The 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore' is an airborne artillery regiment of the Italian Army, part of the Parachute Brigade 'Folgore'.
The 'Folgore' Brigade has always had an artillery component, represented by the 1st Battery, then the Parachute Field Artillery Group and then the 185th Parachute Field Artillery Group 'Viterbo', the 1992 became 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore'. In 2000 became 185th Land Artillery Regiment (Parachutists Target Acquisition 'Folgore' until 2004 when it lost its 'artillery' component and was transformed into the 185th Parachute Reconnaissance Target Acquisition Regiment 'Folgore' (often abbreviated 185th RRAO), a unit with special operations tasks.
In 2013 The 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore' is reborn in Bracciano. The Regiment inherits the war flag and thus the traditions, from the 2004 guarded by the 185th RRAO in Livorno, which passed to COMFOSE.
World War II
The history of the parachute artillery traces its origins back to the first department established on 28 August 1941 in Tarquinia (VT): it is the 1st Parachute Artillery Group on the 1st and 2nd 47/32 anti-tank batteries. In rapid succession the 15 January '42 Group II (3rd and 4th batteries) and then the 10 March 1942 the 3rd Group (5th and 6th Batteries), Regimental Command and Regimental Support Battery.
The 27 July 1942With the African deployment of the Division, the Parachute Division artillery regiment took the name 185th Artillery Regiment 'Folgore'. Sent to North Africa, after the Battle of Alam Halfa (31 Aug - 5 Sep 1942) disbanded the 2nd Group Command, but not the 3rd and 4th Batteries, which were redistributed into the division's Tactical Groups. At the same time, with materials recovered from the battlefield, it constitutes a 7th battery, non-existent from an organic point of view, but as efficient and fierce as the other six. The regiment's anti-tank pieces are scattered in the firing centres of the rifle companies, of which they end up forming the backbone. The paratroopers, in fact, unlike the riflemen who have the 91 TS musket, are individually equipped with the MAB 38 machine gun and a Breda 30 machine gun for each piece squad. In turn, the 'Folgore' received groups and batteries from the 'Pavia' and 'Trieste' Divisions in reinforcement. Following the battle of El Alamein, the regiment disbanded in the African desert. It is the8 December 1942. For the countless acts of valour of its parachutist artillerymen, the regiment's war flag was decorated with the Gold Medal for Military Valour, with the same motivation, a unique case in the Italian Army, as the 186th and 187th regiments of the 'Folgore Division'.
Post-war
In 1958 an artillery battery is established within the 1st Tactical Parachute Group, which is reorganised into a Group of two batteries in the 1963. The 16 December 1966 the Parachute Artillery Group receives custody of the 185th Regiment's War Flag, decorated with the Gold Medal for Military Valour earned in North Africa, which until then had been pinned to the Artillery's War Flag and kept at the Artillery School in Bracciano (RM).
In 1975On 1 October, it resumed its traditional numbering, becoming 185th Parachute Field Artillery Group 'Viterbo' with three howitzer batteries and a Command and Services Battery (BCS). In 1982 the 185th Parachute Field Artillery Group 'VITERBO' took part in the Italian Army's first overseas mission after the war in Lebanon with a training battery under the command of a Captain. In 1987 expanded its tasks by adding an anti-aircraft defence battery (STINGER) to its staff.
The 8 September 1992 the 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore' was reconstituted in Livorno, at the 'Pisacane' Barracks, the unit's historic headquarters. It included the Regimental Headquarters, the "Leoni" Command and Services Battery, the "Scorpioni" Stinger anti-aircraft self-defence battery and the 1st Group with three howitzer/parachute batteries (1st "Draghi", 2nd "Aquile", 3rd "Diavoli") and the "Levrieri" firing and technical support battery. In 1993 is decorated with the Silver Medal for Valour of the Army for his deployment in Somalia.
Dissolution
The 31 August 2000 The Regiment changes its tasks, the "Scorpioni" stinger battery and the "Levrieri" firing and technical support battery are disbanded, and it decommissions howitzers and mortars, starting a path of specialisation from artillery to the fields of battlefield surveillance and target acquisition. The regiment therefore took on the name 185th Land Artillery Regiment (Paratroopers Objective Acquisition) "Folgore": it took on the motto (Videre nec videri) and coat of arms (bat with parachute and gladius) of the Paratroopers Objective Acquisition Battery of the disbanded 13th Objective Acquisition Group "Aquileia" (13th GRACO) of the 3rd "Aquileia" Missile Brigade. In 2004 the regiment changed again, giving rise to the 185th Parachute Reconnaissance Target Acquisition Regiment 'Folgore'.
Reconstitution in 2013
From 2000 at 2013The Folgore Parachute Brigade therefore lacked a specifically artillery fire component. This gap was filled with the formation of the 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore', in Bracciano within the training regiment, the Artillery Command, two parachute mortar batteries, and the key elements of the regimental command that the 21 of June 2013In Cecina (LI), following an airdrop, they took over the Parachute Artillerymen's War Flag.
The day after the constitution, sanctioned on 1 July 2013, the Regiment represented the Artillery at the National Gathering of Former Artillerymen in Prato and the following week took part in the first shooting school.
It provided the core of the Multinational Battle Group West (MNBG-W) in Kosovo, as part of Operation Joint Enterprise.
Tasks and functions
The Brigade's 'fire support' unit, participates with its own components and operational assets in all home-land security operations and major international missions.
Organisation
- Regimental Command
- 1st Group
- 1st Heavy Mortar Battery
- 2nd Heavy Mortar Battery
- Battery Surveillance and Technical Support
- Command and Logistics Support Battery
Honours to the Flag of War
Gold Medal for Military Valour
Parachutist Regiment of the glorious "Folgore" Division, in union with the divisional units assigned to it, for three months, without pause, valiantly worked in numerous offensive and defensive actions, always crushing the impetuous advance of the enemy, enormously superior in numbers and means. In the epic battle of El Alamein, exhausted by the losses he suffered, having ceased all supplies of water, food and ammunition, with the faith that only the most sublime love of country can generate, he disdainfully rejected, to the cry of "Folgore", repeated invitations to surrender, thus demonstrating that the superiority of his means could overwhelm the Italian paratroopers, and never bend them. Through countless episodes of collective and individual heroism, he prolonged the resistance until the total exhaustion of every means of fighting, imposing himself on the respect and admiration of the enemy himself, thus writing one of the most shining pages for the Italian Army.
North Africa, 22 July - 12 October 1942; Battle of El Alamein, 23 October - 6 November 1942; Depression of El Kattara, 4 November 1942
Silver medal for army valour
The 185th Folgore Parachute Artillery Regiment, part of the Italian Forces in Somalia, took part in rescue operations for the Somali population, working with total dedication and high professionalism in the dangerous mission and confirming, in numerous raking actions to search for weapons and in operations against guerrillas and anti-banditry, the very high level of efficiency, great courage and generosity of its members. Involved in numerous firefights, he always reacted with effectiveness and determination, highlighting the military valour, operational capacity and extremely strong motivation of his men. Despite the serious losses suffered in combat, he continued to carry out his assigned tasks without flinching with the pride and pride of preserving in the attempt to restore security and humanitarian relief to the martyred Somali people and in the determination to honour his distant homeland.
Somalia, 29 April 1993 - 7 September 1993
