Pozzuolo del Friuli is a comune (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northwest of Trieste and about 10 kilometres (6 mi) southwest of Udine.
The Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" is a brigade of the Italian Army, based in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions. The Brigade consists of a command unit, a cavalry regiment, an amphibious infantry regiment, an artillery regiment, an engineer regiment and a logistic regiment.
Paolo Gerometta is a former senior Italian army officer.
The Armored Brigade "Vittorio Veneto" was an armored brigade of the Italian Army. Its core units were armored and mechanized cavalry squadrons groups. The brigade's headquarters was in the city of Villa Opicina, with most of its units based in the Province of Trieste. The brigade's name was chosen to remember the decisive Italian World War I victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto.
The V Army Corps was one of three corps the Italian Army fielded during the Cold War. Based in the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia the corps was the army's main combat force. The 5th Army Corps was arrayed close to the Yugoslavian border and tasked with meeting any Warsaw Pact forces that crossed the border. On the left flank of the corps the 4th Alpine Army Corps was tasked with blocking the Alpine passes and in the rear of the corps the 3rd Army Corps served as operational reserve. After the end of the Cold War the corps was reduced in size and on 1 October 1997 it became the 1st Defence Forces Command. In 2013 the COMFOD 1° was disbanded and its function and brigades taken over by the 20th Infantry Division Friuli in Florence.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the Italian Army at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.
The Regiment "Piemonte Cavalleria" (2nd) is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army based in Villa Opicina in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.The regiment is the reconnaissance unit of the Alpine Brigade "Julia".
The Regiment "Genova Cavalleria" (4th) is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army based in Palmanova in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment was formed on 1 August 1821, with troops of the Regiment Dragoons of the King, who had remained loyal during the revolt in Piedmont in spring 1821 and were retained in service after the Regiment Dragoons of the King was disbanded on 1 August 1821. In 1871, when the Royal Italian Army's cavalry regiments were numbered according to their seniority, the regiment was numbered as if founded in 1821 and thus the fourth oldest by seniority. Later the Royal Italian Army allowed the regiment to inherit the traditions and honors of the Regiment Dragoons of the King, which today makes the regiment the oldest Italian Army cavalry regiment and the army's only unit, whose anniversary commemorates a pre-Risorgimento event. The regiment is also the Italian Army's highest decorated cavalry regiment and today assigned to the Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" as the brigade's reconnaissance unit.
The Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th) is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army based in Palermo in Sicily. The regiment is the reconnaissance unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta". The regiment was formed in 1774 as present to the King of Sardinia's fifteen-year-old son Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta. The regiment fought in the War of the First Coalition against French forces, until 1796 when Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Royal Sardinian Army in the Montenotte campaign. In October of the same year the regiment was disbanded.
The Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th) is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army based in Codroipo in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment is the reconnaissance unit of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete".
The Regiment "Lancieri di Milano" (7th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army. The regiment was formed after the Second Italian War of Independence and participated in the Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought dismounted on the Italian front. After the war the regiment was disbanded. Shortly before World War II the regiment was reformed. The regiment participated in the Italian invasion of Greece and remained afterwards on anti-partisan duty in Albania, Croatia and occupied Greece. The regiment dissolved in Larissa in Greece after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile. During the Cold War the unit served as the reconnaissance group of the Infantry Division "Legnano" and after 1975 of the Mechanized Division "Mantova". In 1986 the group became the reconnaissance group of the Armored Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli". At the end of the Cold War the unit was disbanded in 1989.
The Regiment "Lancieri di Firenze" (9th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Tuscan Army, French Army, Sardinian Army, and Italian Army. Formed in Tuscany in 1753 the regiment served in the Napoleonic Wars, during which its troops reached Madrid and Moscow. In 1848—49 the regiment fought in the First Italian War of Independence. During the Second Italian War of Independence the regiment switched allegiance from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany to the Kingdom of Sardinia and thus became the only regiment from a pre-unification state to be integrated into the Royal Sardinian Army. The regiment participated in the Third Italian War of Independence and during World War I it fought dismounted in the trenches of the Italian front. In World War II the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro" and served in annexed Albania, occupied Greece, and occupied Yugoslavia on anti-partisan duty. The regiment was disbanded after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile by invading German forces. During the Cold War the unit was assigned to the Armored Brigade "Vittorio Veneto" as a tank unit. After the Cold War the regiment was disbanded in 1995.
The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo" (12th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army named for the Marquisate of Saluzzo. In 1848, Provisional Government of Milan formed two cavalry regiments for the First Italian War of Independence. In September of the same year, the two regiments joined the Royal Sardinian Army. In May 1849, the two regiments merged to form the 7th Regiment of Cavalry, which in January 1850 was renamed Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo". The regiment fought in the Crimean War, Second Italian War of Independence, and Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought on the Italian Front. During World War II the regiment was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia", which was deployed to occupied Yugoslavia on anti-partisan duty. The division and its units were disbanded after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile by invading German forces.
The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Treviso" (28th) is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army named for the city of Treviso in Veneto. In 1909, the Royal Italian Army formed the regiment, which served during World War I on the Italian front. For its conduct in the Battle of Monfalcone in May 1916 the regiment was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor. After the end of World War I, the regiment was disbanded and its traditions assigned to the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria".
The 21st Infantry Regiment "Cremona" is an inactive unit of the Italian Army last based in Alessandria in Piedmont. The regiment is named for the city of Cremona and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. The regiment was formed in 1848 by the Royal Sardinian Army during the First Italian War of Independence. After the war the regiment was disbanded. In 1859, the regiment was reformed after the Kingdom of Sardinia annexed Lombardy after the Second Italian War of Independence. In 1866, the regiment fought in the Third Italian War of Independence. During World War I the regiment fought on the Italian front.
The 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona" is an inactive unit of the Italian Army last based in Fossano in Piedmont. The regiment is named for the city of Cremona and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. The regiment was formed in 1848 by the Royal Sardinian Army during the First Italian War of Independence. After the war the regiment was disbanded. In 1859, the regiment was reformed after the Kingdom of Sardinia annexed Lombardy after the Second Italian War of Independence. In 1866, the regiment fought in the Third Italian War of Independence. During World War I the regiment fought on the Italian front.
The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army named for the city of Alessandria in Piedmont. In 1850, shortly after the First Italian War of Independence, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the regiment. The regiment fought in the Second Italian War of Independence, Crimean War, and Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought on the Italian Front. During World War II the regiment was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia", with which the regiment deployed to occupied Yugoslavia on anti-partisan duty. On 17 October 1942, the regiment conducted the last cavalry charge in Italian military history. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment rode towards Italy, but the lack of orders and pressure by invading German forces, led to the regiment's commander ordering the regiment to dissolve on 14 September 1943.
The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" (13th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army named for the Duchy of Montferrat. In 1850, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" with troops raised between the two campaigns of the First Italian War of Independence. The regiment fought in the Crimean War, Second Italian War of Independence, and Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought dismounted on the Italian front. During World War II the regiment participated in the invasion of France. Afterwards the regiment was sent to Albania, where the regiment refused to surrender to invading German forces after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. The regiment battled German forces until 14 November 1943, when its remnants were forced to surrender. The regiment's anniversary falls on 20 May 1859, the day of the Battle of Montebello, during which the regiment repeatedly charged Austrian infantry squares and cavalry, for which the regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor.
The Regiment "Lancieri Vittorio Emanuele II" (10th) is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army. In 1859, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the Regiment Vittorio Emanuele Cavalry with volunteers from Veneto and Romagna, which had arrived in Turin after the outbreak of the Second Italian War of Independence. In 1860, the regiment fought in the Sardinian campaign in central Italy and in 1866, in the Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought on the Italian Front. During World War II the regiment was initially assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro", with which it participated in April 1941 in the invasion of Yugoslavia. In 1942, the regiment was equipped with tanks and self-propelled guns and renamed Armored Regiment "Vittorio Emanuele II". In 1943, the regiment was assigned to the 135th Armored Cavalry Division "Ariete". After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment fought against invading German forces. On 14 September 1943, the regiment's officers dissolved the regiment. The regiment's anniversary falls on 19 June 1918, the fourth day of the Second Battle of the Piave River, on which the regiment defeated an Austro-Hungarian attack near Monastier di Treviso, for which the regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor.
The 26th Infantry Regiment "Bergamo" is an inactive unit of the Italian Army last based in Diano Castello in Liguria. The regiment is named for the city of Bergamo and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. The regiment was formed in 1859 by the Royal Sardinian Army and one year later participated in the Sardinian campaign in central and southern Italy. In 1866, the regiment fought in the Third Italian War of Independence and in 1911–12 in the Italo-Turkish War. During World War I the regiment fought on the Italian front.
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