173rd Airborne Brigade

173rd Airborne Brigade
Public domain · source
Unit name	173rd Airborne Brigade
Caption	Shoulder sleeve insignia
Dates	1917–1921; 1963–1972; 2000–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Airborne Infantry
Role	Airborne infantry
Size	Brigade combat team
Garrison	Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy
Nickname	"Sky Soldiers"
Motto	*"Sky Soldiers" *"The Herd"
Battles	*World War I *Vietnam War *War in Afghanistan *Iraq War
Decorations	*Presidential Unit Citation *Valorous Unit Award *Meritorious Unit Commendation
Current commander	Colonel
Identification symbol	50px
Identification symbol label	Beret flash

173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade combat team based at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for the European theater. The brigade has a storied history, most notably for its combat service during the Vietnam War, where it earned the nickname "Sky Soldiers."

History

The unit was first constituted in 1917 as an infantry element of the 86th Division during World War I. It was reactivated in 1963 as the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate), becoming the first major United States Army ground combat unit deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in 1965. The brigade fought in major campaigns including Operation Junction City and the Battle of Dak To, earning a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in the Battle of the Slopes. After the Vietnam War, the brigade was inactivated until 2000, when it was reborn as a brigade combat team and assigned to Southern European Task Force in Italy. Since then, it has seen extensive combat in the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, including the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq and operations in Kunar Province.

Organization

The brigade is organized as an airborne infantry brigade combat team. Its major subordinate units include the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment; the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment; the 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment; the 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion; and the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. These units are supported by dedicated headquarters, military intelligence, and signal companies. The brigade falls under the operational control of the Southern European Task Force, Africa and is a key component of V Corps.

Notable operations

The brigade conducted the only combat jump of the Vietnam War during Operation Junction City in 1967. In the Global War on Terrorism, the 173rd executed a combat jump into Bashur Airfield in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2003, opening a northern front for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In Afghanistan, the brigade was repeatedly deployed to restive eastern provinces, conducting intense counterinsurgency operations in Kunar Province, Nuristan Province, and Logar Province. Key battles included the Battle of Wanat in 2008 and sustained operations in the Korengal Valley.

Equipment and insignia

The brigade is equipped as a light airborne unit, utilizing platforms like the M4 carbine, M249 light machine gun, and M777 howitzer. For mobility, it employs Humvees and Light Medium Tactical Vehicles. Its distinctive shoulder sleeve insignia features a winged bayonet on a blue shield, symbolizing its airborne status. Personnel wear the maroon beret common to all United States Army airborne units, with a unique beret flash displaying a white winged sword on a black background.

Honors and awards

The brigade has received numerous unit awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation for Vietnam, a Valorous Unit Award for Iraq, and a Meritorious Unit Commendation for Afghanistan. Its soldiers have earned many individual decorations, such as the Medal of Honor, awarded to John F. Baker Jr., and several Distinguished Service Crosses and Silver Stars. The brigade's campaign participation credit spans from World War I to the most recent campaigns in Afghanistan.

In popular culture

The brigade's service, particularly in Vietnam, has been depicted in several films and documentaries. It is featured in the documentary series Vietnam in HD and the film The Green Berets. The intense combat experiences of its soldiers in the Korengal Valley were chronicled in the documentary Restrepo and its sequel Korengal. The brigade is also referenced in literature, including in We Were Soldiers Once... and Young, which details the Battle of Ia Drang.

Category:Airborne units and formations of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1917