4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment The 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment ( ) is a Ranger type infantry regiment of the Italian Army , specializing in mountain combat . The Alpini are a mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army , that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II . Today the 4th Alpini Regiment is a special operations unit specialized in the airborne assault role . The 4th Alpini Regiment is the highest decorated regiment of the Italian Army . History . Formation . The 4th Alpini Regiment was formed on November 1 , 1882 . It consisted of the three battalions : " Val Pellice " , " Val Chisone " and " Val Brenta " , named after the valleys from which the battalions soldiers were recruited . In 1886 the battalions were renamed , taking their new names from the location of their main logistic depot : Pinerolo , Aosta and Ivrea . In 1888 the " Pinerolo " was subordinated to the 3rd Alpini Regiment and in exchange the Susa 2° battalion was transferred from the 3rd to the 4th Alpini . In 1908 the " Susa " returned to the 3rd Alpini and in the city of Intra the Pallanza battalion was raised as substitute , with existing companies from other Alpini battalions . In 1909 the " Pallanza " was renamed Intra battalion . Thus the regiments structure in 1910 was : World War I . During World War I the regiment consisted of 10 battalions and saw heavy fighting in the Alps against Austria ’ s Kaiserjäger and Germany ’ s Alpenkorps . The battalions of the regiment in these days were ( pre - war raised units in bold , followed by their first and second line reserve battalions ) : The " Aosta " Battalion distinguished itself in 1917 during heavy combat on Monte Vodice and in 1918 on Monte Solarolo . During the war a total of 31 , 000 men served in the 4th Alpini . 189 Officers and 4 , 704 soldiers died during combat and 455 Officers and 10 , 923 soldiers were wounded . Interwar Period . On September 10 , 1935 the 1st Alpine Division " Taurinense " was formed and composed of the 3rd Alpini and 4th Alpini Regiments and the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment . The division participated in 1936 in the Italian conquest of Abyssinia . World War II . In 1940 the regiment as part of the Taurinense division fought in the Italian attack on Greece . After the German invasion of Yugoslavia the " Taurinense " performed garrison duties in Montenegro were the regiment disbanded after the signing of the Italian armistice with the Allies on September 8 , 1943 . Most of its soldiers joined the Italian Partisan Brigade " Garibaldi " , which operated in central Yugoslavia . The reformed 4th Alpini Regiment participated in the liberation of Italy as part of the Partisan Piemonte Mountain Corps . The Cold War . After World War II the 4th Alpini Regiment was reformed in 1952 with the battalions Aosta , Saluzzo and Susa . In 1953 a fourth battalion was raised : the Mondovi . The 4th Alpini was the basis for the newly founded Alpine Brigade Taurinense . In 1962 the " Mondovi " was transferred to the region of Friuli - Venezia Giulia to augment the Alpine Brigade Julia and in 1963 the " Aosta " battalion was transferred to the Alpini Formation and Training Center in Aosta . Four years later it was again subordinated to 4th Alpini Regiment . When Italy dissolved the regimental level in 1975 the remaining battalions came under the direct command of the Taurinense Brigade , with the exception of the " Aosta " which became a High Altitude Warfare training unit under permanent command of the Alpini Formation and Training Center . The " Aosta " received the regimental colours of the dissolved 4th Alpini Regiment and carried on its tradition and flag . Today . On September 25 , 2004 the 4th Alpini Regiment was reformed as 4° Alpini Paracadutisti ( " Alpini " Parachutist ) Regiment in the city of Bolzano . The existing Alpini Parachutist Monte Cervino battalion was placed under the command of the reformed regiment . Today the 4th regiment is one of three Special Forces regiments of the Italian Army . The Alpini Paracadutisti have recently served in Iraq and one company is constantly deployed in Afghanistan . At the end of 2010 the unit moved to its new base in Verona . Decorations . The 4th Alpini Regiment is the highest decorated regiment of the Italian Army .