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[82], On 26 March 2003, 954 soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a combat jump from C-17 aircraft onto Bashur Airfield in Northern Iraq[3][86] under the command of Colonel Mayville. I wouldve died successfully . Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In an instant, he leaped on the device, shielding the blast with his body. [citation needed], In mid-2013, some of the returning forces reorganized and re-designated the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Fox Corporations blatant and cavalier act is a prohibited corporate contribution," she added. "Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group. 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. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. 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]. Jon Simkins is a writer and editor for Military Times, and a USMC veteran. [5] The infantry battalions and the brigade headquarters remained in Vicenza, Italy through the transition. Russian Tank Gets Absolutely Shredded by Ukrainian Fire. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. William G. Cromie's medal was presented by Maj.. 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. 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. 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. The sign had read "American who read this die. [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. 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. Those of us fortunate enough to be there will. just looking for anyone from Aco 3/503 173rd abn{sep}Iwas with this unit from12/3/67through 68 saw combat 12/27/67 bad stuff. 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. In October 2019, Melzer and his unit were deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Add the following CSS to the header block of your HTML document.Then add the mark-up below to the body block of the same document. For example, Melzer also promised to leak more information once he arrived at the Military Base including real-time photographs of the facility and the frequency and channel of U.S. Army radio communications in order to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit or on a replacement unit deployed to the Military Base. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. Artillery from A Bty., 3rd Bn., 319th Artillery Regt., and air strikes started ravaging the hilltop. But Murphy says that during the actions around Dak To, 376 Americans were killed and 1,441 wounded. .] [92] Between 30 March and 2 April, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with the Special Forces detachment and the Kurdish forces, engaged and destroyed the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 38th Iraqi Infantry divisions as well as a force loyal to Ansar al-Islam. McKinney. The NVA poured thousands of troops into an area where the borders of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam meet. Nva Kia, Dong Lach, After Unsuccessful Attempt to Free POWs. Market data provided by Factset. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. According to court documents, Melzer is a member of O9A. no news. 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. [130] He was depicted as being in "the 505th battalion", although no such unit was ever part of the 173rd. 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. "He deserved punishment, but he also deserved the chance to prove he could do something positive with his life. [55], Following an attack on the k T Base,[56] and actions on hill 882 by the 1-503rd that saw 7 men dead and 34 wounded,[57] 330 men of 2-503 moved in to assault Hill 875. [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). In September 2014, about 200 soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Regiment, 173rd BDE participated in the Rapid Trident exercise near Lviv in western Ukraine. 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. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. [60] This time the Americans gained the crest, but the PAVN had already abandoned their positions, leaving only a few dozen charred bodies and weapons. In November 1967, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units were determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces. 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. A former U.S. Army private was sentenced on Friday to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to charges that he had shared sensitive information . In November 2017, 2-503rd Infantry Regiment (The Rock) traveled in US Air Force C-130s to Belgrade, Serbia to conduct training with the Serbian Airborne Forces where they conducted two combined jumps at drop zones near Belgrade. (U.S. Army Photo by Visual Information Specialist Davide Dalla Massara) Read more. Phone: (626)664-0219. 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 . In May 2020, Melzer joined a unit set to deploy to Turkey, according to the Justice Department. For example, after describing the units weaponry during the deployment and providing information consistent with the briefings he had received Melzer described to his co-conspirators how an attack would essentially cripple the units fire-teams.. In 2020 he was told he would be transferred to a sensitive base in Turkey, which is when he allegedly began plotting the attack. 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. Meanwhile, NVA soldiers began a ferocious attack on A Company at the bottom of the hill. This photo provided by the Justice Department seized from an iCloud account belonging to former Army Pvt. These formations were termed "brigade combat teams". Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team . On Nov. 11, A, C and D companies of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf., engaged the NVA for eight hours at two separate locations south of Ben Het sustaining 21 KIA and 128 WIA. [83] The use of the 173rd as a part of a special operations task force was a unique first in U.S. Army history. My plan was to make captain and go to Vietnam as an experienced company commander. [5] It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's VCorps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe. [20] The 173rd Brigade was selected to become a separate brigade and a special airborne task force, which could deploy rapidly and act independently. Army paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct a combined arms exercise in Germany. 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. Two more companies arrived after dark and provided much-needed food and water to the exhausted troopers. 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. Haynes never questioned anything until Spc. 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. [24] Immediately after its transformation, the brigade began intensive training in both Germany and Italy to prepare itself for future deployments. 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.". Non-hostile - electrocution. "The defendant believed he could force the U.S. into prolonged armed conflict while causing the deaths of as many soldiers as possible," the Justice Department said in a previous statement. The brigade returned most recently from a deployment stretching from late 2013 to late 2014. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, In a strictly military sense, the Dak To fighting has been a victory for the allied forces, war correspondent Peter Arnett was forced to admit in an Associated Press report filed after spending 10 days at the scene. 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. Melzer, 22, was arrested last spring in Italy, where he served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and pleaded not guilty in September to eight charges, including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals . [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. [140] Lloyd G. McCarter and Ray E. Eubanks earned the medal while fighting with the 503rd Infantry in World War II, while 13 other soldiers earned medals fighting under the 173rd in Vietnam; John A. Barnes III, Michael R. Blanchfield, Glenn H. English Jr., Lawrence Joel, Terry T. Kawamura, Carlos J. Lozada, Don L. Michael, Charles B. Morris, Milton L. Olive III, Larry S. Pierce, Laszlo Rabel, Alfred Rascon, and Charles J. Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. "[119][120][121] He was charged in June 2020 with conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, and providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. He learned details about the deployment, mission and location, and then passed the information to members of his terrorist group. Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. This dynamic was intended to last only until additional facilities were constructed at the Dal Molin, now Del Din, airbase near Caserma Ederle at Vicenza. 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 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. [121], In May 2021, as part of the NATO training exercise Swift Response 2021, soldiers of the brigade were simulating seizing and securing the decommissioned Cheshnegirovo airfield in Bulgaria. 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. According to the Department of Justice, Melzer, 24, communicated not only with O9A members but also alleged members of al-Qaeda. [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]. (U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo) By Paolo Bovo, Training Support Activity Europe Vicenza, Italy Jun 25, 2021. [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. In January 1966 they launched Operation Marauder, the first U.S. military operation in the Plain of Reeds. [66] The company commander, Captain Robert Helmick, was awarded the DSC. 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. 12 June 2005. The SSI would be given to them in May 1963. Abandoned weapons, helmets, rucksacks, clothing, canteens and empty ration containers littered the battlefield. On Veterans Day, Task Force Black (170 men of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf.) [22] Consistent with regimental combat teams activated before them, these separate brigades were given their own shoulder sleeve insignia. Seventeen soldiers from the brigade died during this deployment. 4-503 suffered 28 killed 123 wounded, and four missing. U.S Army badge is seen on a uniform of American soldier. [78] As the brigade had no heavy or mechanized forces and only a few Humvees and an artillery battery, heavier forces were attached to it in the form of two companies of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, M1 Abrams tanks, and M2 Bradleys from a task force of 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor, which was attached to the brigade. "Operational Report Lessons Learned (1 May 1969 31 July 1969)." Nine soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. Video shows Peters yell at and struggle with the officers who detained her." 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. Privacy Policy. Todays sentence took that opportunity from him.". Plan. (47.9 32.5 cm), Frame (outer): 26 3/8 20 3/8 1 1/4 in. 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. [104] Journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington were embedded with Battle Company of 2nd Battalion which saw extensive action in the Korengal Valley. [W]ho gives a f---? he wrote. The next morning, Nov. 20, 4th Bn., 503rd Inf., set out to relieve the 2nd Battalion paratroopers. . [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. [128], Illinois Route 173, which runs for 66 miles along the Illinois/Wisconsin border was designated the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway" in 2008. He then began passing information to O9A members using an encrypted application. 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. 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 LRS detachment and 5th Group ODA conducted many combined and individual operations to ensure the stability of the region. The following year, he deployed to Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Within a week these units began to fall apart due to desertions. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. Former Army private Ethan Melzer planned to ambush soldiers and cause a "mass casualty" attack in the service of a Neo-Nazi group. contact us. ; and the attached 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav Regt. C and D companies soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction. Task Force Black consisted of Charlie Company supported by two platoons of Dog Company and Task Force Blue which was composed of Alpha Company and the remaining platoon of Dog Company. The brigade served mainly in Kirkuk for the next year. 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. The following day was spent in launching airstrikes and a heavy artillery bombardment against the hilltop, totally denuding it of cover. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. Regt. The 173rd was also assigned Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry. 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. 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. Melzer told members of O9A in his encrypted electronic communications [y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this and that he was expecting results. Melzer further acknowledged that he could be killed during the attack and described his willingness to die for O9As goals, writing who gives a fuck [. [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. O9A has had active members in Britain, the United States, Italy, Brazil, and New Zealand for several decades and has promoted terrorism, sexual violence, polarization, separatism, and racial hatred, according to the U.K.-based Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. [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. If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. 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. As part of this intensive training, Melzer learned details about the purpose, layout, and security of the Military Base. All rights reserved. . 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. Some 15 Army artillery batteries along with tactical air support provided immense firepower. a private assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, Soldier indicted for conspiring with neo-Nazi group seeks dismissal because grand jury wasn't racially diverse, Paratrooper pleads not guilty to charges he plotted with satanic Neo-Nazis to ambush his unit, Italy-based paratrooper charged with plotting with satanic neo-Nazi group to attack his unit, Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. [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. Step 2 - Use PayPal with the highest . The 173rd had been operating near Bien Hoa Air Base outside Saigon and had been in combat only against the VC. An internal inquiry had confirmed an officer's widely publicized charge that members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade had tortured detainees in Vietnam. General Deane sent his forces 20 kilometres (12mi) west and southwest of Dak To to search for the PAVN 24th Regiment. [I]t would be another war I wouldve died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. 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.". [132], Numerous servicemen from the 173rd, mostly from the Vietnam era, gained notability after their military careers ended. Though they were severely bloodied, the paratroopers inflicted even heavier losses on the NVA. Federal prosecutors alleged that Melzer intended to spark a jihadist terror attack on his own unit or any other that took up its location in order to undermine the United States abroad and further the goals of O9A, a largely United Kingdom-based group that has sympathized with al Qaeda. It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's V Corps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe.. 1st Cavalry Division units1st Bn., 12th Cav Regt., and 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalryalso played a part in the campaign. When his weapon jammed, an NVA bullet ripped into his head. During the day, the company lost 8 men killed and 21 wounded. [69] Herbert was relieved of his command shortly after reporting to his superior the war crimes he had witnessed. from around the world. 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. [3][18] After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was posted at Birmingham, Alabama from 1947 until 1951. [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". 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. . "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.". 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. . We need to let kids be kids, and our laws need to set appropriate boundaries that respect the rights and responsibilities of parents, while protecting children from the serious health, safety, and welfare consequences of social agendas that are totally inconsistent with how the overwhelming majority of parents want to raise their children.. [7] The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry was reflagged as 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment to resume the Vietnam-era lineage of the 503rd Infantry battalions under the 173rd IBCT(A). [3][15] Commanders during the war included:[17], On 24 June 1921, the unit was reconstituted as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 173rd Infantry Brigade,[15] and was assigned to the Organized Reserve Corps and the 87th Division at Shreveport, Louisiana. [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". First Military Choice. [96] These operations, though successful, would have been more effective if the 4th Infantry Division's four heavy brigades were able to enter Iraq through Turkey as originally planned. Because of intense PAVN sniper and mortar fire (and the terrain), it took until nightfall for the relief force to reach the beleaguered battalion. Cataloguing data may change with further research. 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. One of the most notable units to operate out of a FOB was the brigade's 74th Long-Range Surveillance (LRS) detachment. [129], Captain Willard, a fictional character portrayed by Martin Sheen in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, was a member of the 173rd assigned to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group. But there was a silver lining: Investigators . NAME AND TYPE OF OPERATION: Unnamed ambush patrol on Route 19, RVN. [106] The brigade repositioned the base three days later. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. 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. On Nov. 7- 8, A and D companies of the 3rd Bn., 8th Inf., fought NVA units east of Hill 830, losing 21 KIA and 81 WIA in close combat. 16 December 1967. The military has been dealing with an extremism problem for years, specifically far-right extremism, which has garnered increased attention recently. The song was based on the story of Niles Harris, a member of the 173rd, during Operation Hump. A recon patrol made the first contact on Nov. 2, briefly skirmishing with NVA, resulting in one U.S. KIA. 173RD Airborne Brigade Sergeant Major CSM Christopher D. Clapin CSM Christopher D. Clapin entered active duty service on 7 January, 1998. cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.. [Y]ou just gotta understand that currently I am risking my literal free life to give you all this, he told members of O9A on an encrypted messaging application. The unit was supposed to guard an isolated, sensitive military base. [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. The next day, Pfc. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. He allegedly pledged his allegiance to O9A and relayed sensitive information about his unit's upcoming deployment including the location, movement and security of the service members. Because their heavily armored tanks required so much maintenance, the 173rd incorporated much of 4th ID's area of operation into their own. 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 . 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.