But there was a silver lining: Investigators . 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. [102] The 173rd IBCT(A) officially relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division on 6 June 2007.[102]. They were ambushed by approximately 1,200 VC fighters, suffering 48 deaths. When he learned in 2020 that his unit would help guard a sensitive military installation overseas, he transmitted location, schedule and security information to the O9A subgroup known as RapeWaffen Division, prosecutors said. The Brigade deployed to France in 1918 as part of the Division, but did participate in any named campaigns. Former Pvt. Neo-Nazi Soldier Who Plotted 'Jihadist Attack' on His Unit Gets 45 Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed for attempted murder Sky Palma. 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. [75], In 2003, as preparations were being made for Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was assigned to be a part of an assault from the north of Iraq. ", 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. 74th LRS operated out of FOB Price near the town of Gereshk in the Helmand Province. At that time, he consumed propaganda from several extremist groups. 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. The 173rds rifle companies sustained some 90% of the units casualties. Of the 137 men that comprised the unit, 76 had been killed and another 23 wounded. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. [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. If the allegations are true in the Dominion filing, "this is precisely what Murdoch provided to the Trump campaign," he said. A U.S. soldier wears an Army Airborne patch during military drills in Kazlu Ruda, Lithuania, on March 1, 2022. prosecutors alleged that Melzer intended to spark a jihadist terror attack on his own unit. Parents would be allowed to kidnap their children and take them out of state if they are receiving gender-affirming care or are considered at risk of receiving such care under a proposed Florida law, Vice News reports. No reviews. Pfc. Tiffany Muller, president of the End Citizens United PAC, called on the FEC to "immediately investigate," according to a copy of the complaint provided to NBC News. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! "Grand Junction Police approached Peters in a bagel shop in Feb. 8, 2022, to execute a warrant related to her iPad, on which she is suspected of improperly recording a court hearing for her deputy clerk," said the report. [49] Charlie Company was ordered to support, but heavy vegetation and difficult terrain made movement extremely difficult. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe.[3]. Following on the heels of TF Blacks ordeal, A and B companies from the 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., fought for more than four hours near Fire Support Base 16, located about five miles south of Hill 823. [113], In March 2015, a 173rd Airborne battalion of around 600 American paratroopers headed to Ukraine to train Ukrainian national guard troops. A former member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison on Friday for plotting with a white supremacist group to attack his fellow soldiers, officials . Deadly Prelude The Battle of Dak To was actually a series of intense clashes culminating in the decisive battle for Hill 875. [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. "Jurors found Peters guilty of obstruction of government operations but acquitted her on a charge of obstruction of a peace officer. They earned the nickname Tien Bing (Chinese: ), literally Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers. [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. (Photo: U.S. Army) 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 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. Former Army soldier who plotted 'jihadi attack' on fellow service [66] The company commander, Captain Robert Helmick, was awarded the DSC. 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. According to the Department of Justice, Melzer, 24, communicated not only with O9A members but also alleged members of al-Qaeda. Ex-soldier, a neo-Nazi, gets 45 years for plot to ambush his own unit [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. U.S. aircraft hit enemy positions as close as 50 meters to the perimeter as GIs dug in for an NVA night attack. 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. Ambush by VC Foiled, March 1970 Ambush by VC Foiled from Vol. Ethan Melzer displays personal effects, including paraphernalia associated with the extremist group Order of the Nine Angles. During the battle, Father Watters had ventured outside the perimeter at least five times, carrying wounded troops back to the aid station. [104] Journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington were embedded with Battle Company of 2nd Battalion which saw extensive action in the Korengal Valley. The platoon was surrounded and wiped out with 22 killed and one missing. [W]ho gives a f---? he wrote. In April 1967, I was a first lieutenant commanding a rifle company in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. . In an instant, he leaped on the device, shielding the blast with his body. The 4th Infantry Divisions 1st Brigade included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 8th Inf. Members of O9A have openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden, among others. [37] Late in August 1966, the 173rd received another infantry battalion, the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. [86] The force had been strung out over a 10,000-yard drop zone, and it took 15 hours before it was completely assembled. 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.. 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. 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. 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 . We treated around 1,200 wounded during the period of the battle, said William J. Shaffer, who served as the executive officer of B Co., 4th Medical Bn. Ex-Soldier Gets 45 Years Behind Bars for Plotting 'Jihadist Attack' on 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. to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade . Jon Simkins is a writer and editor for Military Times, and a USMC veteran. [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. To walk away from Hill 875 would have diminished the importance of their sacrifices, Murphy concluded. Russian Fighter Jet Shot Down By Friendly Fire The 1-508th (minus Company B) conducted combat operations in eastern Afghanistan, attached to 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. . 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. Melzer and his co-conspirators used this information to plan what they referred to as a jihadi attack with the objective of causing a mass casualty event victimizing his fellow service members. .] Army paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct a combined arms exercise in Germany. Cataloguing data may change with further research. 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. Russian Tank Gets Absolutely Shredded by Ukrainian Fire. Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. [106] The brigade repositioned the base three days later. Interrogators also employed a technique called the "water rag", which involved pouring water onto a rag covering the captive's nose and mouth, which creates the sensatation of drowning and can lead to death by asphyxiation. By unlawfully disclosing his unit's location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers . [115], In 2017, some 600 personnel (1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment) were deployed to the Baltic countries to be positioned in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia for six weeks to coincide with the duration of the joint Russian/Belarusian strategic Zapad 2017 exercise that began 14 September 2017.[116][117][118]. Todays sentence holds Mr. Melzer accountable for an egregious and shameful act of betrayal against his own military unit and his country, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. He was hit and killed later, still tending to the wounded. [20] The brigade was also the only separate brigade to receive its own tank company,[21] in the form of Company D, 16th Armor. 173rd Airborne trooper dives onto live grenade, saving comrades 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. After the end of major combat operations in mid-2003, the 173rd Airborne Brigade did not engage in any major battles, though it was regularly involved in skirmishes with Iraqi insurgents. 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. 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. [83] The use of the 173rd as a part of a special operations task force was a unique first in U.S. Army history. [132], Numerous servicemen from the 173rd, mostly from the Vietnam era, gained notability after their military careers ended. [98] On 21 February 2004, the brigade returned to Italy for a one-year rest before a new deployment.[5]. 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. Have You Heard of the 173rd - YouTube Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Attempting The 2-503rd conducted combat operations in Zabul Province. Junger later wrote a highly acclaimed book, War, and, with Hetherington, produced the award-winning documentary, Restrepo, about the deployment. C/4-503 was then assigned the mission of relieving Task Force Black and they too encountered significant PAVN fire, but they made it, reaching the trapped men at 15:37. $6.98 delivery Mar 14 - Apr 4 . Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam | All Works | The MFAH Collections The first of the separate brigades was the 172nd Infantry Brigade, activated in 1998. John Barnes of C Company earned a posthumous Medal of Honor when he saved the lives of several wounded men by throwing himself on a grenade. This video shows rare footage from an actual Vietcong ambush Melzer also wrote that he was expecting results and was willing to die to further the agenda of the Order of the Nine Angles. 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. Accessed 25 November 2015. 173rd Airborne Afghanistan Veteran Enduring Freedom Patch Design Military Cap Black. MICHAEL LEVENSON. Meltzer, who ascribed to the groups ideals of promoting extreme violence to accelerate and cause the demise of Western civilization, aimed to essentially cripple the units fire-teams with the inside information he was providing, according to documents. "He deserved punishment, but he also deserved the chance to prove he could do something positive with his life. U.S. losses were 20 killed, 154 wounded, and two missing. ", By The brigade returned to Europe and home station after once again proving itself in combat throughout the eastern mountains of Afghanistan. The 173rd Airborne paratroopers trained the Ukrainians on how to better defend themselves against Russian and rebel artillery and rockets. [7], In August 2016 the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment became part of the brigade under the Army's Associated Unit Pilot Program. [15] Though the brigade in name did not exist during the war, the redesignation meant that it carried the lineage of the 87th Reconnaissance Troop, and when the brigade was reactivated, it would include the troop's lineage and campaign streamers. O9A members are instructed to fulfill sinister deeds, including insight roles, where they attempt to infiltrate various organizations, including the military, to gain training and experience, commit acts of violence, identify like-minded individuals, and ultimately subvert those groups from within. [5] During its service, the brigade was involved in what later became known as the "Hood Event", arresting Turkish special forces soldiers, believing them to be plotting attacks against local civilian officials in northern Iraq. 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. On the afternoon of 21 November, both battalions moved out to take the crest. 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. 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. He learned details about the deployment, mission and location, and then passed the information to members of his terrorist group. Sebastian Junger On The Thrill And Hell Of 'War' - NPR.org Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade. A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. 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. ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. . 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. The following year, he deployed to Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. 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. Email: wambicook@aol.com 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. The noncoms kept shouting, Get up the hill, get up the goddamn hill. But we couldnt. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam - Collections [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. [3][24], On 26 March 1963, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) was assigned to the Regular Army and activated on Okinawa. 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

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