132nd Tank Regiment (Italy)

The 132nd Tank Regiment (Italian: 132° Reggimento Carri) is a tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Cordenons in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks and assigned to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". The 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment was formed in June 1941 by the Royal Italian Army and assigned to the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete", which was fighting in the Western Desert campaign in Libya and Egypt. In September 1941, the regiment arrived at the front and in November and December 1941 the regiment fought in Operation Crusader. In 1942 the regiment fought in the Battle of Gazala, Battle of Bir Hakeim, First Battle of El Alamein, Battle of Alam el Halfa, and Second Battle of El Alamein. During the latter battle the regiment was destroyed. For its conduct in North Africa the regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor.

In March 1944, the regiment was reformed by the Italian Co-belligerent Army on the island of Sardinia, but the regiment was already disbanded in August of the same year. The regiment was reformed in 1949 and assigned to the Armored Brigade "Ariete". In 1976 the regiment's standard and traditions were assigned to the 8th Tank Battalion "M.O. Secchiaroli", which had become an autonomous unit on 1 November 1975. In 1992 the battalion lost its autonomy and entered the reformed 132nd Tank Regiment. Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The regiment's anniversary falls on 27 May, in memory of the Battle of Rugbet el Atasc on 27 May 1942, during which the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment overran and destroyed the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade.