The initiative, organised by the 32nd Wing of Amendola, was made possible by Prof. Mario Bocola, grandson of the heroic aviator, and sponsored by the Municipality of San Severo. The ceremony began with the laying of a wreath at the foot of the plaque in honour of Captain Bocola, previously blessed by the Bishop of the Diocese of San Severo, H.E. Mons. Lucio Angelo Renna, with military honours and a fly-past of two AMX aircraft from the 32nd Wing, returning from a training exercise.
The enthusiasm and lively participation of the public, along with the presence of many school groups, particularly enlivened the event, bearing witness once again to the great attention that the Apulian region bestows upon the Air Force.
The Air Force Commander, Air Force General Maurizio Lodovisi, accompanied by the Commander of the 32nd Wing, Colonel Michele Oballa, who was present on the occasion, emphasised how the ceremony represents, for the young people and citizens alike, the image of a young serviceman who, in the service of his country, inspired his actions, during a period of great aviation feats, to achieve the world record for inverted flight and demonstrate courage to the extreme sacrifice in attempting to help and save his fellow pilot Caggia in the aircraft accident on board the Ghibli plane that occurred in December 1936.
Willy Bocola was born in San Severo on 23 November 1905 and in 1925 entered the Military Academy with the “Centauro” course. On 17 May 1931, he was awarded the Bronze Medal for Aeronautical Valour. At that time, Bocola was famous in aviation circles for having been, from 1932 to 1934, a pilot of the “Squadriglia Folle,” the precursor to the current National Aerobatic Team, and for achieving, in May 1933 at Centocelle (Rome), the world record for inverted flight, lasting 65 minutes. He died in the fire of the Ca. 309 ‘Ghibli“ reconnaissance twin-engine aircraft while attempting to save his colleague Giuseppe Caggia, on 22 December 1936. The airport of Benina (Benghazi) in Libya was dedicated to him.
