World War II The
132nd Armored Division "Ariete" was formed in February 1939. In December 1940, the division was sent to
Libya to fight in the
Western Desert Campaign. The division was destroyed in the
Second Battle of El Alamein and declared lost due to wartime events on 8 December 1942.
Reconstitution On 23 May 1948, the Italian Army raised the Armored Brigade "Ariete" at Forte Pietralata in
Rome. The same year, it was transferred to
Pordenone in the
Friuli region in Northern Italy and assigned to
V Army Corps. The brigade consisted of the following units. •
Armored Brigade "Ariete", in
Pordenone •
8th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Pordenone (formed on 15 September 1949) • III Bersaglieri Battalion (
M3 Half-tracks) • V Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) •
132nd Tank Regiment, in
Aviano • I Tank Battalion (
M26 Pershing tanks) • II Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks) •
132nd Armored Artillery Regiment, in Pordenone • I Self-propelled Howitzer Group (
M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) • II Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) • III Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) • IV Light Air-defense Group (
M1 40 mm anti-aircraft guns) • Engineer Platoon • Signal Platoon • Brigade Services
Armored Division "Ariete" On 1 October 1952 the brigade was expanded to full division and consisted of the following units: • Command and Services Company, in Pordenone (includes an
anti-tank guided missile platoon) • III Bersaglieri Battalion, in Pordenone (
M113 armored personnel carriers) • VII Tank Battalion, in
Vivaro (
M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) • XII Bersaglieri Battalion, in
Pordenone (M113 armored personnel carriers) •
32nd Tank Regiment, in
Tauriano • Command and Services Company, in Tauriano (includes an
anti-tank guided missile platoon) • III Tank Battalion, in Tauriano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) • V Tank Battalion, in Tauriano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) • XXIII Bersaglieri Battalion, in Tauriano (M113 armored personnel carriers) •
132nd Tank Regiment, in
Aviano • Command and Services Company, in Aviano (includes an
anti-tank guided missile platoon) • VIII Tank Battalion, in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) • X Tank Battalion, in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) • XXXVIII Bersaglieri Battalion, in Aviano (M113 armored personnel carriers) •
132nd Armored Artillery Regiment, in
Casarsa della Delizia • Command and Services Battery, in Casarsa della Delizia • I Self-propelled Field Artillery Group, in
Vacile (
M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) • II Self-propelled Field Artillery Group, in
Sequals (M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) • III Self-propelled Field Artillery Group, in Maniago (M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers) • IV Heavy Self-propelled Field Artillery Group, in Casarsa della Delizia (M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers) • V Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Group, in Casarsa della Delizia (
M55 203 mm self-propelled howitzers) • VI Light Anti-aircraft Artillery Group (Reserve), in Casarsa della Delizia (
Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns and
12.7mm anti-aircraft machine guns) • Artillery Specialists Battery, in Casarsa della Delizia •
"Cavalleggeri Guide" Squadrons Group, in Casarsa della Delizia (
Fiat Campagnola reconnaissance vehicles and M47 Patton tanks) •
LXXIII Infantry Fortification Battalion "Lombardia", in
Arzene /
Latisana • Light Aviation Unit "Ariete", at Casarsa Air Base (
L-19E Bird Dog light aircraft and
AB 206 reconnaissance helicopters) •
Engineer Battalion "Ariete", in
Motta di Livenza •
Signal Battalion "Ariete", in Casarsa della Delizia • Services Grouping "Ariete", in Pordenone • Command and Services Company, in Pordenone • Supply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Ariete", in Pordenone • Transport Unit "Ariete", in Pordenone • I Services Battalion "Ariete", in Pordenone • II Services Battalion "Ariete", in Vacile • III Services Battalion "Ariete", in Maniago In
1975, the Italian Army undertook a major reorganization of its forces: the regimental level was abolished, and battalions came under direct command of newly formed multi-arms brigades. The 8th Bersaglieri Regiment became the
8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" based in Pordenone, the 32nd Tank Regiment became the
32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" based in
Tauriano, and the 132nd Tank Regiment became the
132nd Armored Brigade "Manin" in
Aviano. All three brigades were named for personalities of the
First Italian War of Independence. On 1 October 1975, the Ariete took command of the three brigades and additional units to bring it up to full strength. •
Armored Division "Ariete", in
Pordenone • Command Unit "Ariete", in Pordenone • Divisional Artillery Command, in Casarsa della Delizia •
108th Heavy Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Cosseria", in Casarsa della Delizia (
M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) in Casarsa della Delizia (M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers) •
132nd Engineer Battalion "Livenza", in
Motta di Livenza •
232nd Signal Battalion "Fadalto", in Casarsa della Delizia •
Logistic Battalion "Ariete", in Casarsa della Delizia • 49th Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadrons Group "
Capricorno", at Casarsa Airport • Command and Services Squadron • 491st Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadron (
AB 206 reconnaissance helicopters) • 492nd Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadron (AB 206 reconnaissance helicopters) • Medical Battalion "Ariete" (Reserve), in Casarsa della Delizia • Carabinieri Company "Ariete", in Pordenone •
8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi", in
Pordenone •
7th Tank Battalion "M.O. Di Dio", • Anti-tank Company "Garibaldi", in Vivaro (
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles) • Engineer Company "Garibaldi", in Orcenico Superiore •
32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli", • Command and Signal Unit "Mameli", in Tauriano •
3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", in Tauriano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti", in Tauriano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo", in Tauriano •
12th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Capua", in
Vacile (M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) •
Logistic Battalion "Mameli", in Vacile • Anti-tank Company "Mameli", in Vacile (
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles) • Engineer Company "Mameli", in Vacile •
132nd Armored Brigade "Manin", in
Aviano • Command and Signal Unit "Manin", in Aviano •
8th Tank Battalion "M.O. Secchiaroli", in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
10th Tank Battalion "M.O. Bruno", in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
27th Bersaglieri Battalion "Jamiano", in Aviano •
20th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Piave", in Maniago (M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) •
Logistic Battalion "Manin", in Maniago • Anti-tank Company "Manin", in Aviano (
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles) • Engineer Company "Manin", in Maniago The division also stored the equipment for 16 companies of a second fortification battalion in
Latisana, which in case of war would have been filled with reservists and named 74th Infantry Fortification Battalion "
Pontida". • Command and Signal Unit "Ariete", in Pordenone •
8th Tank Battalion "M.O. Secchiaroli", in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
10th Tank Battalion "M.O. Bruno", in Aviano (M60A1 Patton main battle tanks) •
13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci", in
Cordenons (
Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks, transferred from the
Mechanized Brigade "Brescia" on 1 October 1986) •
27th Bersaglieri Battalion "Jamiano", in Aviano (
VCC-1 armored personnel carriers) •
20th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Piave", in Maniago (
M109G 155 mm self-propelled howitzers) •
Logistic Battalion "Ariete", in Maniago • Anti-tank Company "Ariete", in Aviano (
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles) • Engineer Company "Ariete", in Maniago
After the Cold War On 10 January 1991, the brigade disbanded the 10th Tank Battalion and the 20th Artillery Group. In December 1989, the 13th Tank Battalion was reduced to a reserve unit and transferred to the
Mechanized Brigade "Mantova". As a replacement, the brigade received units from brigades disbanded during the army's drawdown of forces after the end of the
Cold War in 1991: from the disbanded
Armored Brigade "Mameli" came the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", the 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" and the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" and from the
8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi", which had moved to
Caserta in the south of Italy, came the 19th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "
Rialto" and
26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo", which left the brigade already after half a year. In 1992 the brigade received the 2nd (Recruits Training) Battalion "Pordenone", while the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion moved to
Trapani in Sicily to join the
Mechanized Brigade "Aosta". The same year, the brigade's battalions returned to be called regiments, although size and composition did not change. On 31 July 1995, the
63rd Tank Regiment in Cordenons transferred from the
Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" to the Ariete. On 30 November of the same year, the 63rd Tank Regiment was renamed the 132nd Tank Regiment, and the tank unit in Aviano was disbanded. In 1997, the
33rd Tank Regiment of the
Mechanized Brigade "Friuli" arrived. When the
Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" was disbanded on 30 August of the same year, the Ariete received the
82nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Torino" in
Cormons. Still, on November 5, 2001, the 82nd Regiment moved to
Barletta in Southern Italy to join the
Armored Brigade "Pinerolo". On 1 December 2000, the Ariete received the 10th Engineer Regiment. When the
Armored Brigade "Centauro" disbanded on 5 October 2002, the Ariete received the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment and the 4th Tank Regiment. On 25 November 2009, the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment moved to
Sardinia and joined the
Mechanized Brigade "Sassari". == Missions ==