Decima Flottiglia MAS

Decima Flottiglia MAS
Emblem of the Decima Flottiglia MAS
ActiveMarch 1941–September 1943
Country Italy
Branch Regia Marina
TypeMarines
Commando frogman
RoleHuman torpedo
Raiding
Sabotage
Nickname(s)Xª MAS
Motto(s)"Memento Audere Semper" (Remember to always be bold) [1]
MarchInno della Xª MAS
EquipmentSLC "Maiale" torpedoes
MTM "Barchini" motor assault boats
EngagementsSouda Bay, Gibraltar, Alexandria, Algiers, sank HMS York and 20 merchant ships
DecorationsGolden Medal of Military Valour
Individual decorations:
29 Golden Medals of Military Valor
104 Silver Medals of Military Valor
33 Bronze Medals of Military Valor
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Mario Giorgini
Vittorio Moccagatta
Ernesto Forza
Junio Valerio Borghese

The Decima Flottiglia MAS (Decima Flottiglia Motoscafi Armati Siluranti, also known as La Decima or Xª MAS) (Italian for "10th Torpedo-Armed Motorboat Flotilla") was an Italian flotilla, with marines and commando frogman unit, of the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy). The acronym MAS also refers to various light torpedo boats used by the Regia Marina during World War I and World War II.[2]

Decima MAS was active during the Battle of the Mediterranean and took part in a number of daring raids on Allied shipping. These operations involved surface speedboats (such as the raid on Souda Bay), human torpedoes (the raid on Alexandria) and Gamma frogmen (against Gibraltar). During the campaign, Decima MAS took part in more than a dozen operations which sank or damaged five warships (totalling 78,000 tons) and 20 merchant ships (totalling 130,000 GRT).

In 1943, after the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was ousted, Italy left the Tripartite Pact. Some of the Xª MAS men who were stationed in German-occupied northern and central Italy enlisted to fight for Mussolini's newly formed Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana or RSI) and retained the unit title, but were primarily employed as an anti-partisan force operating on land. Other Xª MAS men in southern Italy or other Allied-occupied areas joined the Italian Co-Belligerent Navy as part of the Mariassalto (Naval Assault) unit.

  1. ^ [1] Archived 25 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ [2] Archived 19 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine

Decima Flottiglia MAS

Dodaje.pl - Ogłoszenia lokalne