4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment
4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti
Coat of Arms of the 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment
Active1 Nov. 1882 - 8 Sept. 1943
15 April 1946 - 2001
25 Sept. 2004 - today
CountryItaly
BranchItalian Army
TypeSpecial operations forces
RoleAir assault
Anti-tank warfare
Artillery observer
Bomb disposal
CBRN defense
Clandestine operation
Close-quarters combat
Cold-weather warfare
Counterinsurgency
Counterintelligence
Counterterrorism
Covert operation
Cyberwarfare
Desert warfare
Direct action
Electromagnetic warfare
Executive protection
Force protection
Forward air control
Hostage rescue
HUMINT
Intelligence assessment
Irregular warfare
ISTAR
Long-range penetration
Maneuver warfare
Medical evacuation
Military intelligence
Military logistics
Mountain combat search and rescue
Mountain rescue
Mountain warfare
Parachuting
Patrolling
Raiding
Ski warfare
SIGINT
Special operations
Special reconnaissance
Tactical emergency medical services
Tracking
Urban warfare
SizeRegiment
Part of1st Alpine Division “Taurinense”
1935 - 1943
Taurinense Alpine Brigade
1946 - 1975
COMALP
2004 - 2013
Army Special Forces Command
2013 - today
Garrison/HQVerona (VR)
Motto(s)"In adversa ultra adversa"
Anniversaries18 May 1917 - Battle of Monte Vodice
Engagements"World War I"
Battle of Monte Adamello
Battle of Monte Vodice
Battle of Monte Solarolo
Battle of Monte Grappa
Battle of Monte Nero
Battle of Monte Pasubio
Battle of Cosmagnon
"World War II"
Battle of Nikolayevka
"War in Afghanistan"
Decorations
2x Military Order of Italy[1]
2x Gold Medals of Military Valor
9x Silver Medals of Military Valor
1x Bronze Medal of Military Valor
1x Silver Medal of Civil Valor
1x 1908 Messina earthquake Medal of Merit[2]
Insignia
4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment gorget patches

The 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment (Italian: 4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti) is a ranger type[3][4][5] special operations forces of the Italian Army, specializing in air assault, artillery observer, cold-weather warfare, direct action, forward air control, HUMINT, irregular warfare, ISTAR, long-range penetration, maneuver warfare, medical evacuation on mountain, military intelligence, mountain combat search and rescue, mountain rescue, mountain warfare, parachuting, special operation behind enemy lines, special reconnaissance, tactical emergency medical services, tracking targets on mountain, and urban warfare. The regiment is one of three regiments of the Army Special Forces Command. The regiment is a unit of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment is one of the most decorated units of the Italian Army, although its two Gold Medals of Military Valor were awarded to the regiment's currently inactive Alpini Battalion "Aosta",[6] respectively the currently active Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino".[7]

History

Alpini Paratroopers of the 4th regiment in Afghanistan

Formation

The 4th Alpini Regiment was formed on 1 November 1882. It consisted of the three battalions: "Val Pellice", "Val Chisone" and "Val Brenta", named after the valleys from which the battalion's soldiers were recruited. In 1886, the battalions were renamed, taking their new names from the location of their logistic depot: "Pinerolo", "Aosta" and "Ivrea". In 1888 the "Pinerolo" was transferred to the 3rd Alpini Regiment and in exchange the "Susa 2°" battalion was transferred from the 3rd to the 4th Alpini. In 1908 the "Susa" returned to the 3rd Alpini and in the city of Intra the "Pallanza" battalion was raised as substitute, with existing companies from other Alpini battalions. In 1909, the "Pallanza" was renamed "Intra". Thus the regiment's structure in 1910 was:

  • Alpini Battalion "Ivrea", with the companies: 38, 39, 40
  • Alpini Battalion "Aosta", with the companies: 41, 42, 43
  • Alpini Battalion "Intra", with the companies: 7 (former "Aosta" company), 24 (former "Pinerolo" company), 37 (former "Ivrea" company)

World War I

During World War I the regiment consisted of ten battalions and saw heavy fighting in the Alps regions of the Italian front against Austro-Hungarian and German forces. During the war, the regiment consisted of the following battalions (pre-war battalions in bold, followed by their first and second line reserve battalions):

  • Ivrea, Val d'Orco, Monte Levanna, Pallanza
  • Aosta, Val Baltea, Monte Cervino
  • Intra, Val Toce, Monte Rosa

The Alpini Battalion "Aosta" distinguished itself in 1917 during heavy combat on Monte Vodice and in 1918 on Monte Solarolo, for which the battalion was awarded Gold Medal of Military Valor. The regiment's battalions were also awarded five Silver Medals of Military Valor during the war, four of which were shared between the Intra and Val D'Orco battalions, the Aosta and Val Toce battalions, the Monte Levanna and Aosta battalions, and the Monte Levanna and Val Toce battalions. During the war a total of 31,000 men served in the 4th Alpini Regiment, of which 189 officers and 4,704 soldiers were killed, and 455 officers and 10,923 soldiers were wounded.[8]

Interwar years

On 10 September 1935, the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" was formed, which consisted of the 3rd Alpini Regiment, 4th Alpini Regiment, and 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment. The division participated in 1936 in the Italian invasion of Abyssinia.

World War II

In 1940, the regiment, as part of the Taurinense division, fought in the Italian attack on Greece. After the German invasion of Yugoslavia the Taurinense performed garrison and anti-partisan duties in Montenegro. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, most of the division was captured by German forces near Kotor, while the Alpini Battalion "Ivrea" and Alpine Artillery Group "Aosta" joined the Yugoslav Partisans and formed the Partisan Division "Garibaldi".

Cold War

After World War II the 4th Alpini Regiment was reformed on 15 April 1946 with the battalions "Aosta", "Saluzzo" and "Susa". In 1953, the "Mondovì" battalion was reactivated as fourth battalion of the regiment. The 4th Alpini Regiment was the infantry component of Alpine Brigade "Taurinense". On 26 October 1962, the "Mondovì" was transferred to the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia to augment the Alpine Brigade "Julia" and in 1963, the "Aosta" battalion was transferred to the Alpine Military School in Aosta. Four years later, it was again subordinated to 4th Alpini Regiment.

In the early stages of the Cold War the 4th Alpini Regiment consisted of the following units:

During the 1975 army reform the army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were given for the first time their own flags. On 10 October 1975, the 4th Alpini Regiment was disbanded and on the same day the regiment's Alpini Battalion "Aosta" in Aosta was assigned the flag and traditions of the 4th Alpini Regiment.[10] The "Aosta" was assigned to the Alpine Military School and would have joined the Taurinense only in case of war. On 11 September 1989 the Alpini Battalion "Aosta" was reorganized as Tactical Logistic Support Battalion "Aosta", which supported the Alpine Military School.

Organization

Alpini of the 4th regiment abseiling from an AB205 helicopter during the Falzarego 2011 exercise

On 1 July 1998, Logistical and Tactical Support Battalion "Aosta" was merged with the Complement Officer Cadets Battalion and redesignated as Training Battalion "Aosta". In 2001 the battalion was reduced Training Grouping "Aosta" and therefore transferred the flag of the 4th Alpini Regiment to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome..

On 25 September 2004, the 4th Alpini Regiment was reformed as 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment in the city of Bolzano with the existing Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" as its only battalion. Today the 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment is one of three special forces regiments of the Italian Army. The Alpini Paratroopers have recently served in Iraq and one of the regiment's companies was continuously rotated to Afghanistan. In January 2011, the regiment moved to its new base in Montorio Veronese and in 2013 joined the newly formed Army Special Forces Command (COMFOSE).

As of 2023 the regiment's structure is as follows:[11]

  • 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment, in Montorio Veronese[12]
    • Regimental Command
      • Staff and Personnel Office
      • Operations, Training and Information Office
      • Logistic and Administrative Office
      • Command and Logistic Support Company "Aquile"
    • Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino"
      • 1st Ranger Company
      • 2nd Ranger Company
      • 3rd Ranger Company
      • 80th Maneuver Support Company
    • Operational Support Battalion "Intra"[13]
      • Operational Support Company
      • Training Company

The Command and Logistic Support Company fields the following platoons: C3 Platoon, Transport and Materiel Platoon, Medical Platoon, and Commissariat Platoon. The Operational Support Company consists of a C4 Platoon and a Mobility Support Platoon. Each Ranger company fields three platoons of 36 men. The Maneuver Support Company fields an Anti-tank Platoon with eight Spike MR anti-tank guided missiles launchers, a Heavy Mortar Platoon with three F1 120mm mortars and a Medium Mortar Platoon with three Expal 81mm mortars. The maneuver support company is equipped with a total of six F1 120mm mortars and six Expal 81mm mortars, allowing the mortar platoons to switch between calibres as needed.[12]

Military honors

The 4th Alpini Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Italian Army. During its existence the regiment and its battalions were awarded:

See also

  • Mino - a TV series about the regiment's "Aosta" battalion in World War I

Sources

  • Franco dell'Uomo, Rodolfo Puletti: "L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Volume Primo - Tomo I", Rome 1998, Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito - Ufficio Storico, page: 466

References

  1. 1 2 "Bandiera di Guerra del 4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti". Presidential Administration of Italy. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti - Il Medagliere". Italian Army. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Il Ranger". Italian Army. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti". Italian Army. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  6. ↑ "Bandiera del 4° Reggimento Alpini Battaglione "Aosta"". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  7. ↑ "Bandiera del 4° Reggimento Alpini "Taurinense" Battaglione Sciatori "Monte Cervino"". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti". Vecio.it. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  9. ↑ F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 467.
  10. ↑ F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 467.
  11. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  12. 1 2 Scarpitta, Alberto. "Il potenziamento del Comando Forze Speciali dell'Esercito". Analisi Difesa. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  13. ↑ Alberto Scarpitta (13 July 2020). "Il potenziamento del Comando Forze Speciali dell'Esercito". Analisidifesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini". President of Italy. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "4° Reggimento Alpini "Taurinense" Battaglione Sciatori "Monte Cervino"". President of Italy. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
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