On June 10th the Marina Militare Italiana celebretes one of the most important pages of its history: the Premuda action.
Ltd. Cdr. Luigi Rizzo was the pioneer of a new form of attack using MAS (Motor Torpedo Boats). After several daring and risky actions already carried out, on June 10, 1918, off the Dalmatian Island of Premuda, a commando composed by MAS 15 and MAS 21, guided by Rizzo himself and by Ens. Giuseppe Aonzo, managed to sink the Austro-Hungarian Battleship SMS “Szent Istvan”, inflicting heavy losses. Commander Rizzo became a great war hero and this date was chosen to celebrate the Italian Navy’s Day since March 13th, 1939.
The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, participate to a ceremony in the Italian Navy General Staff Head Quarters, with the Ministry of Defence, Roberta Pinotti, and the Italian Chief of Defence, General Claudio Graziano.
