One of the heroic fighters of the historic enterprise of Alexandria, the Gold Medal for Military Valor, captain of frigate Emilio Bianchi, died today at the age of 103 years.
The Navy expresses deep condolences to the family for the disappearance of a heroic figure of its own history.
A heroic fighter, a faithful collaborator of his officer, after having shared the risks of a tenacious, dangerous training, he followed him in the most daring enterprises and, animated by the same ardent desire for success, he participated with him in an expedition of underwater assault vehicles that forced one of the most powerful and defended enemy naval bases, with an action in which operational conception and practical execution harmoniously harmonized with the cold courage and the abnegation of men.
After having advanced for several miles under water and overcome all kinds of difficulties and obstacles, valid and faithful help from the officer whose forces were exhausted, he was captured and taken to the ship already inexorably condemned for the bold operation accomplished.
Regardless of his own salvation, he refused to give any indication of the imminent danger, determined not to compromise the outcome of the hard mission. 
With his heroic behavior he acquired the right to the admired gratitude of the Fatherland and to the respect of the adversary.
Alexandria, 18 - 19 December 1941
The 22 October 1912 was born in Sondalo (Sondrio). Volunteer in the Regia Marina since March 1932 and assigned to the Diving category, he attended the specialization course at the CREM School of Varignano (La Spezia) and at the end he embarked on the hydrographic vessel Ammiraglio Magnaghi, with which he then completed two hydrographic cruises in the Aegean and in the Red Sea.
In 1934 he embarked on the cruiser Fiume, where he was promoted to sub-chief, and in the 1936 he was assigned to the 1 ° Submarine Group of La Spezia. After the promotion to sergeant in the 1937, he moved to work in the 1a Flottiglia MAS, starting the training that then had to become an operator of underwater assault vehicles.
During the conflict he participated, in the rank of 2 ° chief, in the two attempts to force the English base of Gibraltar (October and November 1940), then to the bold forcing of the base of Alexandria as 2 ° operator of the LSC (pig) n. 221 led by Lieutenant Luigi Durand de La Penne. Starting from the edge of the Sciré submarine on the night of December 18, after passing the dams it penetrated with its chief operator inside the port and brought its explosive vehicle under the keel of the English battleship Valiant, which for the explosion, sank at the dawn of 19 December. Struck during the journey from oxygen poisoning, due to the hard effort he had to make during the five hours of immersion, forced to rise again, after some time he was discovered by the sentinels on board and, together with his commander, locked in a on-board restaurant located in the immediate vicinity of the santabarbara. Rescued by chance after the outbreak of the charge, which caused the ship to sink, he was taken to a concentration camp and repatriated after the conflict. Promoted for the merits of war chief of 3a class and 2a class, in the 1954, at choice, he achieved the promotion at the head of 1a Palombaro class.
In the rank of officer of the CEMM he subsequently served at the Varignano Underwater Center, at the Sminamento Core of Genoa and finally at the Naval Academy of Livorno, finishing his career as captain of corvette (CS).
Other awards for merit of war:
Promotion to Head 3a Class (1941);
Promotion to Head 2a Class (1941).
