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]
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)|
Main article: Alpini and Mountain Artillery formations in 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 RosaThe 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]
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.
|
Main article: 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" |
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".
|
Main article: Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" |
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:
4th Alpini Regiment, in Turin[9]
Command and Services Company, in Turin Alpini Battalion "Mondovì", in Paluzza (raised in 1953, transferred to the Alpine Brigade "Julia" on 26 October 1962)
9th Alpini Company 10th Alpini Company 11th Alpini Company 103rd Mortar Company Alpini Battalion "Aosta", in Aosta (assigned to the Alpine Military School between 1963–1967)
41st Alpini Company 42nd Alpini Company 43rd Alpini Company 143rd Mortar Company Alpini Battalion "Saluzzo", in Borgo San Dalmazzo
21st Alpini Company 22nd Alpini Company 23rd Alpini Company 106th Mortar Company
Alpini Battalion "Susa", in Pinerolo
34th Alpini Company 35th Alpini Company 36th Alpini Company 133rd Mortar CompanyDuring 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.
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 CompanyThe 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]
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:
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
