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Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima"

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Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima"
Reggimento Lagunari "Serenissima"
Regimental coat of arms
Active1 Sept. 1957 – today[1]
CountryItaly
BranchItalian Army
Part ofCavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli"
Garrison/HQVenice
Motto(s)"Come lo scoglio infrango, come l'onda travolgo"
Anniversaries25 June 1984 - Elevation to infantry speciality
Decorations
1xMilitary Order of Italy
1x Gold Medal of Army Valor
1x Silver Medal of Army Valor[2]
2x Silver Crosses of Army Merit[3][4]
Insignia
Lagunarigorget patches
Lagunari during an exercise in CapoTeulada(Sardinia)
Lagunari in Venice

TheLagunari Regiment "Serenissima"(Italian:Reggimento Lagunari "Serenissima") is the active unit ofItalian Army's infantry arm'samphibiousLagunari speciality. The name of the specialty comes from the Italian word for lagoon (Italian:laguna), while the regiment's name "Serenissima" commemorates theMost Serene Republic of Venice(Italian:Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia). The regiment is based inVeniceand assigned to theCavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli".The "Pozzuolo del Friuli" brigade forms, together with theItalian Navy's Third Naval Division andSan Marco Marine Brigade,theItalian Armed Forces' Sea Projection Force (Italian:Forza di proiezione dal mare).[5][6][7]

The regiment was formed in 1957 as the Italian Army's amphibious force. Although the Lagunari are the youngest speciality of the Italian Army's infantry, the regiment carries the traditions of the naval infantry of theRepublic of Venice,the traditions of theRepublic of San Marco's Cacciatori del Sile, the traditions ofRoyal Italian Army's engineer arm's Lagunari units ofWorld War I,and the traditions of theAmphibious Battalion "Sile".[6]

History

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Republic of Venice

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In 1550 theRepublic of Veniceraised embarked troops for theVenetian fleet,which were namedFanti da Mar(Infantry of the Sea). Present on all Venetian ships the Fanti da Mar were disbanded after theFall of the Republic of Veniceon 12 May 1797.[6][8]

Republic of San Marco

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In 1848 therevolutions erupted in the Italian statesand in VeniceDaniele Manindeclared theRepublic of San Marco.The cities of the former Republic of Venice raised volunteer units to fight the Austrian forces, which occupied the region. One such force were theCacciatori del Sile,a light infantry unit formed by the cities ofTrevisoandPaduaand named for theSileriver, which straddles theVenetian Lagoon.On 21 October 1848 the unit moved through theVenetian Lagoonto attack Austrian forces on theCavallinopeninsula. After routing the Austrians the unit returned to its base inVenice-Lido,where on 23 October GeneralGuglielmo Pepehonored the unit with a visit. In 1849 the Austrians subjugated the city and dissolved the Cacciatori del Sile.[8]

Kingdom of Italy

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After theThird Italian War of Independencein 1866 theAustro-Hungarian Empirehad to cede what it still held of theKingdom of Lombardy–Venetiato theSecond French Empire,which in turn ceded it to theKingdom of Italy.With Italy now in possession ofVeniceit garrisoned the city withRoyal Italian Armyforces, which included the 14th Sappers Company of the army'sSappers Corps.On 1 January 1874 the corps was split into the1st Engineer Regimentand2nd Engineer Regiment.In 1877 the 14th Sappers Company, which was tasked with providing transport for military forces in the Venetian Lagoon, was renamed 14th Lagunari Company.[9][8]

In 1883 the 2nd Engineer Regiment ceded fourPontiericompanies, onetraincompany, and the 14th Lagunari Company in Venice, to help form the4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri)inPiacenza.By 1887 the regiment included a Lagunari Brigade, which consisted of the 9th and 10th Lagunari companies, which had been formed by splitting the 14th Lagunari Company. In 1910 the brigades were renamed battalions.[9][8]

World War I

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DuringWorld War Ithe 4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri) formed an additional six Lagunari companies, which operated on the extreme right flank of theItalian frontin the estuaries of theIsonzoandTimavoriver. After theBattle of Caporettoand the Italian retreat to thePiaveriver the companies operated in the Piave estuary and along the Sile river.[9][8]

On 28 August 1918 the 8th Engineer Regiment (Lagunari) was formed inFerraraand all Laguanri companies were transferred to the regiment. The regiment consisted of a command, the I Lagunari Battalion inVenicewith the 9th, 15th, 20th, and 23rd company, and the II Lagunari Battalion with the 10th, 21st, 22nd, and 24th company in Ferrara. In October 1918 the regiment formed the 1stTrainCompany and the same month the regiment's companies were heavily engaged in the Piave delta during theBattle of Vittorio Veneto.In November 1918 the regiment moved to Venice, where it was disbanded on 21 November 1919. The last remaining battalion of the regiment with two Lagunari companies returned on the same date to the 4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri), which was renamed Pontieri and Lagunari Engineer Regiment.[9][10][8]

Interwar years

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On 1 March 1926 the regiment changed its name to Pontieri and Lagunari Regiment. On 15 May 1933 the regiment was split into the1st Pontieri Regiment (Light Bridges)and2nd Pontieri Regiment (Heavy Bridges).The 1st Pontieri Regiment was based in Verona and received the II Pontieri Battalion in Verona, IV Pontieri Battalion in Rome, and V Lagunari Battalion in Venice. The new regiment formed these units into two Pontieri battalions, with each battalion also fielding two Lagunari companies. On 1 October 1938 the Lagunari companies were disbanded and their personnel merged into the regiment's bridge companies.[11][8]

Cold War

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On 15 January 1951 the Italian Armed Forces began the formation of a command inVenice Lido,which was named Lagunari Forces Sector (Italian:Settore Forze Lagunari) and assigned to theV Army Corps.The command was a mixedItalian Army-Italian Navyformation under the command of navyCounter admiraland tasked to defend the coastallagoonsalong the Italian coast in the northernAdriatic Sea:theVenetian Lagoonand theMarano Lagoon.On 1 July 1951 a command platoon with navy and army personnel was formed. On 30 August of the same year the Lagoonal Coast Battalion "Marghera" was formed inMalcontenta.The battalion consisted of a command company with personnel from the army and navy, a truck-transported company with army personnel, an amphibious company with navy personnel, and a lagoonal support unit with navy boats and personnel. On 15 October 1951 theBattalion "San Marco"inVilla Vicentina,which consisted of Navy personnel, but was organized as an army infantry battalion, was transferred from theInfantry Division "Folgore"to the Lagunari Forces Sector.[1][6][8]

On 1 September 1952 the Lagoonal Coast Battalion "Piave" was formed inMestrewith the same organization as the Marghera battalion. On 1 January 1954 the landing vehicles and boats of the Lagunari Forces Sector were merged into the Naval Landing Craft Group, which on 15 January 1956 was renamed Naval Vehicles Group. On 1 March 1956 the command of the sector was assigned to a colonel of the Italian Army and the process of detaching the navy component from the sector began. On 1 July the 1957 the Battalion "San Marco" was renamed Lagoonal Coast Battalion "Isonzo" and its enlisted personnel was transferred from the navy to the army.[1][6][8]

By 1 September 1957 the Lagunari Forces Sector had lost all navy personnel and was renamed Lagoonal Grouping (Italian:Raggruppamento Lagunare). The grouping consisted of a command, a command company, a training company, a signal company, the amphibious battalions "Marghera", "Piave", and "Isonzo", the Naval Vehicles Group, and from 1 February 1958 also the Motorized Battalion "Adria", with two reserve truck-transported companies and one active amphibious company. On 1 May 1958 the army formed the Lagoonal Support Unit with armored and amphibious vehicles.[1][6][8]

On 25 October 1959, the grouping received its flag. On 24 May 1964, the grouping was reorganized and renamed Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima". The regiment was granted the traditions of the Venetian Fanti da Mar and the Royal Italian Army's Engineer Lagunari. The regiment now consisted of a command, a command company, the battalions "Marghera", "Piave", and "Isonzo", which were equipped withM113armored personnel carriers,and the XXII Tank Battalion, which was equipped withM47 Pattontanks and had been formed with the personnel of the Lagoonal Support Unit. In October 1964, the XXII Tank Battalion moved fromMestretoSan Vito al Tagliamentoand during the same year the Naval Vehicles Group was disbanded and its equipment returned to the navy. Subsequently each of the three Lagunari battalion of the regiment formed an amphibious vehicles platoon and a boats platoon, with the amphibious vehicle platoons and the boat platoons of the battalions "Marghera" and "Piave" and the regiment's watercrafts platoon based on the island ofSant'Andreasoon formed into an Amphibious Transports Company, which was based inCà Vioand on Sant'Andrea.[1][6][8]

During the1975 army reformthe army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were granted for the first time their own flags. As first step of the reform the Battalion "Marghera" in Malcontenta was disbanded on 1 September 1975. On 20 October 1975 the Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" was disbanded and its personnel used to form the Amphibious Troops Command. On the same date the remaining units of the regiment were reorganized and renamed: the Command Company and Signal Company were merged to form the command's Command and Signal Company. The Battalion "Isonzo" inVilla Vicentinawas renamed41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena",while and the XXII Tank Battalion inSan Vito al Tagliamentowas renamed22nd Tank Battalion "M.O. Piccinini".Both battalions were assigned to theMechanized Brigade "Gorizia",when that brigade was activated on 1 November 1975. Still on 20 October 1975 the Amphibious Transports Company in Sant'Andrea and Ca' Vio was reorganized and renamedAmphibious Vehicles Battalion "Sile",while the Battalion "Piave" inMestrewas renamed 1st Lagunari Battalion "Serenissima" and assigned the flag and traditions of the Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima".[1][6][8][12]The battalion consisted of a command, a command and services company, three mechanized companies withM113armored personnel carriers,and a heavy mortar company withM106 mortar carrierswith 120mm Mod. 63 mortars. At the time the battalion fielded 896 men (45 officers, 100 non-commissioned officers, and 751 soldiers).[13]

On 25 October 1975 the flag of the Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" was transferred to the 1st Lagunari Battalion "Serenissima" in a ceremony onPiazza San Marcoin Venice. After the reform the Amphibious Troops Command was assigned to theMechanized Division "Folgore".When the division was disbanded on 31 October 1986 the command was assigned once again to the5th Army Corps.[1][6][8]

On 25 June 1984 the Lagunari became a distinct speciality within the Italian Army's infantry arm.[1][6]On 26 August 1984 the Italian Armed Forces'Military VicarGaetano BonicellideclaredSaint Mark the Evangelistaspatron saintof the new speciality.[8]

Recent times

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On 13 October 1992 the 1st Lagunari Battalion "Serenissima" lost its autonomy and the next day the battalion entered the reformed Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" as I Lagunari Battalion. The reformed regiment also included the personnel and materiel of the disbanded Amphibious Vehicles Battalion "Sile" and consisted of a command, a command and services company, a naval vehicles company, and the I Lagunari Battalion.[1][6]

In 2007 the Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" and the navy'sRegiment "San Marco"became part of the Italian Armed Forces' Sea Projection Force. Until 2011 the Lagunari wore the infantry's black beret with a badge of a sea anchor over two rifles, which was replaced in that year by a "lagoon green" beret.[1]

Organization

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Lagunari on exercise

As of 2023 the Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" is organized as follows:[14]

  • Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima",inMestre[14]
    • Command and Logistic Support Company, in Mestre
    • 1st Lagunari Battalion,inMalcontenta
      • 1st Lagunari Company "Marghera"
      • 2nd Lagunari Company "Piave"
      • 3rd Lagunari Company "Isonzo"
      • Maneuver Support Company, in Mestre
    • Amphibious Reconnaissance Company, in Mestre
    • Amphibious Tactical Support Company, onVignole Island
    • Training Company, in Mestre

The Lagunari companies are equipped withVTLM Lincevehicles and consist of three fusilier platoons and one maneuver support platoon. The Maneuver Support Company consists of a Heavy Mortar Platoon with120mm mortars,an Anti-tank Platoon withSpike MRanti-tank guided missiles,and a Sniper Section. The Amphibious Tactical Support Company consists of Reconnaissance Platoon, an Amphibious Assault Vehicles platoon withAAV7-A1 amphibious assault vehicles,and a Boat Platoon with smalllanding craftand speedboats. In the near future the army plans to replace the AAV7-A1 with 82Amphibious Combat Vehicles.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefghij"Reggimento Lagunari" Serenissima "- La Storia".Italian Army.Retrieved8 January2023.
  2. ^"Reggimento Lagunari" Serenissima "- Il Medagliere".Italian Army.Retrieved8 January2023.
  3. ^"Reggimento lagunari" Serenissima "".President of Italy.Retrieved4 December2023.
  4. ^"Reggimento lagunari" Serenissima "".President of Italy.Retrieved4 December2023.
  5. ^"Reggimento Lagunari" Serenissima "".Italian Army.Retrieved8 January2023.
  6. ^abcdefghijkF. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998).L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I.Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 581.
  7. ^"La Forza di Proiezione dal Mare".Ares Difesa.Retrieved23 December2023.
  8. ^abcdefghijklmn"Le Truppe Anfibie" Serenissima "".Rivista Militare:10–16. 1989.Retrieved8 January2023.
  9. ^abcdF. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998).L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo II.Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 296.
  10. ^F. dell'Uomo, R. Di Rosa (1998).L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Secondo - Tomo II.Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 387.
  11. ^F. dell'Uomo, R. Di Rosa (1998).L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Secondo - Tomo II.Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 383.
  12. ^"Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 12 novembre 1976, n. 846".Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica.Retrieved20 January2024.
  13. ^Stefani, Filippo (1989).La storia della dottrina e degli ordinamenti dell'Esercito Italiano - Vol. III - Tomo 2°.Rome: Ufficio Storico - Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. pp. 1190–1192.
  14. ^ab"La Forza di Proiezione dal Mare".Ares Osservatorio Difesa.Retrieved29 May2020.
  15. ^"Rapporto Esercito 2019"(PDF).Esercito Italiano. 2020: 76.Retrieved27 May2020.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
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