire radar and Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT)a pair of Dragoneye Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the US Marine Corps, to be operated by the Brigades Ground Surveillance Systems (GSS) team. After the brigade finally left South Vietnam in 1971, the greater portion of the province reverted to VC control. The PAVN, in turn, had moved almost 6,000 troops in four infantry regiments and one artillery regiment. 12/24/2003. [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. Neo-Nazi Soldier Who Plotted 'Jihadist Attack' on His Unit Gets 45 The next day, American forces advanced to Kirkuk during Operation Option North, hoping to control oil fields and military airfields in and around the city. The 1st and 2nd Battalions saw extensive action in eastern Logar and Wardak. Two more companies arrived after dark and provided much-needed food and water to the exhausted troopers. War Zone 'C' ambush of the 173rd Airborne during the - reddit He was the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. After he was notified of the assignment, Melzer joined his new unit and attended weeks of training, including classified and unclassified briefings, to prepare for the deployment. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 - old.506infantry.org The training took place at the Yavoriv training center near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. 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. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. While her case was underway, she ran for Secretary of State of Colorado, and lost the GOP primary. 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). He was arrested in June 20020 and pleaded guilty in 2022. A search of the battlefield revealed only 15 dead North Vietnamese. All Rights Reserved. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. [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. In-Depth Coverage . [103] Throughout their 15-month deployment, the brigade participated in more than 9,000 patrols throughout the region. [5], In mid-1968 at the instigation of II Corps commander General L Mng Lan, I Field Force, Vietnam commander General William R. Peers paired with the Brigade with the ARVN 22nd Division in Bnh nh Province in what was almost a replica of Operation Fairfax. Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | Military Wiki | Fandom 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. After. to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade . 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.
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