185th Paratroopers Reconnaissance Target Acquisition Regiment "Folgore"

The 185th Paratroopers Reconnaissance Target Acquisition Regiment "Folgore" (Italian: 185° Reggimento Paracadutisti Ricognizione Acquisizione Obiettivi "Folgore", abbreviated as: 185° RAO) is an Italian Army special forces unit. The regiment is part of the Italian Army's infantry arm's Paracadutisti speciality and assigned to the Army Special Forces Command. The regiment was formed in 1941 as 1st Paratroopers Regiment and assigned, in September 1941, to the Paratroopers Division. The division was intended to parachute onto Malta during the planned invasion of Malta. In July 1942, the invasion of Malta was postponed indefinitely and the Paratroopers Division was ordered to deploy to North Africa as reinforcement for the German-Italian Panzer Army Africa. Consequently, the division, which would operate as an infantry formation in North Africa, was renamed on 27 July 1942 185th Infantry Division "Folgore". On the same day, the 1st Paratroopers Regiment was renamed 185th Infantry Regiment "Folgore". When the division moved to North Africa the regiment remained in Italy and in September 1942, the regiment left the division. On 1 November 1942, the regiment joined the 184th Infantry Division "Nembo" and was renamed 185th Infantry Regiment "Nembo". In May 1943, the 184th Infantry Division "Nembo" was ordered to deploy to the island Sardinia and once again the regiment did not accompany the division, but was instead sent to Apulia and then to Sicily.

In July 1943, the regiment fought against the Allied invasion of Sicily. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment split, with the III Paratroopers Battalion joining the German side and the XI Paratroopers Battalion and 9th Company of the III Paratroopers Battalion joining the allied side. In January 1944, the regiment was disbanded and its personnel used to form to the CLXXXV Paratroopers Battalion "Nembo", while the 9th Company, which had operated as an autonomous unit on the allied side since September 1943, was renamed 1st Reconnaissance Squadron "Folgore". Both units fought on the allied side in the Italian campaign. In September 1944, the CLXXXV Paratroopers Battalion "Nembo" was disbanded and its personnel assigned to the Paratroopers Regiment "Nembo" of the Combat Group "Folgore". In July 1945, the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron "Folgore" was disbanded.

In 1963, regiment was reformed as 1st Paratroopers Regiment and consisted of two battalions. In 1975, the regiment was disbanded and its two battalions became autonomous units. As part of the same reform the Paratroopers Recruits Training Battalion was renamed 3rd Paratroopers Battalion "Poggio Rusco" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 185th Infantry Regiment "Folgore". In 1998, the battalion was disbanded and the flag of the 185th Infantry Regiment "Folgore" transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome for safekeeping. In 2013, the regiment's flag and traditions were assigned to the 185th Paratroopers Reconnaissance Target Acquisition Regiment "Folgore", which until then had been assigned the flag and traditions of the 185th Artillery Regiment "Folgore". The regiment's anniversary falls on 20 April 1945, the day the paratroopers of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron "Folgore", departed the United States Army Air Forces airfield at Rosignano for Operation Herring.