4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment

4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment
4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti
Regimental coat of arms
Active	1 Nov. 1882 — 8 Sept. 1943 15 April 1946 — 2001 25 Sept. 2004 — today
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Type	Special forces
Part of	Army Special Forces Command
Garrison/HQ	Montorio Veronese
Motto(s)	"In adversa ultra adversa"
Anniversaries	18 May 1917
Decorations	2x Military Order of Italy[1] 2x Gold Medals of Military Valor[2][3] 9x Silver Medals of Military Valor 1x Bronze Medal of Military Valor 1x Silver Medal of Civil Valor 1x Silver Medal of Merit[4]
Insignia
4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment gorget patches

The 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment (Italian: 4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti) is a special operations forces regiment of the Italian Army based in Montorio Veronese in Veneto. Originally the regiment belonged to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry specialty, but since 14 July 1996 its personnel also belongs to the Paratroopers infantry specialty. On 1 November 1882, the Royal Italian Army formed the 4th Alpini Regiment, which had its recruiting area in the Graian Alps and Pennine Alps. Since 2013 the regiment is assigned to the Army Special Forces Command. The regiment is one of the most often and one of the highest decorated regiments of the Italian Army, although its two Gold Medals of Military Valor were awarded to the regiment's currently inactive Alpini Battalion "Aosta", respectively the currently active Battalion "Monte Cervino".^[5][6][7]

During World War I the regiment expanded to ten battalions, which fought separately in the alpine areas of the Italian front. For its conduct and bravery during the war the Alpini Battalion "Aosta" was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor, making it the only Alpini unit to be awarded Italy's highest military honor in the war. In 1935 the regiment was assigned to the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense", with which it served during World War II in the invasion of France. In winter 1942-43, the Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino", which had been reformed by the 4th Alpini Regiment in October 1941, was destroyed on the Eastern Front during the Red Army's Operation Little Saturn. For its conduct, bravery and sacrifice in the Soviet Union between February 1942 and February 1943 the Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino" was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor. In 1942 the division was transferred to Montenegro, where it served on occupation duty until the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. Following the announcement the division instantly began to fight German forces. By early October the remnants of the division and of its regiments were forced to surrender to the Germans. With Alpini, who had escaped from Montenegro, the Italian Co-Belligerent Army formed in fall 1943, the Alpini Battalion "Piemonte", which fought on the allied side in the Italian campaign. From June to September 1944, the Alpini Battalion "Piemonte" was assigned to the reformed 3rd Alpini Regiment. On 30 September 1944, the 3rd Alpini Regiment was disbanded and the Alpini Battalion "Piemonte" was assigned to the Special Infantry Regiment "Legnano" of the Combat Group "Legnano".^[6][7]

On 15 April 1946, the 4th Alpini Regiment was reformed and in 1952 assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense". In 1975 the regiment was disbanded and its flag and traditions assigned to the Alpini Battalion "Aosta", which was assigned to the Alpine Military School. In 1989, the battalion was reorganized and renamed Tactical Logistic Support Battalion "Aosta". In 1998, battalion merged with the Alpine Military School's Complement Officer Cadets Battalion and was renamed Training Battalion "Aosta". In 2001, the Training Battalion "Aosta" was reduced to Training Unit "Aosta" and the flag of the 4th Alpini Regiment transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome. On 24 September 2004, the Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" lost its autonomy and the next day the battalion entered the 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment, which inherited the flag, traditions, honors and coat of arms of the 4th Alpini Regiment. Since 2013, the regiment is assigned to the Army Special Forces Command. The regiment's anniversary falls on 18 May 1917, the day the regiment's Alpini Battalion "Aosta" stormed and held the summit of Monte Vodice during the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo.^[5][6][7]