A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. [46] During the battle, the brigade operated out of the northeastern part of the war zone along with the 196th Infantry Brigade (Separate), as four other brigades from the 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions attempted to surround and destroy the 9th Division in the War Zone. 173rd Airborne Afghanistan Veteran Enduring Freedom Patch Design Military Cap Black. [42] Soldiers of the brigade also took part in smaller humanitarian missions in between major combat operations. [78] They jumped from aircraft of the 62nd Airlift Wing, 446th Airlift Wing, 437th Airlift Wing and the 315th Airlift Wing ( this included the 728th Airlift Squadron), along with a Tactical Air Control Party of USAF Airmen from the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron[90] and the 786th Security Forces Squadron. In May 2020, the Army told Melzer he would be assigned to another unit slated for deployment where they would be guarding a military base. William G. Cromie's medal was presented by Maj.. [102] The 173rd IBCT(A) officially relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division on 6 June 2007.[102]. 173rd Airborne Brigade deploys to South Vietnam - HISTORY Legal Statement. Private Olive's body absorbed the full, deadly blast of the grenade and he died saving his comrades. In May 2020, Melzer was reassigned to a unit preparing for deployment. Eric Melzer, a 24-year-old from Kentucky, shared location and layout information about a sensitive U.S. military installation to the violent, anti-government, neo-Nazi organization Order of Nine Angles. [110] The brigade returned in early 2013. Melzer also wrote that he was expecting results and was willing to die to further the agenda of the Order of the Nine Angles. Mariah Y. Gonzalez). Web. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility within 18 hours. Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. The 173rd Airborne Brigade United States Army Beanie Hat Winter Knitted Caps Unisex Warm Hat,Skull Cap Slouchy Beanies. In April 1969 Brigade commander Brig. In an interview with FBI agents, he admitted being a traitor against the U.S. and confessed that he planned to cause the mass casualties of U.S. service members. Under the direction of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 1/50th formed this special collection of hand picked volunteers. This video shows rare footage from an actual Vietcong ambush Under the bill Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough introduced Friday, any court could intervene if a child is receiving gender-affirming care, the report said. [114] This program was known as Fearless Guardian which was congressionally approved under the Global Contingency Security Fund. Artillery from A Bty., 3rd Bn., 319th Artillery Regt., and air strikes started ravaging the hilltop. Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade. John Barnes of C Company earned a posthumous Medal of Honor when he saved the lives of several wounded men by throwing himself on a grenade. [3][18] After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was posted at Birmingham, Alabama from 1947 until 1951. Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed - rawstory.com Department of The Army At 08:28 on 11 November, after leaving their overnight laager and following a PAVN communications wire, the force was ambushed by the 8th and 9th Battalions of the PAVN 66th Regiment and had to fight for its life. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe.[3]. Within a week these units began to fall apart due to desertions. [62] Combined with noncombatant losses, this represented one-fifth of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's total strength. Before that she was a reporter for Killeen Daily Herald and a freelance journalist for publications including The Alcalde, Texas Highways and the Austin American-Statesman. The 173d, composed of two airborne infantry battalions and associated artillery, reconnaissance, and support elements was essentially given the mission originally assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, that of opening a Every Objective was Taken Throughout the day, U.S. airstrikes and artillery continued to pound the top of the hill, as the NVA lobbed mortars at the U.S. perimeter. While her case was underway, she ran for Secretary of State of Colorado, and lost the GOP primary. According to court documents, Melzer is a member of O9A. While several of its units, including the 2-503rd and A/3-319th were ordered to Tuy Ha to repair and refit,[64][65] the 173rd was transferred to Camp Radcliff in An Kh and Bong Son areas during 1968, seeing very little action while the combat ineffective elements of the brigade were rebuilt. The acrid odor of decaying and rotting flesh combined with the smells of vomit, feces, urine, blood, gunpowder and napalm etched itself permanently into the memories of those who were on Hill 875, Murphy wrote. The 173rd participated in the initial invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and had four tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 200506, 200708, 200910, and 201213. Phone: (626)664-0219. We treated around 1,200 wounded during the period of the battle, said William J. Shaffer, who served as the executive officer of B Co., 4th Medical Bn. He allegedly pledged his allegiance to O9A and relayed sensitive information about his unit's upcoming deployment including the location, movement and security of the service members. from around the world. (47.9 32.5 cm) Melzer secretly used an encrypted messaging application to propose, advocate for, and plan a deadly attack on his fellow service members. Web. He used his membership in the military to pursue an appalling goal: the brutal murder of his fellow U.S. service members in a carefully plotted ambush. This dynamic was intended to last only until additional facilities were constructed at the Dal Molin, now Del Din, airbase near Caserma Ederle at Vicenza. Russian Fighter Jet Shot Down By Friendly Fire Melzer admitted to sharing sensitive information about his imminent deployment with the 173rd Airborne Brigade including unit location, movements and security with an occult-based neo-Nazi group called the Order of the Nine Angles. The goal, Melzer said in an unsealed indictment, was to plot an insider mass casualty attack. III, No. In May 2020, Melzer joined a unit set to deploy to Turkey, according to the Justice Department. "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 11 November, 2012 - 3 February, 2013. Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. [43], On 22 February 1967, the 173rd conducted Operation Junction City, the only combat parachute jump of the Vietnam War. You didnt know where to go, you did not know where to hide. He said Melzer's fellow paratroopers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were left feeling angry as . [74] The unit finally reached "initial operating capability" on 14 March 2003, with all units ready for deployment. While he was deployed to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in the fall of 2019, Melzer "consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups" such as O9A and the Islamic. Police detained Peters as she allegedly tried to stop an officer from taking the iPad. In-Depth Coverage . 1st Cavalry Division units1st Bn., 12th Cav Regt., and 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalryalso played a part in the campaign. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Former U.S. soldier gets 45 years for helping neo-Nazi group in plot to Secure .gov websites use HTTPS In November 1967, the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 4th Infantry Divisions 1st Brigade slugged it out with four NVA regiments in the Central Highlands. A progressive PAC that advocates for campaign reform has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission arguing that Fox Corporation head Rupert Murdoch broke the law when he shared Joe Biden's campaign ads scheduled to air on Fox with Donald Trump's son-in-law and then White House adviser Jared Kushner, the group reported Friday. [24] Immediately after its transformation, the brigade began intensive training in both Germany and Italy to prepare itself for future deployments. The 1-508th (minus Company B) conducted combat operations in eastern Afghanistan, attached to 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. [68], After widely publicized reports by battalion commander Lt. Col. Anthony Herbert, investigators confirmed that military interrogators of the 173rd Airborne Brigade "repeatedly beat prisoners, tortured them with electric shocks and forced water down their throats". [82], On 26 March 2003, 954 soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a combat jump from C-17 aircraft onto Bashur Airfield in Northern Iraq[3][86] under the command of Colonel Mayville. While stationed abroad, Melzer consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. [79] The force also received force field artillery headquarters from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery, which brought a Tactical Operations Center, a Q-36 counterfire radar and Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT)a pair of Dragoneye Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the US Marine Corps, to be operated by the Brigades Ground Surveillance Systems (GSS) team. Greeley, a combined search and destroy effort by elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Army of the Republic of (ARVN) 42nd Infantry Regiment and Airborne units. Nva Kia, Dong Lach, After Unsuccessful Attempt to Free POWs. [69] A U.S. Army report detailed a pattern of "cruelty and maltreatment" between March 1968 and October 1969. [131] In the 1998 movie The Siege, fictional Major General William Devereaux, played by Bruce Willis, states that he was in the 173rd Airborne Brigade at the same time that character Anthony Hubbard was in the 82nd Airborne Division. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Masthead | The 173rd participated in various operations with the objective of ensuring security and subduing Taliban insurgents in the mountainous regions along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, near the Hindu Kush. For example, Melzer subscribed to encrypted online forums where he downloaded and accessed videos of jihadist attacks on U.S. troops and facilities and jihadist executions of civilians and soldiers, in addition to far-right, neo-Nazi, and other white supremacist propaganda. 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | Military Wiki | Fandom She then had another arrest warrant issued against her after allegedly violating the terms of a protective order by contacting her former Mesa County office to demand a recount of that election. In 2020 he was told he would be transferred to a sensitive base in Turkey, which is when he allegedly began plotting the attack. [112], In February 2015, 750 soldiers from the brigade and from units of the Hungarian Armed Forces, namely 24th Bornemissza Gergely Reconnaissance Battalion, 34th Bercsnyi Lszl Special Operations Battalion, and the 25/88th Light Mixed Battalion participated in the exercise "Warlord Rock 2015". In November 2017, 2-503rd Infantry Regiment (The Rock) traveled in US Air Force C-130s to Belgrade, Serbia to conduct training with the Serbian Airborne Forces where they conducted two combined jumps at drop zones near Belgrade. Its "glorification of violence and mysticism has found a renewed international audience," he said. ", By [129], Captain Willard, a fictional character portrayed by Martin Sheen in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, was a member of the 173rd assigned to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group. The NVA poured thousands of troops into an area where the borders of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam meet. Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. I wouldve died successfully . Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 2/503rd 2014-2015 Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. Melzer was convicted of attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team - History - Dak To Soldier Admits Plotting with Neo-Nazi Cult to Kill Fellow Troops", "U.S. U.S. losses were 20 killed, 154 wounded, and two missing. Prosecutors said Melzer was involved with the group starting in 2017 and joined the U.S. Army the next year specifically to help O9A "infiltrate its ranks," according to a Justice Department statement Friday. to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade . A former U.S. Army private was sentenced on Friday to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to charges that he had shared sensitive information . Melzer, who also went by the name Etil Reggad, enlisted in the Army in 2018 as part of an insight role to further his goals as part of the terrorist organization, according to the Justice Department. [The 173rd] were good soldiers and did their fair share, said Steve Stark, who was an artillery liaison specialist with 6th Bn., 29th Artillery, 1st Bde., 4th Inf. A former soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to plot with a hate group to attack his unit. [85] Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March with V Corps, consisting of the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and 3rd Infantry Division making a forceful push from the south, beginning the Iraq War. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The unit did this to cover some of the spaces in Southern Europe that have opened up with the withdraw of other American forces from the area. B-Roll Package: Squad Ambush with Cypriot Troops Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. Noted for its roles in Operation Hump and Operation Junction City, the 173rd is best known for the Battle of Dak To, where it suffered heavy casualties in close combat with North Vietnamese forces. [26][31] As larger US Army commands were established in Vietnam, the brigade was assigned to the IIICorps and IICorps tactical zone, which they would serve in for the next six years. The 173rd Airborne Brigade has received 21 campaign streamers and several unit awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Battle of Dak To during the Vietnam War. [3][27][28][29][30][31] Williamson boldly predicted on arrival that his men would defeat the Viet Cong (VC) quickly and that they "would be back in Okinawa by Christmas". The rifle companies suffered 51% losses in just one month, Murphy wrote. The Justice Department will use all available resources to disrupt and bring to justice those who would aid foreign terrorist organizations and use violence to harm our men and women in uniform or any American anywhere., Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. A Kentucky man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and illegally transmitting national defense information. The success of the program varied greatly from unit to unit, but the programs of the 173rd and Task Force South were generally regarded as effective. [6] Controlling the oil fields had been a specific operational goal of the Task Force[85] because they were viewed as the most valuable strategic asset in northern Iraq. Sky Soldiers that died in the service of their country while in Iraq. Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade pauses to remember the loss of 48 Paratroopers during Operation Hump in Vietnam, on this day 52 years ago. [54] Task Force Blue drew the job of going to the relief of the beleaguered task force; however, Task Force Blue ran into resistance and was pinned down by enemy fire on all sides. .] A and D companies of 1st Bn., 12th Inf. The sign had read "American who read this die. Michael Casey, Clark Dougan, Denis Kennedy, Shelby Stanton, et al., D/16 Official Army History January March, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 17:39, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, 161st Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (ABN), 201415 Russian military intervention in Ukraine, 34th Bercsnyi Lszl Special Operations Battalion, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, United States Army Center of Military History, "The United States Army - 173rd Airborne Brigade", The 173rd Airborne Brigade History, Our History, "3d Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment - Lineage and Honors - U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)", "173rd Airborne Brigade becomes a brigade combat team", "Army to pair National Guard, Reserve units with active-duty units", The 173rd Airborne Brigade YouTube Channel, "The United States Army | 173rd Brigade Support Battalion"To Our Utmost", "Texas National Guard Patch Ceremony to initiate Army of One - Texas Military", "Pilot program links Reserve components with active units for training", "174th Infantry Brigade Homepage: History", "On Operations | VietnamWar.govt.nz, New Zealand and the Vietnam War". A Tortured Past - Los Angeles Times Following on the heels of TF Blacks ordeal, A and B companies from the 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., fought for more than four hours near Fire Support Base 16, located about five miles south of Hill 823. We were surrounded, and we were firing in all directions.. By clicking below to download MFAH collection images, you agree that you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions of MFAH Website Use: A second base was opened in Vicenza called Del Din and is the current headquarters of the 173rd. A former counterintelligence officer gave a statement under oath that "he saw interrogators punch and kick prisoners, beat them with sticks, administer electrical shocks and urinate on them. On 8 November 1965, the 173rd took part in Operation Hump, just north of Bin Ha on the outskirts of Saigon,[35] the capital of South Vietnam. From April 1969 until its withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1971, the brigade served in Bnh nh Province. [101], In 2006, the brigade was notified for a second tour of duty in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, but its deployment plan was changed to Afghanistan in February 2007 when the Pentagon announced that it would relieve the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division along with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. LRS provided the 173rd Brigade command group with key recon and intel of the province, and held control of Helmand with a 5th Special Forces Group ODA element. Neither battalion faced heavy resistance as the NVA had decamped during the night, denying the Americans a chance at some revenge. To further the attack plan, Melzer and his co-conspirators passed these messages to a purported member of al Qaeda. "The defendant believed he could force the U.S. into prolonged armed conflict while causing the deaths of as many soldiers as possible," the Justice Department said in a previous statement. 3rb Battalion News - Bullentin Board Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect.. In command for five months, I had been assured that I would be leading the company for one year, which suited me fine. Ambush of 173rd Airborne, South Vietnam - Collections Melzer, who held the rank of private while in the Army, was a member of the Order of Nine Angles, a Neo-Nazi and Satanic organization which has praised both Adolf Hitler and al-Qaeda. Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. On Nov. 11, A, C and D companies of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf., engaged the NVA for eight hours at two separate locations south of Ben Het sustaining 21 KIA and 128 WIA. Soldiers accidentally entered and secured a sunflower oil factory next to the airfield while it was operating. The U.S. camps represented a major roadblock at the southern end of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. [88] In the weeks before there had been heavy rain and the mud created problems for those doing the jump. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. [5] It was a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's VCorps and after June 2013, subordinate to US Army Europe. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Friday to 45 years in prison, the maximum, for plotting what prosecutors described as a "murderous ambush" overseas on members of his own troop. [69] Herbert was relieved of his command shortly after reporting to his superior the war crimes he had witnessed. On Nov. 7- 8, A and D companies of the 3rd Bn., 8th Inf., fought NVA units east of Hill 830, losing 21 KIA and 81 WIA in close combat. 738 173rd Airborne Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE Collections Project #ShowUs Creative Insights Custom Content EDITORIAL VIDEO BBC Motion Gallery NBC News Archives MUSIC BLOG BROWSE PRICING BOARDS CART SIGN IN Editorial Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All O9A members are instructed to fulfill sinister deeds, including insight roles, where they attempt to infiltrate various organizations, including the military, to gain training and experience, commit acts of violence, identify like-minded individuals, and ultimately subvert those groups from within. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team has received 21 campaign streamers and several unit awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Battle of Dak To during the Vietnam War. In May 2020, the Army told Melzer he would be assigned to another unit slated for deployment where they would be guarding a military base. An estimated 2 enemy battalions, the VC 85th Main Force and the PAVN 95th Regiment, were rendered ineffective as they had 297 killed, with D/16 Armor receiving credit for killing 218. 173rd Airborne Brigade - United States Army Only two weeks before the brigade was to return to Europe, a platoon of 45 soldiers from the brigade stationed in the Dara-I-Pech district was attacked by a large force of insurgents during the Battle of Wanat. Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center, Ambush Alley, 25th Division, Recon Cavalry, Ambushed Convoy Sent to Relieve Duc Co SF Camp. The brigade was the first major United States Army ground formation deployed in Vietnam, serving there from 1965 to 1971 and losing 1,533 soldiers. The paratroopers esprit de corps, elitism and personal pride would not permit that.. (46.7 31.4 cm), Sheet: 18 7/8 12 13/16 in. [citation needed]. 88, 93. The PAVN, in turn, had moved almost 6,000 troops in four infantry regiments and one artillery regiment. The 173rd Airborne Brigade currently consists of 3,300 soldiers[6] in seven subordinate battalions as well as a headquarters company:[7], All of these units are airborne qualified, making the 173rd Airborne Brigade the only separate airborne IBCT in the United States Army. As of the sentencing, Melzer is no longer a part of the Army, although it is not immediately clear when between his guilty plea and now he was discharged. He also advised them that PAVN regulars were a much better equipped and motivated force than the VC. The 4th Battalion launched an unsuccessful attack at around 3 p.m., and pulled back to defensive positions after dark. Div., at Dak To. [84] As the preparations for the brigade were in their final stages, it moved 10 trains and 300 trucks worth of equipment to the air base, as well as 120 busloads of soldiers. or redistributed. Task Force Black consisted of Charlie Company supported by two platoons of Dog Company and Task Force Blue which was composed of Alpha Company and the remaining platoon of Dog Company. (67.1 51.8 3.2 cm), Museum purchase funded by the Mundy Family Foundation, courtesy of David and Stephanie Mundy. If you served in 173rd Airborne Brigade, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. The 3rd Battalion on Nov. 10-11 sustained another 18 KIA and 118 WIA on Hill 724 during a five-hour ground and mortar attack. The enormous amounts of ordnance expended by both forces had turned the once-lush tropical jungle into a scarred and torn landscape.. She's scheduled for sentencing April 10," reported Janet Oravetz. Lost Battles of the Vietnam War - G2mil Melzer provided RapeWaffen membership with information on troop movements, relevant dates and locations, security details, weaponry and topography to facilitate a mass casualty jihadi attack, according to court documents. Brigade members received over 7,700 decorations, including more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. "In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sky Soldiers) is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapid forces to the United States European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibilities. The brigade served mainly in Kirkuk for the next year. Barnes manned a machine gun after its crew had been killed. (Markus Rauchenberger/Army) A former Army private who pleaded guilty last year to plotting. [108] 42 soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. The brigade returned to the United States in 1972, where the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, were absorbed into the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), and the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery was reassigned to Division Artillery in the 101st. Soldier indicted for conspiring with neo-Nazi group seeks dismissal Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade - 173rd Airborne Brigade | Facebook The following day was spent in launching airstrikes and a heavy artillery bombardment against the hilltop, totally denuding it of cover. Melzer and his co-conspirators used the information that he attained to plan what they referred to as a jihadi attack with the objective of causing a mass casualty event victimizing his fellow service members. The 174th set up on Hill 875 about 10 miles southwest of Ben Het and less than a mile east of the Cambodian border. The 173rd Airborne paratroopers trained the Ukrainians on how to better defend themselves against Russian and rebel artillery and rockets. [82] This force was assisted by Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and tasked with attacking key airfield and oil production positions deep in northern Iraq. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
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