The 186th Parachute Regiment Folgore is the heir to the 186th 'Folgore' Regiment deployed in the Battle of El Alamein and takes over its flag, which was decorated with a gold medal for its conduct in the battle itself. He is also decorated with two silver medals received in Somalia in the 1993 and in Kosovo in 2004, while numerous Parachutists of the 186th Regiment received gold, silver and bronze medals for individual actions.
Formerly framed as the 5th 'El Alamein' Battalion, it rejoined the regiment in 1992 as part of the restructuring of the Italian army.
He is stationed in Siena at the Bandini barracks and in the numerous operations in which he has taken part, he has often paid a heavy price in terms of human lives: in Somalia, during Operation UNOSOM II, he lost several men and was involved in the battle of the checkpoint pasta the 2 July 1993 where the regiment counted one fallen, Parachutist Pasquale Baccaro, and left numerous wounded on the battlefield, including the Second Lieutenant Gianfranco Paglia.
The fighting on 2 July will also feature the Captain Paolo Riccò decorated with the Bronze Medal for Valour, Commander of the XV Cp Diavoli Neri, the Sergeant Major Giovanni Bozzini and the Second Lieutenant Romeo Carbonetti decorated with the Silver Medal for Valour, the Lance Corporal Parachutist Renzo Polifrone and the Parachutist Carmelo Mandolfo, both decorated with the Bronze Medal for Valour.
In the ISAF mission in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2011, the regiment is involved in numerous firefights, counting several wounded. But the toughest day is 17 September 2009: it loses four men in theterrorist attack in Kabul. They were members of the 186th Regiment the Lieutenant Antonio Fortunato, the 1st Lance Corporal Matteo Mureddu, the 1st Lance Corporal Giandomenico Pistonami and the 1st Lance Corporal Davide Ricchiuto.
This is the current composition of the regiment:
- SORCI VERDI' Command and Logistics Support Company
- 5th Parachute Battalion 'El Alamein' as follows:
- 13th Parachute Company 'CONDOR'
- 14th Untamed Panther Parachute Company
- 15th Parachute Company 'BLACK DIAVOLI'
- PESTE' Tank Company
- Weighted Mortar Company 'VAMPIRI'
Within the battalion, there are also several scout teams and sharpshooters. The regiment's motto is 'IMPETUS AND DARING'.
History
The 1 September 1941 turns himself in Tarquinia (VT) as 2nd Parachute Regiment on Command, 47/32 Gun Company, V,VI and VII Parachute Battalion. It is framed in the Parachute Division newly formed, together with the 1st Parachute and Artillery Regiments. These units were joined on 10 March 1942 by the 3rd Parachute Regiment. On 27 July 1942, for deployment in North Africa, the Grand Unit took the name of 185th Parachute Division 'Folgore', and the regiments are renumbered. The 2nd Parachute Regiment becomes 186th Infantry Regiment 'Folgore'. Two battalions are stationed within the regiment: the 5th (13th, 14th and 15th Cp) e 6th (16th, 17th and 18th Cp).
In the epic battle of El Alamein, under the command of the Parachutist Colonel Pietro Tantillo, the regiment is invested on the day 24 October from violent attacks by the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the French Foreign Legion.
In particular, in the El Qattara Depression, the 5th Battalion was hit from behind, and was forced to fight back with men without being able to use mortars. The paratroopers of the 5th organised themselves into small squads of 4-5 men and assaulted the French with such tenacity that they were forced to retreat.
In spite of days and days of furious fighting, the 186th managed to hold firmly to the front assigned to it, always repelling the enemy enormously superior in means and equipment: the line of resistance remained intact, but the price paid was very high. The 6th battalion almost completely sacrificed itself to maintain the positions, while the 5th only counted a few dozen survivors among Officers, NCOs and Paratroopers.
On 6 November 1942, when the order to repatriate arrived, the regiment emerged undefeated but decimated, and the few survivors were framed in the 285th Formation Battalion, which, after having fought in Tunisia and in the last epic battle of Takrouna, ceased to exist with the 10th Army in May 1943. Thirteen Gold Medals to Non-Commissioned Officers and Parachutists testify to the valour shown by the "boys of the Folgore" in the regiment's short operational cycle.
Post-war
After the war, parachute units are reconstituted and the glories of the 186th Regiment are inherited by the 5th Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment controlled by the Major Galassi.
The years between 1973 and the 1979 are those during which the disbandment of the 1st Parachute Regiment, and the consequent incorporation into the Corps of the 5th Parachute Battalion 'EL ALAMEIN'.
On 30 September 1975, the 1st Parachute Regiment, whose last commander was the Sienese Col. Talluri, disbanded, and the flag was entrusted to the 3rd Battalion 'Poggio Rusco'the 2nd and 5th Battalions they come under the command of the Brigade Command and receive the8 April 1976 the Flags of War decorated with the Gold Medal for Military Valour, awarded for the heroism shown during operations in North Africa, by the dissolved Regiments, 186th and 187th of the glorious 'Folgore' Division.
The move to the Siena headquarters
In theApril 1977 the Lt-Col. Col. Marinelli is transferred to its current location in Siena and assumes command of the Detachment with the Scouting Company commanded by Capt. Celentano, reached in July by the 13th Rifle Company commanded by the Capt. Cirneco.
The task is to carry out adaptation and extraordinary maintenance work on the barracks made free following the transfer of the 84th Infantry 'VENICE' on 4 July 1977.
The 24 May 1978 the 5th Parachute Battalion 'EL ALAMEIN' completes its transfer to the current Bandini barracks, Lieutenant-Colonel Marinelli assumed command, In 1979 an aliquot of the 5th Parachute Battalion, framed in a training unit, goes to the United States, a Fort Bragg, where he participated in an intensive cycle of exercises; in the 1980 the 14th Company goes to France to carry out training at a transalpine parachute unit Hussars.
In 1982 participates in the mission "Lebanon 2"in Beirut.
In 1986, due to the difficult moment in the Mediterranean chessboard, is present in the operation "Sunflower"with the 15th Company and an anti-tank team from the cp. Mortars, or the garrison of the island of Lampedusa, against which the Libya carries out a deliberate act of war, launching two missiles, which fell into the sea but close to the coast, against the US base LORAN.
The centre of gravity of the crisis area therefore shifts southwards, and the rapid intervention force, which the 'Folgore' is part of, carries out in Apulia demanding exercises. In 1987 Operation 'Sunflower' continues, during which units of the Parachute Brigade take turns on the island of Lampedusa. In 1988 held its first weapon camp in Calabria, between October and November, in the area of Scido (RC).
It is the 27 August 1988 when the Lt-Col. Col. Pierluigi Torelli detects in the command the Lt. Col. Paolo Menchi. The usual bilateral exchanges, Rapid Intervention Force exercises, Ex "Mongoose", the "Porcupine", the "Red Condor"operation '.Sunflower", mark the 1989 as a very busy year for the entire department.
The 1990 is the year of the Gulf War and as a consequence of the conflict, the following year, in order to prevent possible terrorist acts, the entire department is engaged, from January, in the protection of sensitive targets in the provinces of Arezzo, Grosseto, Siena, Bologna, Pisa and Massa Carrara.
The 5th Parachute Battalion participates in the 1991, to the humanitarian and peacekeeping mission 'Provide Comfort' in Iraqi Kurdistan, decided in the framework of the resolution No. 687 of the UN Security Council in order to assist oppressed Kurdish refugees and the regime of Saddam Ussein.
Le cp. 13th and 15th, reinforced by the staff of the cp. Mortai Medi, and cp. C.do and S., They are deployed in difficult environmental conditions, thousands of kilometres away from the Motherland, and at first organise reception camps and provide aid and security for people fleeing the war, while later they are deployed in front of Iraqi forces, pushed northwards by allied pressure.
Reconstitution of the 186th Par. Folgore Regiment
The 16 September 1992 the 186th Parachute Regiment 'Folgore is reconstituted. Until December of the same year, it participated in Operation Sicilian Vespers a Palermo and from the 28 of the same month is transferred to Somalia where it participates in theIBIS operation.
He then took part in numerous Public Order operations at home and Peace Keeping operations abroad. In the late 1990s and early 2000s he was present in Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo, Lebanon and with some men in Iraq in the operation Ancient Babylon.
In 2001 participates with great praise from the institutions in the security of part of the red zone in the G8 in Genoa.
Specifically on the days of the meeting, the Parachutists of the 186th Regiment carried out perimeter security of theAir Force One of US President George W. Bush.
In 2009 and in the 2011 is in Afghanistan with the ISAF operation, where he is in command of the Italian contingent (named ITALFOR XX), receiving praise from all ISAF coalition forces.
During this mission, an aliquot of Parachute Fusiliers from the Regiment was in charge of escorting the Brigade Commander, the Parachutist General Rosario Castellano. This work, in the past, was exclusive to the Col Moschin special forces.
In the following years he was again deployed in Somalia (operation EUTM), Libya (Operation Hippocrates and Hippocrates 2), Niger (operation MISIN), Iraq (Operation Prima Parthica) and again in Afghanistan in Herat in 2021 (TACC-West).
The Commanders
186th Parachute Regiment 'Folgore
- Colonel Pietro Tantillo, 1941-1942
- Colonel Enrico Celentano, 1992-1994
- Colonel Augusto Staccioli, 1994-1997
- Colonel Emanuele Spagnolo, 1997-2000
- Colonel Maurizio Fioravanti, 2000-2001
- Colonel Francesco De Luca, 2001-2002
- Colonel Rosario Castellano, 2002-2004
- Colonel Sandro Camiciola, 2004-2006
- Colonel Manlio Scopigno, 2006-2008
- Colonel Aldo Zizzo, 2008-2010
- Colonel Lorenzo D'Addario, 2010-2011
- Colonel Roberto Angius, 2011-2013
- Colonel Roberto Trubiani, 2013-2015
- Colonel Beniamino Vergori, 2015-2017
- Colonel Michele Fraterrigo, 2017-2019
- Colonel Federico Bernacca, 2019-2021
- Colonel Massimo Veggetti, 2021- 2023
- Colonel Giovanni Corrado, 2023 - in office
5th Parachute Battalion 'El-Alamein
1941 to 1942
- Major (later Lt Col) Giuseppe Izzo
From 1963 to 1978 at the Livorno office
- Lt-Col. Col Tito Salmi
- Lt-Col. Col. Emilio Manfrone
- Lt-Col. Col. Spiridione Lulli
- Lt-Col. Col. Giorgio Galassi
- Lt-Col. Col. Franco De Vita
- Lt-Col. Col. Italo Papalia
- Lt-Col. Col. Lucio Innecco
- Lt. Col. Paolo Cristofari
- Lt. Col. Carlo Lorenzetti
- Lt-Col. Col. Mario Chiabrera
- Lt-Col. Col. Giuseppe Erriquez
From 1978 to 1992 at the Siena office
- Lt-Col. Col. Augusto Marinelli
- Lt-Col. Col. Francesco Merlino
- Lt-Col. Col. Bruno Loi
- Lt. Col. Giocchino Grassi
- Lt. Col. Paolo Menchi
- Lt-Col. Col. Pierluigi Torelli
- Lt-Col. Col. Augusto Staccioli
Since 1992 in the reconstituted 186th Parachute Regiment 'Folgore
- Lt-Col. Col. Alessandro Puzzilli 16/09/1992-15/09/1993
- Lt-Col. Col. Valentino Buttazzo 16/09/1993-15/09/1994
- Lt-Col. Col. Antonio Satta 16/09/1994-17/09/1995
- Lt-Col. Col. Maurizio Fioravanti 18/09/1995-31/08/1997
- Lt-Col. Col. Marco Bedina 01/09/1997-06/09/1998
- Lt-Col. Col. Rosario Castellano 07/09/1998-08/09/1999
- Lt-Col. Col. Maurizio Morena 09/09/1999-10/09/2000
- Lt-Col. Col. Massimo Mingiardi 11/09/2000-05/09/2001
- Lt-Col. Col. Aldo Zizzo 06/09/2001-26/09/2002
- Lt-Col. Col Gabriele Toscani De Col 27/09/2002-14/10/2003
- Lt-Col. Col. Lorenzo D'Addario 14/10/2003-14/10/2004
- Lt-Col. Col. Domenico Di Rosalia 15/10/2004-1/12/2005
- Lt-Col Roberto Angius 02/12/2005-25/10/2007 Col. Roberto Angius 02/12/2005-25/10/2007
- Lt-Col. Col. Claudio Ladisi 26/10/2007-30/10/2008
- Lt-Col. Col. Alessandro Albamonte 31/10/2008-05/11/2009
- Lt. Col. Angelo Sacco 06/11/2009-19/11/2010
- Lt-Col. Col. Sergio Cardea 19/11/2010-24/11/2011
- Lt. Col. Francesco Matarrese 25/11/2011-06/09/2012
- Lt. Col. Giuseppe Scuderi 07/09/2012-08/09/2013
- Lt. Col. Stefano Fanì 09/09/2013-24/07/2014
- Lt-Col. Col. Federico Bernacca 25/07/2014-27/07/2015
- Lt. Col. Vincenzo Zampella 28/07/2015-15/09/2016
- Lt-Col. Col. Massimiliano Mongillo 16/09/2016-10/08/2017
- Lt-Col. Col. Francesco Errico 11/08/2017-06/09/2018
- Lt-Col. Col. Enrico Iazzetta 07/09/2018-03/09/2020
- Lt-Col. Col. Amos Virgona 04/09/2020-09/09/2021
- Lt-Col. Col. Ivan Crescini 10/09/2021-15/09/2022
- Lt-Col. Col. Giuseppe Petrella 16/09/2022-15/09/2023
- Lt. Co.l Dimitri Sasso 16/09/2023-11/10/2024
- Lt-Col. Col. Daniele Demaestri 12/10/2024-ongoing
Missions in the post-war period
- January 1983 - February 1984 - Lebanon, Operation Lebanon 2
- March - September 1986 - Italy, Lampedusa, Operation Sunflower
- October - December 1990 - Italy, Calabria, Operation Aspromonte
- January - April 1991 - Iraq Kurdistan, Operation Provide Comfort
- April - July 1992 - Sicily, Operation Sicilian Vespers
- March - July 1993 - Somalia, Operation Restore Hope - IBIS
- May - October 1999 - Bosnia, NATO SFOR Operation Constant Forge
- May - October 2000 - Albania, NATO KFOR Operation Joint Guardian
- July 2001 - Genoa, Operation G8
- October 2001 - February 2002 - Kosovo, NATO KFOR Operation Consistent Effort
- March - May 2002 - Tuscany, Operation Domino
- August - September 2003 - Bosnia, NATO SFOR OTHF
- January - July 2004 - Kosovo, NATO KFOR Operation Decisive Endeavour
- October - November 2005 - Kosovo, NATO KFOR Operation Determined Effort
- January-March 2006 Italy, Turin Operation Domino 'Winter Olympics
- April - August 2007 - Lebanon, UNIFIL Operation Leontes
- November 2008 - January 2009 - Italy, Caserta, Operation Strade Sicure
- April - October 2009 - Kabul, Afghanistan, NATO ISAF
- February - September 2011 - Bakwa and Gulistan, Afghanistan, NATO ISAF
- August - September 2012 - Emilia-Romagna, Operation Una Acies
- May 2013 - March 2015 - Somalia, EUTM Somalia
- May - July 2015 - Milan, Operation EXPO 2015
- September 2016 - February 2017 - Libya, Operations Hippocrates and Hippocrates 2
- December 2017 - July 2018 - Tuscany, Operation Safe Streets
- December 2018 - January 2020 - Niger, Operation MISIN
- July - December 2019 - Tuscany, Operation Safe Streets
- August 2019 - March 2020 - Iraq, Operation Prima Parthica
- January 2021 - Afghanistan - Operation "TACC-West" (Herat)
- December - June 2022 - Tuscany, Operation 'Strade Sicure'.
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 lavished itself 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 overpower the Italian paratroopers, and never bend them. Through innumerable episodes of collective and individual heroism, he prolonged the resistance until the total exhaustion of all means of combat, imposing himself on the respect and admiration of the enemy, thus writing one of the most shining pages of valour for the Italian Army.
North Africa, 23 October - 6 November 1942
Silver Medal for Valour in the Army
The 186th "Folgore" paratroopers 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 round-up operations 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, it always reacted with effectiveness and determination, highlighting the military valour, operational capacity and extremely strong motivation of its men. Despite the serious losses suffered in combat, he continued to carry out the tasks entrusted to him without flinching, with the pride and pride of persevering in the attempt to restore security and humanitarian relief to the martyred Somali people and in the determination to honour his distant homeland.
Somalia, 27 December 1992 - 8 June 1993
Silver Medal for Valour in the Army
A paratroop regiment with a glorious tradition of military virtue, during Operation Decisive Endeavour in Kosovo, it faced with extraordinary courage the unrest that swept across Kosovo on 17 and 18 March 2004. The unit intervened to defend the monasteries of Dakovica and Decane and to protect the ethnic Serb villages of Belo Polje, Bica and Grabac. The regiment's paratroopers, not at all intimidated by the aggressive and violent attitude of the rioters, repelled their repeated assaults with an armed response, rescuing the threatened communities from the fury of the demonstrators and safeguarding the safety of the clergy and the integrity of numerous places of worship of the Serbian Orthodox religion. They were an admirable example of a unit that, through their courage, high sense of duty, generous disregard for danger and spirit of solidarity, concretely contributed to the prestige and prestige of the Armed Force and the nation in a multinational context.
Dakovica, Belo Polje, Decane, Bica, Grabac (Kosovo) 17-18 March 2004
Knight of the Military Order of Italy
Parachute regiment constantly animated by exceptional self-sacrifice and moral steadfastness conducted, with courage and skill, kinetic operations in contexts characterised by significant terrorist threats and violent inter-ethnic clashes. With valiant professionalism and conscious disregard for danger, the men and women of the regiment demonstrated admirable efficiency, achieving remarkable results in the numerous risky missions assigned. A shining example of a highly motivated unit, whose actions contributed to enhancing the lustre and prestige of Italy and its Armed Forces in the international arena.
Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, 2009 - 2021
Individual honours
Gold Medal for Military Valour
- Staff Sergeant Mario Giaretto - Quota 99 in Deir Alinda (North Africa), night of 8 August 1942.
- Second Lieutenant Giovanni Stassi - North Africa, 25 August-2 September 1942.
- Second Lieutenant Omero Lucchi - North Africa, 31 August-4 September 1942.
- Lieutenant Roberto Bandini - Quota 125 in Qaret El Himeimat (Egypt), 23-25 October 1942.
- Second Lieutenant Giovanni Gambaudo - Qaret El Himeimat (North Africa), 23-24 October 1942.
- Parachutist Giuseppe Cappelletto - Qaret El Himeimat altitude 125 (North Africa), 23-25 October 1942.
- Staff Sergeant Nicola Pistillo - North Africa, 23-25 October 1942.
- Parachutist Leandro Franchi - North Africa, November 1942.
- Lieutenant Marco Gola - Egypt, Naqb Rala (EI Alamein), 23-25 October 1942.
- Lieutenant Colonel Carlo Marescotti Ruspoli Prince of Poggio Suasa - Deir el Munassib, 4 November 1942.
- Parachutist Antonio Andriolo - Quota 125 of Qaret El Himeimat, Quota 146 of Rain Pool, 23 October - 4 November 1942.
- Parachutist Gerardo Lustrissimi - North Africa, 23-25 October 1942.
- Paratrooper Pasquale Baccaro - Mogadishu, 2 July 1993.
- Second Lieutenant Gianfranco Paglia - Mogadishu, 2 July 1993.
Gold medal for valour in the army
- Lance Corporal Stefano La Mattina - Parmakan (Afghanistan), 23 September 2009.
