The unit, under the command of the navy captain Ostilio de Majo, has represented the natural site of an exhibition of historical relics concerning the life and exploits of the hero, useful for reviving the deeds of this Italian to the authorities and the Genoese citizenship. which was not only the commander of the Naval assaulters who led the extraordinary Enterprise of Alexandria of Egypt (19 December 1941), but also of the Core of Sminamento author of the reclamation of all ports of Liguria in the post-war period.
In particular, Friday 14 February Admiral Luigi Durand de la Penne was remembered through a ceremony presided over by the commander in chief of the Maritime Military Department of the High Tyrrhenian, admiral of the Andrea Toscano team, in the presence of the daughter in law of MOVM, Ms Annalisa de la Penne, ideal godmother of the event, and a large number of local military and civil authorities.
Interesting and thorough was the intervention of prof. Marco Geminiani, lecturer of Naval History at the Naval Academy of Livorno, who retraced the life of the hero through the re-enactment of historical events that saw him as the main actor during and after the Second World War.
Following the reading of the motivation for the awarding of the Gold Medal to Military Valor was inaugurated by Mrs. Annalisa the historical exhibition in which they were exposed some unique findings, which are normally kept at the Underwater Grouping and Incursori "Teseo Tesei "of the Navy, of the National Arditi Incursori Association and on board of the destroyer Durand de la Penne. Among the various objects were a self-contained breathing apparatus used by the men of the assault vehicles and found inside the wreck of the Sciré submarine, the diving knife supplied to the officer and kept by the Navy Hydrographic Institute, the ordinary summer uniform of Luigi Durand de la Penne and some original documents of the reclamation of the port of Genoa signed by the hero.
The ceremony ended with a helicopter launch SH-90, performed with the technique of free fall, conducted by a team of the Operational Incursors Group led by the commander of Comsubin, Rear Admiral Francesco Chionna, to emphasize the "double role" of the 'admiral de la Penne: sailor but also assaulter, ideal precursor of the Navy Incursors.
At the end of the events open to the public, in a more intimate and touching ceremony, the Commander of Comsubin and the Commander of Nave de la Penne with relative representation went to Portofino where, in the local cemetery, the admiral Luigi Durand de la rests Penne. There, in a very suggestive setting, Admiral Chionna and the commander De Majo, in the presence of the mayor of Portofino dott. Giorgio D'Alia, have laid a wreath on the monumental tomb of the hero in memory of all those who have offered their lives for the supreme good of the nation.
The next events, in addition to the visits on board the unit and the exhibition open to the citizens during the stay, will take place on Sunday 16 February and will begin at 10.00 with Sunday Mass, held on board of ship Durand de la Penne, that the General Staff of the Navy wanted to celebrate by suffrage of the victims of the accident at the tower of the port of Genoa and will end at 18.00 at the auditorium of the aquarium with a conference entitled "The company of Alexandria and Luigi Durand de la Penne "held by the commander of Comsubin, Rear Admiral Francesco Chionna.
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Source: Military Navy
