page_title: Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta"
section_title: Cold War
hierarchical_section_title: Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta" / History / Cold War
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Opera Caposaldo Giovo 11
context_page_description: The Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta" is an inactive battalion of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II.
context_section_description: On 1 July 1963 the XXIII Alpini Fortification Battalion in Innichen was renamed Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta". The battalion was part of the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" and tasked with tasked to man fortifications in the upper Puster valley, which the Italian Army (correctly) assumed to be one of two main directions of a possible Warsaw Pact advance. Initially the Val Brenta fielded three active and five reserve companies, the latter of which had arrived 30 June 1964 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Leogra". On 1 November 1976 the Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon" of the Alpine Brigade "Cadore" was disbanded and its four companies transferred to the Val Brenta, which now fielded three active and nine reserve companies with a wartime strength of more than 2,200 men. On 1 July 1979 the Val Brenta received the 253rd Alpini Company from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Chiese" of the Alpine Brigade "Orobica". The structure of the battalion was now:
   Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta", in Bruneck
   Headquarters and Service Company, in Bruneck
   253rd Alpini Company, in Brenner (Type A*) (transferred on 1 July 1979 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Chiese")
   262nd Alpini Company, in Winnebach (Type A)
   263rd Alpini Company, in Vierschach (Type A)
   264th Alpini Company, in Santo Stefano di Cadore (Type A, transferred on 1 November 1976 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon"; downgraded to Type C on 30 June 1979 and duties taken over by the 262nd Company)
   265th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ¹, in Santo Stefano di Cadore (Type C*, transferred on 1 November 1976 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon")
   274th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ¹, in Toblach (Type C)
   277th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ¹, in Höhlenstein (Type C, transferred on 1 November 1976 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon")
   347th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ², in Prags (Type C, transferred on 1 November 1976 from the disbanded Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon")
   351st Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ², in Bruneck (Type C, ex "Val Leogra")
   352nd Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ², in Bruneck (Type C, ex "Val Leogra")
   353rd Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ¹, in Percha (Type C, ex "Val Leogra")
   354th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ², in Bruneck (Type C, ex "Val Leogra")
   355th Alpini Companyⁿᵒᵗᵉ ², in Bruneck (Type C, ex "Val Leogra")
  Type A = fortification fully equipped, provisioned and manned; close support platoon onsite
  Type B = fortification fully equipped, provisioned and manned; close support platoon off site
  Type C = fortification fully equipped; provisions, crew and close support platoon off site
  The fortifications the Val Brenta would man in case of war with the Warsaw Pact had been build as Alpine Wall in the early stages of World War II. The Val Brenta was to man the following bunker systems with the aim to deny enemy forces passage through the Puster and Piave valleys:
  Winnebach: 9 bunker, 203 men, 262nd Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Prato Drava)
  Vierschach: 6 bunker, 180 men, 263rd Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Versciaco)
  Kreuzbergpass: 7 bunker, 247 men, 264th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Passo Monte Croce Comelico)
  Val Frison: 3 bunker, ? men, 265th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Val Frison)
  Toblach: 10 bunker, 304 men, 274th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Dobbiaco)
  Landro Nord: 3 bunker, 150 men, 277th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento della Val di Landro)
  Prags: 2 bunker, 116 men, 347th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento di Braies)
  Antholz: 6 bunker, 164 men, 351st Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Anterselva)
  Olang: 10 bunker, 373 men, 352nd Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Rasun-Valdaora)
  Percha: 7 bunker, 223 men, 353rd Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento di Perca)
  Saalen: 4 bunker, 113 men, 354th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento di Sares)
  Mühlbach: 5 bunker, 141 men, 355th Alpini Company (Italian Wikipedia: Sbarramento Chiusa di Rio)
  With fixed fortifications becoming obsolete the battalion was disbanded on 23 August 1986 with only the 262
caption: Alpine wall bunker in Vierschach
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