ITALY Mechanized Brigade Mantova sleeve patch

(Italian: Brigata meccanizzata "Mantova")
The Mantova Mechanized Brigade was a mechanized brigade of the Italian Army. Its core units were mechanized infantry battalions. The brigade's headquarters was in the city of Cividale del Friuli. All the brigade's units were based in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. In 2003 the Mantova was raised again as a division command.
In 1986, the Italian Army abolished the divisional level and brigades came under direct command of the Army Corps. Therefore the Mantova division command disbanded on 1 October 1986, and its brigades and supports units came under direct command of the 5th Army Corps. However on the same day the Isonzo Mechanized Brigade was renamed as Mantova Mechanized Brigade and moved its headquarters into the headquarters building of the Mantova Division
The brigade was disbanded 30 August 1997.
In 2002 the Italian Army raised three division commands, with one of the three always readily deployable for NATO missions. The army decided that each division should carry on the traditions of one of the divisions that served with distinction in World War II. Therefore on 31 December 2002 the 2nd Italian Division in Vittorio Veneto was renamed as Division Command Mantova.
In the 2013 Army reform it was decided to abolish the corps level in the Italian Army and to rename the Mantova as Friuli Division.