From El Alamein to the present: the 13th Parachute Company 'Condor' is back in operation

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The historic company of the 186th Parachute Regiment Folgore framed in the 5th Parachute Battalion El Alamein, was temporarily closed at the end of 2019. Officially back in operation today.

From the glory of El Alamein to Siena, via Livorno

Born with the Parachute Division at the Regia Scuola di Paracadutismo in Tarquinia, in July 1942, the XIII Company, framed in the 5th Parachute Battalion of 186th Parachute Regiment Folgore, she is transferred to North Africa. During the second battle of El Alamein distinguished himself by his valour, resisting to the last without yielding ground to the enemy.

From El Alamein to the present: the 13th Parachute Company — One of the 13th Company Parachutists' positions at Naqb Rala, during the Battle of El-Alamein - Courtesy of A.B., El Alamein project 2010

With the disbanding of the Folgore Division, its history continued after the war, when it was framed in the 1st Parachute Regiment based in Livorno. Between 1973 and 1979, following the disbanding of the 1st Parachute Regiment, the XIII Condor was framed in the 5th Parachute Battalion 'El Alamein', by then an autonomous Corps.

The move to Siena and the first international missions

In April 1977, Lieutenant Colonel Marinelli took command of the Detachment in the new headquarters of the 5th Parachute Battalion in Siena, having the Exploring Company, led by Captain Celentano, under his command, and in July of the same year, the 'Tredici', commanded by Captain Cirneco, also joined the unit.

In 1982, the 'Condors' participated in the mission Lebanon 2 in Beirut with the rest of the Battalion. In 1991, together with the 15th Company, reinforced by personnel from the Medium Mortar Company and the Command and Services Company, it took part in the mission Provide Comfort in Iraqi Kurdistan, within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 687, with the aim of assisting Kurdish refugees oppressed by Saddam Hussein's regime.

In the reconstituted 186th Parachute Regiment 'Folgore

On 16 September 1992, with the reconstitution of the 186th Parachute Regiment 'Folgore', the 13th Company was deployed in theoperation Sicilian Vespers in Palermo under the command of Captain Massimo Mingiardi (future General Commander of the Folgore Parachute Brigade). On 28 December he leaves for the Somalia in the operation IBISreturning home on 10 June 1993.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the company was present in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Lebanon and, with some men, also in Iraq in Operation Ancient Babylon.

In 2001, she was employed in the security of the red zone during the G8 summit in Genoa, receiving great institutional acclaim. In particular, the paratroopers of the XIII Company will take charge of the surveillance of US President George W. Bush's Air Force One.

In 2009, it was deployed to Afghanistan in Operation ISAFtaking part in complex military operations in the most turbulent areas of the country.

The 2010s and the temporary closure

In the following decade, the 13th Company was engaged in numerous missions in the Balkans and Africa, until its temporary closure at the end of 2019, as part of the reorganisation of the Battalion.