62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia"

62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia"
62° Reggimento Fanteria "Sicilia"
Regimental coat of arms
Active	16 April 1861 - today[1]
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Part of	Mechanized Brigade "Aosta"
Garrison/HQ	Catania
Motto(s)	"Virtute Supero"
Colours	Green and red
Anniversaries	23 October 1942 - Second Battle of El Alamein
Decorations	1x Military Order of Italy 2x Silver Medals of Military Valor 2x Bronze Medals of Military Valor[2]
Insignia
Regimental gorget patches

The 62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" (Italian: 62° Reggimento Fanteria "Sicilia") is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Catania in Sicily. The regiment is part of the Italian army's infantry corps and operationally assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta".^[3]

World War I

During the First World War, the regiment fought earning the cross of the Military Order of Italy as the infantry weapon. The regiment fought at Cima Palone, Monte Mascia, Monte Vies, Passo Buole, Monte Sperone, Malga Zugna, and Vallarsa.

In the first half of December 1915, some departments of the 62nd managed to take possession of Cima Vies and Cima la Cingla, after Cima Palone had also been conquered in October.

At the end of April 1916 the "Sicily" Brigade was transferred to Vallagarina, east of Lake Garda. On 18 May the Austrians launched the Strafexpedition, the "punitive expedition" and to face the invaders the 62nd was deployed in Serravalle, not far from Brentonico, while some companies belonging to both the 61st and 62nd regiments were sent to Passo Buole, where on May 30, during the battle of the Highlands led by the German and Austro-Hungarian forces , with a lightning bayonet counterattack, the overwhelming and fierce enemy infantry were rejected, managing to maintain a decisive position, deserving the flag of the 62nd the second bronze medal for military valor.

At the end of July the "Sicily" Brigade was assigned to the Macedonian front and translated to Taranto, in the first half of August the departments were shipped to Thessaloniki, from where the men reached the city of Sarigol, in Ellesponto, an area described as "Desert and malarial" in the summary made by the Historical Office.

From August 1916 to July 1919, the regiment was employed in the Macedonian sector of the Balkan front fighting at the bend of the Cerna in Vlakor on Mount Baba and on Mount Cerna in Kruscevo.^[4]

Organization

As of 2023 the 62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" consists of:

The Command and Logistic Support Company fields the following platoons: C3 Platoon, Transport and Materiel Platoon, Medical Platoon, and Commissariat Platoon. The regiment is equipped with Freccia wheeled infantry fighting vehicles. The Maneuver Support Company is equipped with Freccia mortar carries with 120mm mortars and Freccia IFVs with Spike LR anti-tank guided missiles.

See also

• Mechanized Brigade "Aosta"

External links

• Italian Army Website: 62° Reggimento Fanteria "Sicilia"

References

• v
• t
• e

Italian Army

Four-star rank (OF 9)

Chief of the Army General Staff

Three-star rank (OF 8)

• COMFOTER
• NRDC-ITA
• COMLOG
• COMFORDOT
• COMFOP Nord
• COMFOP Sud
• COMFOTER Support
• COMTA

Two-star rank (OF 7)

Divisions	"Acqui" "Tridentina" "Vittorio Veneto"
Other	Army Aviation Command Army Simulation and Validation Center Army Training Command and Application School Engineer Command

One-star rank (OF 6)

Brigades	"Aosta" "Ariete" "Folgore" "Friuli" "Garibaldi" "Granatieri di Sardegna" "Julia" "Pinerolo" "Pozzuolo del Friuli" "Sassari" "Taurinense" Army Aviation Support NRDC-ITA Support Tactical Intelligence
Commands	Army Special Forces Artillery Anti-aircraft Artillery Signal Logistic Support
Other	Military Academy Army NCO School Infantry School Cavalry School Administrative School Medical and Veterinary School Alpine Training Center Army Aviation Training Center