On 27 September on the occasion of the traditional solemn flag-raising, all the staff of the 36th Fighter Wing celebrated the 75th anniversary of the gold medal for military valor awarded to the Flock's war flag.
The 27 September 1941 during the naval battle of La Galite, 80 km north of Tunisia, the Stormo, at the time equipped with aircraft Savoia Marchetti 84 aerosiluranti, attacks a British naval formation and hits several ships including the battleship Nelson. In action the commander of Stormo, pilot colonel Hellmuth Seidl and three squadron commanders die, captain Alfonso Rotolo, captain Bartolomeo Tomasino and captain Giusellino Verna. Following this action the war flag of the 36 ° Stormo aerosiluranti will receive the gold medal for military valor with the following motivation:
"At the summit of every heroism his crews over human possibility, in epic action of torpedoing to mass, threw the soul, the aircraft and the weapons against a powerful English naval formation that was hard hit and forced with the damaged surviving ships to turn the he is heading towards his own bases. From the superb action, consecrated to the splendor of the Air Force, the Commander of the Storm, three squadron Commanders and numerous followers, who had the courage of Heaven, the eternal rest of our sea and the imperishable gratitude of the Fatherland.
(Sky of the Mediterranean, 27 September 1941) "
Colonel Bruno Levati, commander of the 36 ° Stormo caccia, recalled how such heroic acts seemingly distant in the memory are as close as ever to the daily and silent work of the men and women of the 36 ° Stormo, today the leading fighter department of the Italian Air Force. Sacrifice, self-denial, professionalism and absolute dedication are the new forms of heroism that characterize a winning team that allows, every day, our Eurofighter aircraft to get up and defend the skies of our country, and to our pilots to return from their families proud of its decisive and irreplaceable contribution to national security.
The Air Force provides surveillance of the national air space 365 days a year, 24 hours on 24, with an integrated defense system, from the time of peace, with that of other countries belonging to NATO.
