132nd Armored Brigade Ariete, history and current affairs

Enemy tanks broke through south ARIETE Division. With this ARIETE encircled. Located about 5 kilometers northwest of Bir el Abd. ARIETE tanks are fighting.

Last radio message from Ariete at El Alamein, 3:30 PM on November 4, 1942

The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" is a large unit of the Italian Army under the "Vittorio Veneto" Division of Florence. Stationed with its units mainly in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, it has its headquarters in Pordenone.

Born as a Division on February 1, 1939, it was employed in North Africa during the Second World War, being destroyed here in 1942 by Allied forces. It was then reconstituted under the name Ariete II in Italy but formed by mechanized cavalry regiments including the Montebello Lancers Regiment, which distinguished itself in the defense of Rome between September 8 and 11, 1943, and, once again dissolved due to war events, it was reconstituted in 1948 in Rome as a brigade.

Armored Divisions "Ariete" and "Ariete II"

The origin of the unit dates back to July 15, 1937 when the 2nd Armored Brigade was formed in Milan, initially composed only of the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment, then replaced in November 1938 by the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment. It was later joined by the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment. On February 1, 1939, the Brigade was elevated to divisional level, assuming the name of Armored Division "Ariete" (132nd) and incorporating three regiments: the 8th Bersaglieri, the 32nd Tank Infantry, and the 132nd Armored Artillery, along with other divisional units.

In the Second World War, it was deployed in North Africa where it fought from March 1941. On September 1, 1941, it formed in the war zone the 132nd Tank Regiment entirely equipped with M 13/40 tanks. From that moment, this regiment (destroyed three times and reconstituted twice) would be the fundamental piece of the Ariete until November 1942, when the division was almost destroyed in the third battle of El Alamein, when, on November 3-4, after repelling a British attack with heavy losses, it counterattacked to allow the infantry divisions to disengage and then began the defensive retrograde march until it was completely annihilated. The 132nd Tank Regiment faced this battle with three tank battalions: the IX, the X (coming from the 133rd Regiment and assigned to the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment on April 21, 1942 to replace the VII Tank Battalion destroyed in combat); and the XIII (assigned to the 132nd in July 1942 to replace the VIII Tank Battalion also destroyed in combat). The division was definitively dissolved on December 8. However, the 8th Regiment continued to fight until the Mareth in Tunisia (earning here a second gold medal for Military Valor), while the tank units, now dismounted, differently reorganized in the 132nd Anti-tank Regiment, continued to fight until spring 1943 in Tunisia.

It was reconstituted on April 1, 1943 in the Homeland under the name 135th Armored Division "Ariete II" incorporating the cavalry regiments "Montebello", "Lucca" and "Vittorio Emanuele II", the 135th and 235th Artillery Regiment, the CXXXIV Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion and, finally, the CXXXIV Mixed Engineer Battalion;

Although the theoretical strength was expected to be 9,500 men, 247 tanks/self-propelled guns, and 84 artillery pieces, as of September 8, the actual strength was 8,500 men, 176 armored and armored vehicles, about 70 cannons and 92 anti-aircraft machine guns of 20 mm. Significant were the shortages of ammunition and fuel. On September 9, 1943, following the events that followed the proclamation of the armistice, some units of the Division (Montebello and Lucca Regiments) were engaged in the defense of Rome together with the Sardinian Grenadiers Division, but after an initial success, they had to yield to the Germans. It was dissolved on September 12 following.

Reconstitution

On June 1, 1948, the Armored Brigade "Ariete" was reborn in Rome, a new name for the Armored Group "Ariete" established on May 23, 1948, which during the year moved to Pordenone,

The unit on October 1, 1952 was reconfigured into the Armored Division "Ariete".

From October 1, 1975, the "Ariete" underwent a restructuring process that involved all units of the Italian Army. The regiments were dissolved, and the Armored Division "Ariete" was organized into the 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" (Tauriano di Spilimbergo), 132nd Armored Brigade "Manin" (Aviano), and 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" (Pordenone), with the addition of division supports.

132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete"

On October 1, 1986, with the abolition of the divisional level, the brigades previously framed in the Armored Division "Ariete" came under the direct command of the 5th Army Corps, and at the same time, the "Manin" Brigade was renamed the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" with headquarters in Pordenone and under its command the "Ariete" Command and Signal Unit, the 8th Tank Battalion "M.O. Secchiaroli", the 10th Tank Battalion "M.O. Bruno", the 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" (coming from the Mechanized Brigade "Brescia"), the 27th Bersaglieri Battalion "Jamiano", the 20th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Piave", the "Ariete" Logistic Battalion, the "Ariete" Anti-tank Company, and the "Ariete" Engineer Sapper Company.

The following years saw the Brigade frequently change its structure: on December 10, 1989, the 13th Tank Battalion "M.O.Pascucci" was placed in reserve status, transferring under the command of the Mechanized Brigade "Mantova"; in January 1991 and on the following March 31, the 10th Tank Battalion "M.O. Bruno" and the 20th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Piave" (in reserve status since January 31) were disbanded, while the 19th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Rialto" (February 1, 1991) came from the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" and from the dissolved 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" came the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", the 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" (which would be disbanded on August 25, 1992), and the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo", which would be transferred to Trapani on March 31, 1992, under the command of the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta".

From 1992, the "Ariete" returned to organizing units at the regimental level, which unlike the past are structured on a single battalion. The new configuration of the brigade included the Command and Tactical Support Unit "Ariete", 32nd and 132nd Tank Regiments, 11th Bersaglieri Regiment, 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment "Ariete", and the Logistic Battalion "Ariete". Moreover, on April 1, 1992, the 2nd Infantry Battalion "Pordenone" joined the brigade from the 5th Army Corps Command, serving as a recruit training unit, later renamed on May 8, 1993 as the 26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo", inheriting the historical traditions of the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment. In the following years, the brigade included other units but only for short periods. Specifically, from August 1 to November 29, 1995, it had under its command the 63rd Tank Regiment from the Mechanized Brigade "Mantova", from October 1996 the 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" transferred from the Mechanized Brigade "Gorizia" and passed in 2001 to the Armored Brigade "Pinerolo", and finally, from 1997, the 33rd Tank Regiment from the former Mechanized Brigade "Friuli" disbanded in 2001. That same year, the Projection Forces Command transferred the 10th Engineer Regiment to the Brigade, while in 2002 the 4th Tank Regiment and the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment (the latter would later be transferred in 2009 to the Mechanized Brigade "Sassari") joined from the dissolved Mechanized Brigade "Centauro". On April 15, 2003, the 4th Tank Regiment handed over its last Leopard 1 tank to the 2nd Motorization Supply Center in Lenta, thus marking the end of the operational life of the German tank within the Brigade.

On May 6, 2000, the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" was awarded the honorary citizenship of Pordenone as recognition of the historical bond between this city and the soldiers who serve or have served in this great unit.

A similar recognition was granted to the 32nd Tank Regiment, which on October 4, 2003, was awarded the honorary citizenship of the Municipality of Spilimbergo, where the unit is based, and to the Logistic Battalion "Ariete", which on July 3, 2004, was awarded the honorary citizenship of the city of Maniago, where the unit is based. This recognition was a thank you from the population for the commitment of these military units in the missions conducted abroad in which these units have been engaged.

The Brigade has repeatedly provided personnel and equipment from its units to the Italian contingent in Iraq, employed in the Ancient Babylon mission. In June 2004, a section composed of six Ariete tanks from the 1st Tank Company "Leoni di Bardia" of the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" of the 32nd Tank Regiment was the first-ever deployment of these vehicles in an operational area, and it served to provide a valid and continuous contribution to the security and protection of the Italian contingent, which, being able to rely on the operational capability of the tanks even in a traditionally difficult environment like the urban one, significantly increased its ability to respond to the threat posed by rebels hostile to the stabilization and humanitarian assistance process that Italy was carrying out in those places.

With the reform of 2013, the Brigade lost the 4th Tank Regiment, transferred to Persano to replace the dissolved 131st Tank Regiment of the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" and acquired the 8th Transport Regiment from the disbanded Projection Logistic Command, which in the future would be renamed Logistic Regiment "Ariete" assuming the responsibilities of the Logistic Battalion "Ariete" scheduled for suppression, and added the 5th Regiment "Lancieri di Novara". Furthermore, due to the dissolution of the 1st Defense Operational Forces Command on October 1, 2013, the Brigade came under the command of the Division "Friuli" (renamed "Vittorio Veneto" in 2019) under the Northern Interregional Defense Forces Command. The brigade is also part of NATO's "Rapid Reaction Corps".

The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" has been engaged since the 1990s and early 21st century in national operations such as Operation Vespri Siciliani, Operation Testuggine, and in peacekeeping missions abroad in Somalia (UNITAF), in the Balkans (IFOR/SFOR and in KFOR), in Operation Ancient Babylon in Iraq, and Operation Leonte (UNIFIL) in Lebanon.

The Units

1986/1991

• 8th Tank Battalion M.O. Secchiaroli of Aviano (PN)
• 10th Tank Battalion M.O. Bruno of Aviano (PN)
• 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" of Cordenons (PN) (from December 10, 1989, in reserve with the Mechanized Brigade Mantova)
• 26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo" of Maniago (PN)
• 27th Bersaglieri Battalion Jamiano of Aviano (PN)
• 20th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group Piave of Maniago (PN)
• Logistic Battalion Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Command and Signal Unit of Aviano (PN)
• Independent Engineer Company Ariete of Maniago (PN)

1991/1992

• 3rd Tank Battalion M.O. Galas Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN)
• 5th Tank Battalion M.O. Chiamenti Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN) (disbanded on August 25, 1992)
• 8th Tank Battalion M.O. Secchiaroli of Aviano (PN)
• 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion Castel di Borgo of Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN) (from March 31, 1992, transferred to the Mechanized Brigade Aosta)
• 27th Bersaglieri Battalion Jamiano of Aviano (PN)
• 2nd Infantry Battalion Pordenone of Pordenone (from April 1, 1992)
• 19th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group Rialto of Maniago (PN)
• Logistic Battalion Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)

1992/1997

• 32nd Tank Regiment of Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN)
• 63rd Tank Regiment of Cordenons (PN) (from August 1 to November 29, 1995)
• 132nd Tank Regiment of Aviano (PN)
• 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Orcenico Superiore (PN)
• 2nd Infantry Battalion Pordenone of Pordenone (disbanded on May 7, 1993)
• 26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo" of Pordenone (from May 8, 1993)
• 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" of Cormons (GO) (from October 1996 from the Mechanized Brigade "Gorizia")
• 19th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group Rialto of Maniago (PN) (disbanded on October 8, 1993)
• 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment "Ariete" Ariete of Maniago (PN) (from October 9, 1993)
• Logistic Battalion Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)

1997/2001

• 32nd Tank Regiment of Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN)
• 33rd Tank Regiment of Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO)
• 132nd Tank Regiment of Cordenons (PN)
• 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Orcenico Superiore (PN)
• 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" of Cormons (GO)
• 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Logistic Battalion Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)

2001/2009

• 4th Tank Regiment of Bellinzago Novarese (NO) (from 2002 from the Mechanized Brigade Centauro)
• 32nd Tank Regiment of Tauriano of Spilimbergo (PN)
• 132nd Tank Regiment of Cordenons (PN)
• 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment of Milan (from 2002 from the Mechanized Brigade Centauro)
• 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Orcenico Superiore (PN)
• 132nd Ground Artillery Regiment (Self-propelled) Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• 10th Engineer Regiment of Cremona
• Logistic Battalion Ariete of Maniago (PN)
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)

2009/2013

• 4th Tank Regiment of Bellinzago Novarese
• 32nd Tank Regiment of Tauriano of Spilimbergo
• 132nd Tank Regiment of Cordenons
• 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Orcenico Superiore
• 132nd Ground Artillery Regiment (self-propelled) "Ariete" of Maniago
• 10th Engineer Regiment of Cremona
• Logistic Battalion "Ariete" of Maniago
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)
• 8th Transport Regiment of Remanzacco (UD)

From 2013 to present

• 32nd Tank Regiment of Tauriano of Spilimbergo
• 132nd Tank Regiment of Cordenons
• 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Orcenico Superiore
• 132nd Ground Artillery Regiment "Ariete" (self-propelled) "Ariete" of Maniago
• 5th Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" of Codroipo (UD)
• 10th Engineer Regiment of Cremona
• Logistic Regiment "Ariete" of Maniago
• Command and Tactical Support Unit Ariete of Pordenone (PN)

Heraldic Description of the Emblem

The emblem of the "Ariete" is: "Per bend azure and gules, a ram's head erased or crossing".

Honors

Overall, the combat flags and standards of the units of the Great Unit are decorated with 5 gold medals for military valor, 6 silver medals for military valor, 5 bronze medals for military valor, 2 war crosses for military valor, and 3 bronze medals for army valor.

On May 6, 2000, the Brigade "Ariete" was also awarded honorary citizenship of Pordenone.

Commanders

Divisione Ariete

1939 - 1940 Gen. D. Carlo VECCHIARELLI
1940 - 1941 Gen. D. Ettore BALDASSARRE
1941 - 1942 Gen. D. Mario BALLOTTA
1942 - 1942 Gen. D. Giuseppe DE STEFANIS
1942 – 1942 Gen. D. Adolfo INFANTE
1942 - 1942 Gen. D. Alfredo ARENA
1939 - 1940 Gen. D. Carlo VECCHIARELLI
1940 - 1941 Gen. D. Ettore BALDASSARRE
1941 - 1942 Gen. D. Mario BALLOTTA
1942 - 1942 Gen. D. Giuseppe DE STEFANIS
1942 – 1942 Gen. D. Adolfo INFANTE
1942 - 1942 Gen. D. Alfredo ARENA
1943 - 1948 Gen. D. Raffaele CADORNA

Brigata Ariete

1948 - 1950 Gen. Giorgio LIUZZI
1950 - 1951 Gen. Tommaso LEQUIO
1951 - 1952 Gen. Giuseppe BERTI
1952 - 1952 Gen. Luigi DE MICHELI

Divisione Ariete

1952 - 1953 Gen. Attilio BRUNO
1953 - 1955 Gen. Clemente MENZIO
1955 – 1956 Gen. Guido BOSCHETTI
1956 - 1958 Gen. Ugo BIZZARRI
1958 - 1959 Gen. Ugo CENTOFANTI ARENA
1959 - 1959 Gen. Paolo GASPARI
1960 - 1961 Gen. Gianfilippo CANGINI
1961 - 1963 Gen. Goffredo FIORE
1963 – 1965 Gen. Cirino RUBINO
1965 - 1966 Gen. Vittorio LA ROSA
1966 - 1967 Gen. Camillo CACCIO
1967 - 1968 Gen. Andrea CUCINO
1968 – 1969 Gen. Giovanni GEMME
1969 - 1970 Gen. Vincenzo LEONELLI
1970 - 1972 Gen. Ugo Giangiorno BARBASETTI DI PRUN
1972 - 1973 Gen. Marcello FLORIANI
1973 - 1974 Gen. Luciano FORTUNATO
1974 - 1975 Gen. Emilio LO CICERO
1975 - 1976 Gen. Nicola CHIARI
1976 - 1977 Gen. Giuseppe PIOVANO
1977 - 1979 Gen. Riccardo BISOGNIERO
1979 – 1980 Gen. Enrico REPOLE
1980 – 1981 Gen. Gianfranco FAROTTI
1981 - 1982 Gen. Giuseppe D'AMBROSIO
1982 – 1984 Gen. Francesco DE VITA
1984 - 1985 Gen. Pietro GIANNATTASIO

Brigata Ariete

1985 -1986 Gen. Benedetto SPINELLI
1986 - 1988 Gen. Mario VENTRUTO
1988 - 1990 Gen. Antonio TOMASICCHIO
1990 – 1991 Gen. Gianalfonso D'AVOSSA
1991 - 1993 Gen. B. Francesco OTTI
1993 - 1994 Gen. Cosimo D'ARRIGO
1994 – 1995 Gen. Gaetano ROMEO
1995 – 1997 Gen. B. Salvatore CARRARA
1997 – 1999 Gen. B. Giuseppe VALOTTO
1999 – 2000 Gen. Giuseppe E. GAY
2000 - 2001 Gen. Massimo DE MAGGIO
2001 - 2002 Gen. Mauro MOSCATELLI
2002 - 2003 Gen. Walter LAVALLE
2003 - 2004 Gen. Gian Marco CHIARINI
2004 - 2006 Gen. Roberto RANUCCI
2006 - 2008 Gen. Paolo RUGGIERO
2008 - 2009 Gen. Carmelo DE CICCO
2009 - 2011 Gen. Salvatore CAMPOREALE
2011 - 2013 Gen. Gaetano ZAUNER
2013 - 2015 Gen. Fabio POLLI
2015 - 2016 Gen. Antonello VESPAZIANI
2016 - 2018 Gen. Angelo Michele RISTUCCIA
2018 - 2020 Gen. Enrico Barduani
2020 - 2022 Gen. Roberto Banci
2022 - 2024 Gen. Marco Longo
2024 - in office Gen. Domenico Leotta