Alpine Brigade Tridentina
| Brigata Alpina Tridentina | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms of the Alpine Brigade Tridentina |
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| Active | 1 May 1951 - 31 December 2002 |
| Country | Italy |
| Branch | Italian Army |
| Type | Alpini |
| Role | Mountain Infantry |
| Part of | IV Army Corps 1951 - today |
| Garrison/HQ | Brixen |
The Alpini Brigade Tridentina was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units were the Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The Tridentina Alpine Brigade carried on the colours and traditions of the WWII era 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina.
The brigade was based in the eastern half of the Italian province of South Tyrol. The headquarter was in the city of Brixen. The brigade was disbanded in 2002, however the name and traditions were carried on by the newly raised Tridentina Division, a deployable military headquarter of the Italian Army.
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[edit] Constitution
The Tridentina was constituted on May 1, 1951 in the city of Brixen. The brigade’s name "Tridentina" was taken from the name Venezia Tridentina, which was the name invented by the linguist Graziadio Isaia Ascoli for the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and was officially in use for the area between 1919 and 1948. The brigade was based in the region and drew the majority of its recruits from it. The brigade was tasked with defending the Puster Valley, ensuring that invading Warsaw Pact troops would be unable to cut the vital supply line over the Brenner Pass. To aid in the defense of the valley part of the pre-WWII fortifications of the Alpine Wall were reactivated and upgraded. The brigade’s strength was around 4200 men and initially it was composed of the:[1]
6th Alpini Regiment with the battalions
Bolzano
Trento
Bassano- Edolo (ceded to the reformed 5th Alpini Regiment of the newly formed Alpine Brigade Orobica on January 1, 1953)
- 6th Mortar Company
2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment (Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna - G.A.M.) with the groups
- Bergamo (renamed "Vicenza" in 1952)
- Verona
- Asiago
Logistic battalion (from 1956 onwards)- Engineer company
- Signals Company
In 1953 the 21st Frontier Defense Regiment was attached to the Brigade. It consisted of the battalions
- XXIII° (renamed Val Brenta Alpini battalion on July 1, 1963) in Innichen
- XXIV° (renamed Val d'Adige Alpini battalion on July 1, 1963) in Toblach
- XXV° (renamed Val Leogra Alpini battalion on July 1, 1963) in Bruneck
This 21st Frontier Defense Regiment was dissolved on June 30, 1964 with the exception of the Val Brenta Alpini battalion, which absorbed the companies of the Val Leogra Alpini battalion. The companies of the Val d'Adige Alpini battalion were transferred to the Val Cismon Alpini battalion of the Alpine Brigade Cadore.
[edit] 1975 Reorganization
In 1975 the Italian Army abolished the regimental level and battalions came under direct command of the Army's brigades. In the same year the Verona Mountain Artillery group was dissolved and the 1st Heavy Artillery Group Adige moved in the vacant base in Elvas. The Adige along with the United States Army's 11th Field Artillery Detachment, based at Site Rigel in Natz-Schabs, were tasked, in case the defense of the Puster Valley would fail, to destroy the entire valley with W33 nuclear artillery warheads fired from the Adiges M115 203mm howitzers, as part of the US-Italian nuclear weapons sharing program.
The new composition was:[2]
- Trento Alpini battalion in Welsberg
- Bassano Alpini battalion in Innichen
- Val Brenta Alpini battalion in Bruneck (put into reserve status in 1986; only the 262nd Alpini Company remained in active service)
- Bolzano Alpini battalion in Brixen (Reserve unit)
- Vicenza Mountain Artillery group in Elvas
- Asiago Mountain Artillery group in Toblach
- Command and Signals battalion in Brixen
- Tridentina Logistics battalion in Vahrn
- Anti-tank company in Bruneck
- Engineer company in Brixen
[edit] 1990s Reorganization
In 1991 the reserve battalions Val Brenta and Bolzano and the Asiago Mountain Artillery group were dissolved. The mountain artillery group Vicenza passed to the direct command of the IV Alpine Army Corps. With the suppression of the Alpine Brigade Orobica in 1991, that Brigades remaining units (Alpini Battalions Morbegno and Edolo, Bergamo the Artillery group, the Orobica Logistics battalion and the Anti-tank company) passed to the Tridentina. In August 1992 the Anti-tank company and the 262nd Alpini Company were dissolved and the battalions took the names of historical Alpini regiments to carry on the regimental traditions. Each regiment consisted of one of the brigades Alpini battalions and an additional support company. Furthermore in 1993 the Command and Signals battalion was merged with the Engineer company into the newly formed Command and Tactical Support battalion. Thus the new composition was:[2]
5th Alpini Regiment Morbegno Alpini battalion in Sterzing- 6th Alpini Regiment Bassano Alpini battalion in Innichen
11th Alpini Regiment Trento Alpini battalion in Welsberg- Edolo Alpini Training battalion in Meran (renamed 18th Alpini Regiment on September 13, 1997; passed to COMALP on March 1, 1998)
5th Mountain Artillery Regiment Bergamo Mountain Artillery group in Meran- Command and Tactical Support battalion in Brixen
- Tridentina Logistics battalion in Brixen
[edit] Today
In 2001 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment was dissolved, followed by the 11th Alpini Regiment on March 8, 2002. During 2002 the following units of the Brigade passed to other commands:
The brigade and its last remaining units were dissolved on December, 31st 2002. On the next day the Tridentina Division Command was activated in Bolzano which carries on the traditions of the 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina and the Alpine Brigade Tridentina.
[edit] Sources
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