FRIGATE LUIGI RIZZO IN MILAZZO
The most recent frigate of the Italian Navy was named after Luigi Rizzo, admiral of the Italian Navy, hero of WWI. She is therefore the second ship to bear the name of the hero from Milazzo, the first was built in 1957.
Luigi Rizzo, admiral of the Italian Royal Navy, stood out for his fearless actions for which he was awarded two Gold Medals and three Silver Medals of Military Valor. He was the only man of the Italian Royal Navy to receive two Gold Medals of Military Valor.
Among his noticeable actions:
- in December 1917 the sinking of SMS Wien, an Austro-Hungarian battleship, while at anchor in Trieste;
- the attack and sinking of SMS SzentIstván on June 10th 1918 off Premuda, a small island in Croatia. This action was an important misfortune for the Austro-Hungarian Navy and represented the victory of the Italian Royal Navy. In honor of Luigi Rizzo’s action, the Italian Navy Day is celebrated on June 10th.
Due to those feats he was nicknamed the Sinker and hero of Premuda.
Frigate Luigi Rizzo in Milazzo
She was launched in 2015 and commissioned on April 20th 2017. On October 4th she docked in Milazzo harbor and on October 8th in the morning the ceremony of the War Flag conferment was held. All battleships have one.
The ceremony was attended by the Undersecretary of Defense and by the local authorities, by the Commanders of the Italian Navy and of the Corps of the Port Captaincies and Coast Guard.
The youngest Navy NCO brought on board the new frigate the War Flag. Along with it came the flag of the Teseo Tesei Diver and Raider Command Group. The ceremony continued with two paratroopers jumping out of a helicopter in free fall holding the Italian flag. At the end fire blanks were shot from the frigate.
Cristina Leone (for the translation Beatrice Lumia)
