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5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti"
Italian Army tank unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" (Italian: 5° Battaglione Carri "M.O. Chiamenti") is an inactive tank battalion of the Italian Army, which was based in Tauriano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and last operationally assigned to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". The unit's lineage traces back to the World War II V Tank Battalion M13/40, which was formed on 11 November 1940 by the depot of the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment. In January 1941, the battalion arrived in Libya to shore up the crumbling Italian 10th Army, which was disintegrating quickly due to the British Operation Compass. On 10 January 1941, the battalion was assigned to the Special Armored Brigade and in the following 25 days the battalion fought British forces until the battalion was annihilated in the Battle of Beda Fomm. In 1964 the battalion was reformed and assigned to the 32nd Tank Regiment. In 1975 the battalion was renamed 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" and assigned to the 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli". In 1991, the battalion was transferred to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". On 25 August 1992, the battalion was disbanded and its personnel merged into the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", which the next day entered the reformed 32nd Tank Regiment.[2]
5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" | |
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5° Battaglione Carri "M.O. Chiamenti" | |
![]() Battalion coat of arms | |
Active | 11 Nov. 1940 — 8 Feb. 1941 1 July 1964 — 25 Aug. 1992 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | Italian Army |
Part of | Armored Brigade "Ariete" |
Garrison/HQ | Tauriano |
Motto(s) | "Con fede ed animo indomito" |
Anniversaries | 8 February 1941 |
Decorations | ![]() ![]() 1x Silver Medal of Military Valor 1x Silver Medal of Army Valor[1] |
Insignia | |
Tank units gorget patches |
Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The battalion's anniversary falls on 8 February, the last day of the Battle of Beda Fomm, during which the remnants of the V Tank Battalion M13/40 continued to fight until the total annihilation of the battalion.[2]