Italian Admirals

Major Italian Admirals

Gaius Duilius (3rd century BC) – Roman politician and admiral in the First Punic War. He obtained a stunning victory in the Battle of Mylae (260 BC), capturing several enemy vessels, including Hannibal Gisco's flagship. That battle marked Rome's first naval victory in history.

Lucullus (117-56 BC) – Roman politician and general. He spent more than twenty years in near continuous military and government service, becoming the main conqueror of the Pontic and Armanian kingdoms in the course of the Third Mithridatic War, where he exhibited extraordinary generalship, most famously during the Siege of Cyzicus (73-72 BC) and at the Battle of Tigranocerta (69 BC). His command style received favourable attention from ancient military experts, and his campaigns were studied as examples of skillful generalship. As a fleet commander he also won several victories at sea, most notably the Battle of Tenedos (73 BC).

Pompey the Great (106-48 BC) – Roman general and statesman. In a massive and concerted campaign, Pompey cleared the seas from Cilician pirates in only three months. He cleared the western Mediterranean in forty days and cleared the eastern Mediterranean in the same amount of time. This was the end of piracy in the Mediterranean Sea.

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (c. 63-12 BC) – Roman statesman, general and architect. In 36 BC, during the Sicilian Revolt, Agrippa and his men won decisive victories at Mylae and Naulochus, destroying all but seventeen of Sextus Pompey's ships and compelling most of his forces to surrender. He received the unprecedented honour of a naval crown decorated with the beaks of ships; according to Cassius Dio this was a decoration given to nobody before nor since. The victory at the Battle of Actium (31 BC), the last naval battle of the Roman Republic which gave Octavian Augustus sole mastery over Rome and the Mediterranean world, was mainly due to Agrippa's command.

Nero Claudius Drusus (38-9 BC) – Roman general and politician. In 12 BC Drusus ordered the construction of a fleet of 1,000 ships and sailed them along the Rhine into the North Sea. The Frisii and Chauci had nothing to oppose the superior numbers, tactics and technology of the Romans. When these entered the river mouths of Weser and Ems, the local tribes had to surrender. His achievements—navigating the North Sea, carrying the Roman eagles into new territory, and fixing new peoples into treaty relations with Rome—were commemorated on coins.

Flavius Julius Crispus (c. 302-326) – Roman general and Caesar of the Roman Empire. At the Battle of the Hellespont (324 AD) the 200 ships under his command managed to decisively defeat the enemy forces of Licinius, despite being outnumbered at least 2 to 1. Crispus thus achieved his most important and difficult victory which further established his reputation as a brilliant general.

Pietro II Orseolo (961-1009) − 26th Doge of Venice and Duke of Dalmatia. He initiated the period of eastern expansion of the Republic of Venice that would last for the next 500 years. He defeated the Narentine pirates that had infested the Adriatic Sea and liberated the Latin coastal cities of Istria and Dalmatia. He also founded the Festa della Sensa (Ascension Festival)—the oldest festival in Venice—and the Marriage of the Sea ceremony to symbolize the maritime dominion of Venice.

Ruggiero di Lauria (1250-1305) – Italian admiral. He commanded the fleet of the Crown of Aragon during the War of the Sicilian Vespers. He is considered the most successful and talented naval tactician of the Middle Ages.

Enrico Dandolo (c. 1107-1205) – 41st Doge of Venice. Despite being in his 90's and blind, he commanded the crusader fleet in the capture of Constantinople (1204). His subsequent conquest of the Byzantine Empire laid the foundations of the Venetian colonial empire.

Vettor Pisani (1324-1380) – Italian admiral. He commanded the Venetian fleet during the War of Chioggia (1378-1381) against the Genoese, whom he defeated off Capo d'Anzio. Subsequently he recaptured Cattaro, Sebenico and Arbe, which had been seized by the Hungarians. Together with Carlo Zeno, he is often regarded as the greatest admiral the Republic of Venice ever had.

Carlo Zeno (1333-1418) – Italian admiral and Venetian war hero. He first distinguished himself in battle against the Turks at Patras. During the War of Chioggia (1378-1381), he commanded 18 galleys and saved Venice from the Genoese siege in 1380. Together with Vettor Pisano, he is considered one of the most brilliant admirals in the history of the Republic of Venice.

Pietro Mocenigo (1406-1476) – 70th Doge of Venice. In 1470 he assumed command of 73 galleys which Venice built in just 12 days. He commanded the fleet during the First Ottoman-Venetian War (1463-1479), capturing Antalya and Smyrna in 1472. He defeated the Ottoman navy at Scutari in 1474 and annexed Cyprus to the Republic of Venice in 1475. He died in 1476 due to contracting malaria during a military campaign. He was one of the greatest Venetian admirals and revived the fortunes of the Venetian Navy.

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) – Italian explorer and navigator. Best known for his four transatlantic voyages (1492-93, 1493-96, 1498-1500, 1502-04) which opened the way for European exploration of the New World. In April 1492 he obtained the rank of Admiral of the Ocean Sea.

Andrea Doria (1466-1560) – Italian admiral and condottiero. Regarded as one of the greatest admirals in history. He first gained notoriety as a naval commander in 1503, when he fought in service of the Genoese navy and expelled the French from Corsica. For several years he scoured the Mediterranean in command of the Genoese fleet, waging war on the Turks and the Barbary pirates, defeating them at the Battle of Pianosa (1519). His expulsion of the French from Genoa and restoration of the Genoese Republic in 1528 earned him the title Liberator et Pater Patriae (Liberator and Father of His Country). He captured Corone and Patras from the Ottomans in 1532. In 1538 he led the fleet of the Holy League at the Battle of Preveza. He also participated in the Conquest of Tunis (1535), the Battle of Girolata (1540), the Algiers expedition (1541) and the Battle of Ponza (1552).

Sebastiano Venier (c. 1496-1578) – 87th Doge of Venice. He commanded the Venetian contingent at Battle of Lepanto (1571), during which the Holy League decisively defeated the Turks.

Agostino Barbarigo (1518-1571) – Italian admiral from the Republic of Venice. He commanded the left wing of the Christian fleet at Battle of Lepanto (1571). His galleys were victorious, but he was mortally wounded after being shot in the eye by an enemy arrow. Despite his wound, he continued to fight as long as he could. He died of the wound two days later.

Marcantonio II Colonna (1535-1584) – Italian nobleman and admiral. Best remembered for his role as commander of the Papal fleet in the Battle of Lepanto (1571), during which he rescued the flagship of Don Juan of Austria. With the help of Colonna, the Turks were pushed off Don Juan's ship and the Ottoman flagship was boarded and swept: the entire crew of the Ottoman flagship was killed, including the Ottoman commander.

Francesco Morosini (1619-1694) – 108th Doge of Venice. Considered one of the greatest admirals of all time. He took part in the Battle of Valona (1638), in which the Venetians destroyed the fleet of Algerian and Tunisian pirates. He rose to prominence during the Siege of Candia (1648-1669), the second longest siege in history, which lasted 21 years. Between 1683-1687 he won numerous victories against the Ottoman Empire, conquering islands and fortresses which were considered impregnable. He conquered the island of Santa Maura (Leucadia) in 1684; he occupied Corone and the Maina in 1685; he captured Navarino (Pylos), Modone (Methoni), Nauplia (Nafplio) and Argos in 1686; by 1687 he has reconquered nearly the entire Morea (Peloponnese) from the Turks; he subsequently captured Patras, Lepanto, Corinth and Athens. He was a great naval strategist who participated in many daring military actions and was undefeated at sea.

Angelo Emo (1731-1792) – Considered the greatest Venetian admiral of his time. He was the last admiral of the Republic of Venice to lead the Venetian navy in battle. He led a Venetian squadron in the Aegean during the Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774) and in 1770-1771 led a campaign against the Dulcigno pirates in the Ionian Islands He also led raids against the Beylik of Tunis (1784-1788) in retaliation for Barbary attacks on Venetian shipping. Girolamo Dandolo referred to him as "the last roar issued by the Lion of San Marco on the sea".

Francesco Caracciolo (1752-1799) – Italian admiral and Duke of Brienza. Regarded as the greatest Italian admiral of the 18th century. He fought with distinction in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), against the Barbary pirates, and against the French at the Battle of Genoa (1795).

Felice Napoleone Canevaro (1838-1926) – Italian admiral and politician. Best known for his actions during the Second and Third Italian War of Independence (1859; 1866) and later as commander of the International Squadron off Crete (1897-1898). Twice decorated with the Silver Medal of Military Valor, first for his courageous attempt to board the Bourbon steam ship-of-the-line Monarca (1860), and second for his conduct during the Battle of Lissa (1866).

Paolo Camillo Thaon di Revel (1859-1948) – Italian admiral and politician. Best known as Chief of Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Royal Navy during World War I (1915-1918). During the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) he scored a notable naval victory at the Battle of Beirut (1912). In the late days of World War I he led the bombardment of Durazzo (1918) and the rapid occupation of the coasts of Istria and Dalmatia. Awarded the honorary title of 1st Duke of the Sea and the highest rank of Grand Admiral—the only man in Italian naval history to receive this distinction.

Luigi Amedeo di Savoia-Aosta (1873-1933) – Italian explorer, mountaineer, admiral and Duke of the Abruzzi. Best known for his Arctic explorations and for his mountaineering expeditions, particularly to Mount Saint Elias in Alaska-Yukon and K2 in Pakistan-China. During his Arctic expedition (1899-1900) he set a new world record by reaching latitude 86°34′ N. He also served as Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Fleet during World War I (1915-1918). Under his command the Italian Navy was responsible for saving the Serbian Army.

Antonio Legnani (1888-1943) – Italian admiral. He participated in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) aboard the hydrographic survey ship Staffetta in the Red Sea and the gunboat Giuliana. During World War I (1915-1918) he took part in the operations in Albania, obtaining a Silver Medal of Military Valor. As commander of the submarine Argonauta he carried out 30 combat missions along the enemy coast, obtaining a second Silver Medal and two Bronze Medals of Military Valor. He also directed clandestine submarine warfare during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). During World War II he participated in the battles of Calabria (1940), Taranto (1940) and Cape Matapan (1941), and as well as in the counter-actions against the British operations Hats (1940) and MB 5 (1940) aimed at supplying Malta. He directed Italian submarine operations in the Mediterranean from 1941-1943. He was decorated with the German Iron Cross 2nd class and the Officer's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy.

Carlo Bergamini (1888-1943) – Italian admiral. He participated in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) as a naval officer on the armoured cruiser Vettor Pisani. During World War I (1915-1918) he was the chief of artillery on the cruiser Pisa. He received a Silver Medal of Military Valor for his bravery in the Battle of Durazzo (1918), during which he sunk the Austro-Hungarian steamer Stambul. During the interwar years he made a notable contribution to the design of the fire-control system adopted on the major Italian warships. During World War II he participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento (1940). An opponent of the Armistice of Cassibile (1943), he refused to surrender his fleet to the British. While heading towards neutral waters he was killed in a bombing raid on board the battleship Roma, going down with his ship.

Giovanni Galati (1897-1971) – Italian admiral. He participated in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) aboard the training ships Flavio Gioia and Amerigo Vespucci. He took part in World War I, where he commanded the self-propelled armed pontoon Carso. In 1918 he distinguished himself in an action near Caposile on the Piave River, receiving a Silver Medal of Military Valor. During World War II (1940-1945) he participated in the Battle of Calabria (1940), sank the British submarine Oswald, and carried out dozens of missions as escort leader of supply convoys in the Mediterranean. He gained a reputation for having never lost a ship. An opponent of the Armistice of Cassibile (1943), he refused to surrender and declared that he would never deliver his fleet to the British. One of the most brilliant officers in the Navy. In his career he was four times awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor, twice awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valor, the War Cross for Military Valor, the War Merit Cross, the Military Order of Savoy, the Order of the Crown of Italy, the Colonial Order of the Star of Italy and the German Iron Cross 2nd Class.


Minor Italian Admirals

Marcus Atilius Regulus (299-246 BC) – Roman statesman and general. He served as a general in the First Punic War, where he defeated the Carthaginians in a naval battle at Cape Ecnomus (256 BC). The battle was possibly the largest naval battle in history by number of combatants involved: a combined 680 warships carrying up to 290,000 crew and marines.

Lucius Manlius Vulso Longus (3rd century BC) – Roman statesman and general. Together with Marcus Atilius Regulus he was joint commander of the Roman fleet which defeated the Carthaginians at the Battle of Cape Ecnomus (256 BC). His command skills during the battle were essential in saving the transport ships, which allowed the Romans to pursue a follow up attack.

Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus (c. 130-44 BC) – Roman general and politician. He was given the command of fighting piracy in Cilicia in 78-74 BC. He won several naval victories off Cilicia and occupied the coasts of nearby Lycia and Pamphylia. He captured the town of Olympos and killed the pirate captain Zenicetus. He received his agnomen of Isaurus because he defeated the Isauri who lived on the border of Cilicia. He incorporated Isauria into the province of Cilicia Pedias.

Octavian Augustus (63 BC - 14 AD) – Founder of the Roman Empire and 1st Roman Emperor. In his Res Gestae, Augustus boasted that his fleet "sailed from the mouth of the Rhine eastward as far as the lands of the Cimbri to which, up to that time, no Roman had ever penetrated either by land or by sea."

Tiberius (42 BC - 37 AD) – 2nd Emperor of the Roman Empire and one of the greatest Roman generals. In 5 BC Roman knowledge concerning the North and Baltic Sea was fairly extended during a campaign by Tiberius, reaching as far as the Elbe.

Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) – Roman historian and military commander. In 79 AD, as fleet commander of the Roman Navy, he died in Stabiae while attempting to rescue a friend and his family by ship from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which already had destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Cesario Console (c. 800's - 870) – Italian admiral and commander of the fleet of the Duchy of Naples between 840 and 870. Following the Arab raid against Rome (846), he led a naval contingent during the Siege of Gaeta (846), causing the Saracens to retreat back to Africa. He also led the victorious fleet of the Italian League against the Saracens at the Battle of Ostia (849).

Ordelaffo Falier (1070-1117) – 34th Doge of Venice. In 1104 he founded the Venetian Arsenal, which was responsible for Venice's naval power. In 1110, during the Norwegian Crusade, he personally commanded a Venetian fleet of 100 ships to assist Baldwin I of Jerusalem in capturing the city of Sidon. He also led the Venetian reconquest of Dalmatia (1115-1117). He was killed at Zara during a battle against the Hungarians.

Caffaro di Rustico da Caschifellone (c. 1080-1164) – Italian crusader, admiral, diplomat and historian. He participated in the capture of Caesarea (1101) during the First Crusade, the Siege of Almeria (1147) during the Reconquista and the Siege of Tortosa (1148) during the Second Crusade.

Simone Doria (c. 1130 - 13th century) – Italian crusader, admiral and politician. He led a naval fleet in support of the troops of King Philip II Augustus at the Siege of Acre (1190) during the Third Crusade. During the Fifth Crusade he led the Genoese fleet in the Siege of Damietta (1218-1219).

Oberto Doria (1229-1306) – Italian politician and admiral. He rose to fame as the admiral of the Genoese fleet in the Battle of Meloria (1284) in which, together with Benedetto Zaccaria and Corrado Spinola, he defeated the Pisans. The victory allowed Genoa to regain Corsica and Sardinia.

Benedetto I Zaccaria (c. 1235-1307) – Lord of Phocaea, Lord of Chios and founder of the Zaccaria dynasty. He was the principal commander of the Genoese fleet at the Battle of Meloria (1284). His surprise attack led to a decisive Genoese victory and the permanent decline of Pisa's military and mercantile power. He also participated alongside in a victorious campaign against Morocco under Sancho IV and served as an admiral under Philip IV of France, blocking English and Flemish ports and conquering the island of Chios (1304) from Muslim corsairs.

Lamba Doria (1245-1323) – Considered one of the best Genoese admirals. He defeated the Venetians in the Battle of Curzola (1298), capturing admiral Andrea Dandolo and, according to tradition, Marco Polo.

Paganino Doria (13th-14th century) – Italian admiral. He was the head of the victorious Genoese naval forces in the Third Venetian-Genoese War (1350-1355). At the Battle of Sapienza (1354) he captured the entire Venetian fleet, taking 35 galleys and 5,000 prisoners, including Venetian admiral Niccolò Pisani.

Ambrogio Boccanegra (c. 1300's-1374) – Italian admiral and son of Simone Boccanegra, the first Doge of Genoa. He commanded the Castilian-French forces against the English at the Battle of La Rochelle (1372).

Andrea Contarini (c. 1300-1382) – 60th Doge of Venice. Noted for his personal bravery. Though in his 70's, he took personal command of the Venetian Navy and led troops in the War of Chioggia (1378-1381), which consecrated Venice's position as the undisputed ruler of the seas for the following centuries.

Pietro Zeno (d. 1345) – Venetian captain, bailiff of Negroponte and one of the leaders of the Smyrniote Crusade (1343-1345). In 1334 he commanded a fleet of twenty galleys and defeated the large fleet of Yakhshi, Emir of Karasi, off Adramyttion. In 1345, during the Smyrniote Crusade, he was killed by Turks in an ambush at church while celebrating Mass.

Egidio Boccanegra (d. 1367) – Italian admiral and brother of Simone Boccanegra, the first Doge of Genoa. He fought in service of France and the Crown of Castile, participating in the Battle of Sluys (1340) during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), the Siege of Algeciras (1342-1344) during the Reconquista, the War of the Two Pedros (1356-1375) and the Castilian Civil War (1351-1369).

Tommaso Mocenigo (1343-1423) – 64th Doge of Venice. He commanded the crusading fleet in the Battle of Nicopolis (1396) and won battles against the Genoese during the War of Chioggia (1378-1381), which solidified Venice's position as undisputed ruler of the seas.

Pietro Loredan (1372-1438) – Venetian nobleman. He was a distinguished military commander both on sea and on land. He fought against the Ottomans, winning the Battle of Gallipoli (1416), played a leading role in the conquest of Dalmatia (1411-1420), and participated in several campaigns against Genoa and Milan, securing Venice's mainland domains or Terraferma.

Biagio Assereto (c. 1383-1456) – Italian admiral. As a naval commander he led a Genoese fleet to help Joan II of Naples (1425), captured the Florentine Ferruccio Verro (1426) and pushed back Domenico Campofregoso and his Florentine allies (1427). He led a small fleet to Gaeta to Francesco Spinola and was victorious in the subsequent Battle of Ponza (1435). He later defeated the Venetian admiral Andrea Quirini at Casalmaggiore (1448).

Alvise Loredan (1393-1466) – Venetian nobleman and admiral. He served with distinction as a military commander, with a long record of battles against the Ottomans. He participated in the Siege of Thessalonica (1422-1430), the Crusade of Varna (1443-1444), the First Ottoman-Venetian War of (1463-1479) and the Wars in Lombardy (1423-1454).

Vettore Cappello (c. 1400-1467) – Italian statesman and military commander. Best known for his command of Venetian forces as Captain General of the Sea during the early stages of the First Ottoman-Venetian War (1463-1479).

Benedetto Pesaro (c. 1430-1503) – Venetian nobleman and Commander-in-Chief of the Venetian Navy. He is notable for his military successes during the Second Ottoman-Venetian War (1499-1503). His first victory came when he retook Cephalonia from the Ottomans during the Siege of the Castle of Saint George (1500).

Domenico Malipiero (1445-1513) – Venetian patrician, admiral and historian. He held command in the War of Ferrara (1482-1484) and was later appointed Admiral of the Fleet.

Francesco Duodo (1518-1592) – Italian admiral and one of the commanders of the Venetian fleet at the Battle of Lepanto (1571). The victory of the Holy League over the Ottomans was due in large part to the galleasses under his command.

Gianandrea Doria (1539-1606) – Italian admiral and grandson of Andrea Doria. He commanded the right wing of the of the Christian fleet at Battle of Lepanto (1571). He also led an expedition against the Barbary pirates in 1601.

Jacopo Inghirami (1565-1624) – Italian admiral and knight of the Order of St. Stephen. In the 1590's he fought for Philippe Emmanuel de Lorraine of the Catholic League during the French Wars of Religion (1562-1598). In 1602, during the Long Turkish War (1594-1606), he led a successful operation which resulted in a large number of Ottoman prisoners and the liberation of Christian captives. For several years the Tuscan fleet under his command engaged Ottoman shipping and Berber pirates in the Mediterranean, with several successes, including the defeat of the Saracen pirate Murat Reis at the Bay of Bonifacio (1603) and the capture of Bona (1607) in modern-day Algeria.

Federico Spinola (1571-1603) – Italian admiral. He fought in Habsburg service during the Dutch Revolt (1568-1648), serving in the Army of Flanders under Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma. In 1598 he proposed a plan to build a fleet to launch a Spanish invasion of England. During the Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1602) he fought in the Battle of Sesimbra Bay (1602) and the Battle of the Narrow Seas (1602). He died in the Battle of Sluis (1603) during the Eighty Years' War.

Bartolomeo Contarini (c. 1600's) – Italian admiral and commander of the combined Venetian and Papal fleet at the Battle of Andros (1696) during the Great Turkish War (1683-1699). Later he commanded the Venetian fleet in the Action of 6 July 1697, hunting down the Turkish fleet in the Aegean Sea.

Lorenzo Marcello (1603-1656) – Italian admiral and politician. He undertook his first military duties in the 1630's, escorting merchant ships to Syria and fighting the Turks in the Aegean and the Cyclades. In 1634 he led an intense and successful campaign against the pirates who infested the area. Later he participated in the War of Candia (1645-1669), leading the combined Venetian-Maltese fleet at the Battle of the Dardanelles (1656). Although he lost his life in that battle, the result was the greatest Venetian victory since the Battle of Lepanto (1571).

Lazzaro Mocenigo (1624-1657) – Italian admiral. He was a naval commander during the Venetian expeditions to the Dardanelles (1654-1657), in which he defeated the Turks but lost one of his eyes. Later he came close to reconquering Constantinople from the Turks but was killed by canon fire.

Andrea Pisani (1655-1718) – Italian admiral. He volunteered in the imperial army during the Siege of Buda (1686) and participated in the Battle of the Oinousses Islands (1695) during the Sixth Ottoman-Venetian War (1684-1699). He was also a commander during the Seventh Ottoman-Venetian War (1714-1718) and was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of the Golden Stole in 1717.

Lodovico Flangini (1677-1717) – Italian admiral. He commanded the Venetian squadron during the victorious battles of Imbros (1717) and Mount Athos (1717) during the Seventh Ottoman-Venetian War (1714-1718). He was killed in combat in 1717.

Francesco Sivori (1771-1830) – Italian admiral. He led a squadron of Sardinian vessels to victory over the Turks during the Battle of Tripoli (1825).

Augusto Riboty (1816-1888) – Italian admiral and Minister of the Navy. He participated in the First Italian War of Independence (1848-1849) and also saw service in the Crimean War (1853-1856) and participated in the multinational intervention in Tunisia during the Mejba Revolt (1864-1865). At the Battle of Lissa (1866), during the Third Italian War of Independence, he gallantly led his ship and inflicted serious damage to the Austrian SMS Kaiser.

Umberto Cagni (1863-1932) – Italian explorer and admiral. He led a probe over the surface of the Arctic Ocean in 1899-1900 with Luigi Amedeo di Savoia-Aosta, achieving the northernmost point reached by exploration up to that time. He also led naval relief efforts in the 1908 Messina earthquake, participated in the conquest of Libya during the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912), and served in World War I (1915-1918).

Simone Antonio Saint-Bon (1828-1892) – Italian admiral. He took part in the Crimean war (1853-1856), distinguished himself at the Siege of Ancona (1860) during the Piedmontese Campaign in Central Italy, and was decorated for valor at the Siege of Gaeta (1860-1861). At the Battle of Lissa (1866), during the Third Italian War of Independence, his vessel forced the entrance of the port of San Giorgio and silenced the Austrian batteries, for which he received a gold medal. He modernized the Italian Royal Navy and in the early 20th century was regarded as the originator of the modern Italian fleet.

Costanzo Ciano (1876-1939) – Italian admiral and politician. He fought in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) and World War I (1915-1918). He commanded MAS units, receiving a Gold Medal of Military Valor for his action in the Bakar Mockery (1918). In addition to the Gold Medal, he was four times decorated with the Silver Medal of Military Valor and was also awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valor for his successes against the Austrians.

Mario Falangola (1880-1967) – Italian admiral who fought in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912), World War I (1915-1918) and World War II (1940-1945). In 1918, as a submarine commander, he sank the Austro-Hungarian auxiliary ship Pelagosa and the troopship Euterpe, causing the loss of 555 Austro-Hungarian soldiers. He was three times awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor and twice awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valor

Mario Bonetti (1888-1961) – Italian admiral. During the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912) he distinguished himself in command of landing parties in Derna and Tobruk, receiving the War Cross for Military Valor. During World War I (1915-1918) he served on submarines for 21 months, receiving a Silver Medal of Military Valor. From 1934 to 1938 he commanded the Hydrographic Survey Vessel Group which carried out several hydrographic campaigns in the Red Sea. During World War II (1940-1945) he was commander of the Massawa Fortress Area and its garrison in East Africa, where he twice refused to surrender to the British. For his defense of Massawa (1941), he was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy and the Cross of the Order of the German Eagle.

Salvatore Pelosi (1906-1974) – Italian admiral who took part in operations during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936), participated in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and served in World War II (1940-1945). As commander of the submarine Torricelli he made a gallant last stand against overwhelming British naval forces in June 1940. For this action he was awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor.

Agostino Straulino (1914-2004) – Italian sailor, admiral and Olympic sailboat racing champion. During World War II he served on the cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi and in the Xª Flottiglia MAS—Italy's elite commando frogman unit. He participated in amphibious operations against British ships in Gibraltar (1942), sinking or damaging the British ships Meta, Shuna, Empire Snipe, Baron Douglas, and the British steamer Raven's Point. During the war he was decorated with the Silver Medal of Military Valor and the Bronze Medal of Military Valor. He won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was a four-time world champion (1950, 1953, 1956, 1965), ten-time European champion (1938, 1949-1956, 1959), twelve-time Italian champion (1938, 1946, 1948-1956, 1959), winning a total of fifteen gold medals, four silver medals and two bronze medals for sailboat racing.