In the presence of the Undersecretary of Defense, Senator Isabella Rauti, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General of Armed Forces Carmine Masiello and the civil and military authorities, the parachuting training center of Pisa, the commemoration ceremony of the 82nd anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein, together with the transfer of command of the paratrooper brigade "Folgore" from Gen. B. Massimiliano Mongillo to his peer Federico Bernacca.
In the battle of El Alamein the Italian paratroopers, deployed in defence at the southern end of the front, despite an extremely disadvantageous balance of forces, were able to resist with incredible determination and energy the repeated enemy attacks, repelling every attempt at a breakthrough and inflicting serious losses on the enemy to the point of forcing the English command to suspend any further initiative on that portion of the front and thus giving rise to the myth of the thunderbolt.
During her greeting speech, Senator Rauti recalled that: “El Alamein is not only a physical and geographical place but also a place of memory and Italian military history. The resistance of those soldiers - faithful to the Oath they took - was heroic as their enemies recognized, who paid them the honor of arms”.
“The men and women of the 'Folgore' ensure the Defence's ability to be ready and rapidly deployed even in emergency situations that require air transporting or air dropping units” concluded Senator Rauti.
The Army Chief of Staff and Dean of the Paratroopers Specialty, Gen. Carmine Masiello, said in his greeting address: “We must be ready and prepared at all times. You are an irreplaceable part of this readiness and reliability.
Everyone recognizes you and everyone expects great things from you, which you will be able to do thanks to the values and rules that are sewn on our lapels.
Service and Duty are the foundation of the military institution and of every servant of the State.
As the 'Boys of Folgore' did at El Alamein, our rules must be lived to the point of ultimate sacrifice.
Great things you will do thanks to the training and team spirit that animate your dedication and passion”.
"Technology will be a multiplier of the inner strength, courage, initiative and legacy of values that have been entrusted to us. Carry on your shoulders those who can't do it and never be afraid of making mistakes, as we have always done in our history" concluded the head of the EMS.
Representatives of the departments of the "Ariete" brigade were deployed at the ceremony, the only large unit still operating of those that fought alongside the division. thunderbolt in the battle of El Alamein, representatives of the Carabinieri paratrooper regiment "Tuscania", of the Army special forces command and of the 46th air brigade of Pisa, present with its own war flag.
As part of the events held on the sidelines of the celebrations for the 82nd anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein, the “Folgore” paratrooper brigade organized, in October 2024, a blood donation that involved over 320 paratroopers from all the departments under their command, present in the regions of Tuscany, Lazio and Veneto.
The personnel of the “Folgore” paratrooper brigade are constantly engaged, even with small units or individual specialists, in almost all national and international operations where the Italian Armed Forces are employed, and in relief activities for the population hit by recent natural disasters.
The “Folgore” paratrooper brigade is among the tools available to the Italian Army to ensure the ability of the Defense to respond and intervene immediately in crisis and emergency situations that require the deployment, even at short notice and in a short time, of important devices capable of operating in all areas of confrontation.