… Human Torpedoes, 1940-1943.
"The Decima Flottiglia MAS (Decima Flottiglia Mezzi d'Assalto) known as La Decima or Xª MAS, Italian 10th Assault Vehicle Flotilla, was an elite naval unit active in World War from 1940-1945. This elite brigade of frogmen, sailors, and naval commandos most renowned service came between 1941-1943 when they undertook an ultimately failed but rather costly campaign against Allied military vessels and commerce shipping in the Mediterranean.
When examining the impact that the Italian 10th MAS had during its years of service for Benito Mussolini's (b.1883-1945) government from 1940-1943, one must understand the diverse composition of the brigade itself. Essentially four different branches comprised the unit during its fight against the British Royal Navy and Allied shipping, the Gamma frogmen, manned torpedo craft, midget submarines, and assault motorboat craft.
Early Development of the Italian Assault Flotillas, 1917-1940
Pioneering Italian frogmen and naval officers (Regia Marina) Raffaele Rossetti (1881-1951) made history in early November 1918 when he and another Italian diver snuck into Pula Harbor (modern day Croatia) guiding a crude early manned torpedo nicknamed the mignatta, the leech, into the bow of the Austro-Hungarian battleship the SMS Viribus Unitis, sinking the vessel as well as another merchant ship…"
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Amicalement
Armand
examines another house in this series.
