Italian Forces

General Enrico Pezzi

For his brilliant qualities as a man and a proven master in every theater of war, was decorated of a fourth silver medal in February 1942 and was promoted to Brigadier General overall pick, becoming the youngest general of the Regia Aeronautica. Immediately appointed commander of Italian aviation in Russia, he was able to distinguish in this last and tragic campaign, for his military capabilities and his human qualities, earning the insignia of Chevalier of the Military Order of Savoy and the fifth Silver medal. On 29 December 1942, he learned that in Tscherkov, in the bend of the Don, about 12,000 Italian and German soldiers, being about 2000 of them the wounded ones, had been rounded up. So the General decided to leave personally from the base of Voroshilovgrad aboard a three-engined Siai Marchetti S.81 to bring medicine and to recover the most seriously injured, embarking on his last flight. General arrived in Tscherkov aistrip dischariging medicines and supply and carrying back sa more wounded soldiers as possible, but never reached Voroshilovgrad. Officially MIA with his crew, some yuears later it was known by Soviet sources that his aircraft had been downed. his military capabilities were recognized by Germani alley that decorated him with the Eagle Cross of Merit Order of 1st grade with Swords, with the Cross of 2nd Class (Patent issued on 22-7 - 1942) and, subsequently, with the Cross 1st Class (Patent issued on 08/05/1942). To his memory has been granted the Gold Medal for Military Valour. DVX