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The Folgore Parachute Brigade is the largest unit of paratroopers (paracadutisti) of the Italian Army; a second smaller unit is the 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment. The name Folgore is Italian for lightning.

The Folgore (Thunderbolt) operates as Light Infantry, capable of both air-landing and parachute operations, and has a marginal mechanized role. It is part of the Projection Forces under the 1° Commando FOD.

Origins

The first units of Italian parachutists were trained and formed shortly before the Second World War in Castelbenito, near Tripoli, where the first Military school of Parachuting was located.

The first troops trained were two Libyan battalions (one composed by "nationals", i.e. Italian elements, the other by Libyan elements of the Royal Colonial Corps). To these were added the first battalion of Italian troops and the Carabinieri Parachute Battalion.

Later moved to Italy, the staff at Castelbenito was expanded into the School at Tarquinia and became the first elements of the future Folgore Division.

The Folgore Division

In 1941, a Parachutist division was completed and was designated the 185th Airborne Division Folgore. The division trained together with their German allies for the planned assault on Malta in Operation Hercules which did not eventuate. During course of the North African Campaign, it was engaged in ground combat operations.

During the Second battle of El Alamein the Folgore Division resisted the attack of the British 131st (Queen's) Infantry Brigade, the 44th Infantry Division, the 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) and the Free French Brigade. The remnants of the Folgore Division were withdrawn from El Alamein on 3 November 1942, without water and carrying their anti-tank guns by hand in pieces. The survivors were reorganized into the 185th Folgore Parachute Battalion. At 2:35 pm on November 6, after having exhausted all its ammunition, the remainder of the Division finally surrendered to the British forces. In honour of their bravery, the British commander allowed them to surrender without having to show a white flag or raise their hands.

Nembo

The second Italian paratroop division, 184 Airborne Division Nembo ("Nimbus") was formed in 1943 from new units along with the 185th Regiment of the Folgore. On 8 September, Marshal Badoglio announced the surrender of Italy, and the German forces in Italy acted quickly to take over government. The Nembo division was sent to Sardinia that evening, where a malaria outbreak took a terrible toll on its manpower.

Both the Nembo and Folgore divisions went on to fight for the Italian Social Republic (RSI) against the Allies at Anzio. Two thirds of the Nembo division's effective strength was killed in the battle and subsequent retreat.

Various units formed by elements of both Divisions fought in the Italian campaign, in the battles of Filottrano, Grizzano Houses and in Operation Herring (these last ones in the Combat Group Folgore).

Towards the end of the Second World War the Nembo division became a Mechanized Infantry Regiment, based in Belluno, Villa Vicentina, Cervignano of Friuli and Gradisca d' Isonzo, were it was based until 1991, when it was reconstituted as the 183rd Parachute Battalion Nembo , within the Folgore Parachute Brigade.

The Folgore Brigade

Currently the Folgore is a Brigade, with six single battalion Regiments, with the Headquartiers in Livorno and the various Regiments stationed in Livorno, Pistoia, Siena, Pisa and Legnago (VR).

The Brigade is composed by three Parachute Infantry Regiments (183rd, 186th and 187th), an Assault (Special Forces) Regiment (the 9th Col Moschin), an "Artillery" Regiment (185th, actually an OP/LRRP/LRS unit) a Regiment Supply Unit (185th), the "Guastatori" Engineer Regiment (8th), and a Headquarters and Signals company. It also includes the CAPAR of Pisa (Parachute Training Centre, former SMIPAR - Military Parachute School, in its turn former CAP).

Composed of:

• • Parachutist Training Center in Pisa (Tuscany)
  • 9° Parachute Assault Regiment “Col Moschin” in Livorno (Tuscany) (Special forces)
  • 183rd Parachute Regiment “Nembo” in Pistoia (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
  • 186th Parachute Regiment “Folgore” in Siena (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
  • 187° Parachute Regiment “Folgore” in Livorno (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
  • 185° Parachutist Reconnaissance Regiment “Folgore” in Livorno (Tuscany) (LRRP/LRS)
  • 8° Parachutist Engineer Regiment in Legnago (Veneto)
  • Reparto Comando e Supporti Tattici "Folgore" in Livorno

23 October celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein (1942).

Patron saint: Archangel Michael (29 September).

"Folgore"

The name "Folgore" refers to two different units (coexisting until the "Division" level was removed from the Italian Army Order of Battle in 1986) of the Italian army: the Folgore Airborne Brigade and the Folgore Mechanized Division, the latter based in eastern Italy and tasked to defend the "Soglia di Gorizia".

Common heraldic elements to both units: the winged gladius on the mostrine/Cap Badge (integrated with a parachute for the Airborne Brigade) and the yellow lightning bolt, symbol of the unit (on red field for the Mechanized Division, on sky blue field, with superimposed stylized white wings for the Airborne Brigade). Currently the Military Parachute Center (CAPAR) is based in Pisa.

185th Regiment

The 185th Regiment is a part of the Brigade Parachutists Folgore, which is in charge of the training and preparation of the unit. It is sometimes used as a operating support unit of SF: 9th Regt "Col Moschin" of the Army, the Raiders Operation Group (GOI) of the Navy, the Air Commandos unit and for some special features including the Intervention Group (GIS ) of the Carabinieri. The Italian SF depends on the Operations Command Special Forces (COFS) and Operating support group depends on the referring SF .

Previously a Parachute Artillery unit, its main tasks are now Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance (both to you carried out in hostile territory) and laser designation for "smart" ammunition.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Enlisted personnel of the unit are recruited by selection or by cooptation (with a previous verification of psychological and physical requirement) from other units of the Army.

The Regiment has been engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq (where Sergeant Salvatore Marracino and Captain Nicholas Ciardelli lost their lives).

Peacekeeping

The Brigade has been employed in numerous peacekeeping missions in the recent years.

• Lebanon in 1982 (one of the first international missions of peace).
• In 1991 a Parachutist Tactical group was in Kurdistan in the picture of the mission of humanitarian aid "Italfor Airone".
• From July 1992 the Brigade supplied personnel for the operation "Vespri Siciliani" (anti-crime operation in Sicily).
• The Folgore participated Operation Restore Hope, in Somalia, from 3 December 1992 to September 1993.
• Parts of the Brigade have been employed many times over in the Balkans (Missions IFOR/SFOR in Bosnia and KFOR in Kosovo), with Multinational Force in Albania and
• Elements of the brigade participated in UN Mission INTERFET to East Timor.
• The Folgore participated from August 2005 to September 2005 in the operation "Antica Babilonia" in Iraq.
• In August 2007 tookpart in operation "Leonte 2" in Lebanon, under aegis of the UN (Resolution 1701), as a result of the war between Israel and Hezbollah of the summer of 2006.

Honors

Gold Military Valour Medal

• Individual awards:
  • Corporal Major Antonio ANDRIOLO, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23 – November 4, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • First Lieutenant (cpl) Roberto BANDINI, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–25, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • First Lieutenant (cpl) Ferruccio BRANDI, 187th Parachute Regiment, October 24, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Second Lieutenant Pietro BRUNO 132d Transport Regiment
  • Private Giuseppe CAPPELLETTO, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–25, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Private Giacomo CESARONI, 187th Parachute Regiment, October 29, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Private Leandro FRANCHI, 186th Parachute Regiment, November 1942, Battle of El Alamein
  • Second Lieutenant (cpl) Giovanni GAMBAUDO, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–24, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Sergeant Major Mario GIARETTO, 186th Parachute Regiment, August 8, 1942
  • First Lieutenant Marco GOLA, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–24, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Second Lieutenant Omero LUCCHI, Folgore Division Artillery, August 31 – September 4, 1942
  • Private Gerardo LUSTRISSIMI, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–25, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Sapper Clinio MISSERVILLE, 185th Assault Sapper Company, September 10, 1942
  • Sergeant Major Dario PIRLONE, 185th Artillery Regiment, October 24, 1942, Battle of El-Alamein
  • Sergeant Nicola PISTILLO, 186th Parachute Regiment, October 23–25, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein
  • Corporal Major Dario PONZECCHI, 185th Parachute Regiment, October 26, 1942, Battle of El-Alamein
  • Major (cpl) Aurelio ROSSI, 187th Parachute Regiment, August 20 – September 3, 1942
  • Captain Fabio RUGIADI, 187th Parachute Regiment, August 30, 1942
  • Lieutenant Colonel Carlo Marescotti RUSPOLI, Prince of Poggio Suasa, 186th Parachute Regiment
  • Captain (cpl) Costantino RUSPOLI, Prince of Poggio Suasa, 187th Parachute Regiment, October 26–27, 1942, Battle of El-Alamein
  • Lieutenant Colonel Luigi PASCUCCI 132d Transport Regiment
  • Lieutenant Gianfranco PAGLIA, 183° Reggimento Paracadutisti "Nembo", Somalia, July 2, 1992 Check Point Pasta
  • Captain Gastone SIMONI, 187th Parachute Regiment, October 23–27, 1942, Battle of El-Alamein
  • First Lieutenant Giovanni STARACE, Folgore Division, July–November, 1942
  • Second Lieutenant Giovanni STASSI, 186th Parachute Regiment, August 25 – September 2, 1942
• Collective awards:
• 186th and 187th Parachute Regiments “Folgore” collective Medal for the battle of El Alamein North Africa, 22 July – 12 October 1942
• 185° Parachute Artillery Regiment “Folgore” collective Medal for the battle of El Alamein Battaglia di El Alamein, 23 October – 6 November 1942
• 185th Parachute Division “Folgore” - collective Medal for the battle of El Alamein Qattara Depression, 4 November 1942

References

1. ^ the Medals of Gold to the Military Valor El Alamein

See also

• Italian Army
• Paratroops

External links

• American Historian Praises The Role Of The Folgore In North Africa
• Folgore Brigade on the official Italian Army site
• National Association Parachutists of Italy
• of the Division Situated Nembo
• Squadron F
• Site on the “FOLGORE” Parachute Brigade
• Tanks of El Alamein (1954) Movie

• Airborne units and formations
• Italian Army Brigades