Interwar years On 1 October 1927, the
Royal Italian Army reorganized its Armed Tanks Formation Center in
Rome and formed the
Armed Tanks Regiment () as central training unit for the army's tank battalions. On 15 September 1936, the Armed Tanks Regiment was split into four tank infantry regiments, which had training and administrative functions: in Verona • IV Assault Tanks Battalion "
Monti", in
Bolzano • V Assault Tanks Battalion "
Venezian", in
Trieste • XI Assault Tanks Battalion "Gregorutti", in
Udine • 2nd Training Center, in Verona • 2nd Maintenance Workshop, in Verona The assault tanks battalions were initially equipped with
L3/33 tankettes, which were soon replaced by slightly improved
L3/35 tankettes, while the breach tanks battalion fielded
Fiat 3000 light tanks. In 1938, the regiment added the
XXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Coralli", which was based in
Trento. The same year the Assault Tank Battalions were renamed Tank Battalion L (with L standing for or Light), while Breach Tanks Battalions were renamed Tank Battalion M (with M standing for or Medium). On 23 September 1939, the regiment received the III Tank Battalion L from the 1st Tank Infantry Regiment and in turn transferred, on 1 November 1939, the CCCXXIII Tank Battalion M to the 1st Tank Infantry Regiment. At the same time the two remaining tank battalions M replaced their
Fiat 3000 light tanks with
M11/39 tanks. In April 1940, the CCCXXI and CCCXXII tank battalions were renumbered as I and II tank battalions M11/39, while the XXI Tank Battalion L was renumbered IV Tank Battalion L. On the same date, 1 October 1975, the regiment's V Tank Battalion became an autonomous unit and was renamed
5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti", while the XXIII Bersaglieri Battalion became an autonomous unit and was renamed
23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo". The three battalions were then assigned to the
32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli", which was formed on the same day by reorganizing the command of the 32nd Tank Regiment. Both tank battalions consisted of a command, a command and services company, and three tank companies with
M60A1 Patton main battle tanks. Each of the two battalions fielded now 434 men (32 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 320 soldiers). On 12 November 1976, the
President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone assigned with decree 846 the flag and traditions of the 32nd Tank Regiment to the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" and granted the 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" a new flag, to which the battalions Silver Medal of Military Valor was affixed. For its conduct and work after the
1976 Friuli earthquake the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" was awarded a Silver Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the battalion's flag and added to the battalion's coat of arms.
Recent times in 2024 After the end of the
Cold War Italian Army began to draw down its forces and, on 1 April 1991, the
32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" was disbanded, while the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti", and 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" were transferred to the
132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". On 25 August 1992, the
5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" was disbanded, while the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" lost its autonomy. The next day, on 26 August 1992, the personnel of the disbanded 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" was merged into the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", which on the same date entered the reformed 32nd Tank Regiment. On 1 June 1999, the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. Consequently, on the same date the regiment replaced its flag with a cavalry
standard. Between 29 December 1992 and 15 March 1994, the 32nd Tank Regiment served with the
United Nations Operation in Somalia II, for which the regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms. == Organization ==