The Navy Day was set up on 13 March 1939 and is dedicated to one of the most significant and bold actions carried out on the sea during World War I: the Premuda company of 10 June 1918.
That day the commander Luigi Rizzo and the ensign Giuseppe Aonzo, under the command of the MAS 15 and MAS 21, attacked an Austrian naval formation in the waters in front of Premuda (Dalmatian coast), causing the sinking of the battleship Santo Stefano.
The commemorative events began yesterday evening with the Chief of Marine Staff, Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi, accompanied by the commander of MARICAPITALE, who laid a laurel wreath on the tomb of Admiral Thaon di Revel (Chief of Staff) of the Navy from 1913 to 1915), at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Martyrs.
The celebration of the anniversary reached its climax with the ceremony this morning at Palazzo Marina (Rome). At the center of the speech by the Minister of Defense Roberta Pinotti, the sense of continuity between the historic company of Rizzo and the current operational and training activities of the Marina, ranging from social to humanitarian, environmental, scientific, investing all sectors of interest to the community.
"It is not superfluous to remember - stressed the Minister - that even Luigi Rizzo received his first medal just rescuing a steamship and saving him from a shipwreck, a few years before the outbreak of the Great War. [...] Today our enemies are the traffickers of men and the victims are those who can not be defended by them. "
In the words of Senator Pinotti, also a renewed solidarity with the two Fucilieri di Marina, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.
The Minister of Defense then handed the honors, 4 medals to Valor of Marina (one Golden, one Silver and two Bronze), to the soldiers who distinguished themselves during the service in Afghanistan.
Afterwards, the visit of the Navy Chief of Staff to the Head of State Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale.
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Source: Navy - Claudia Spreafico
