At Rome's Terrazza del Pincio, the solemn Centenary celebrations. The Air Force aircraft will soar through the skies of the Capital for the occasion.
28 March 2023. It was the evocative Pincio Terrace in Rome to provide the setting for the solemn celebration of the Centenary of the Air Force, officially established as an autonomous and independent Armed Force on 28 March 1923. The ceremony, of great symbolic and institutional value, was held in the presence of President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella and it was capped off by an aerial flypast of several Italian Air Force aircraft formations, culminating in a pass by the Frecce Tricolori.
Among those present at the event: the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa, the Prime Minister Hon. Giorgia Meloni, the Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies Hon. Fabio Rampelli, the Delegate of the President of the Constitutional Court, Professor Giulio Prosperetti, the Minister of Defence, Hon. Guido Crosetto together with the Undersecretaries of State for Defence, It President of the Lazio Region Council, Dr Francesco Rocca, the Mayor of Rome Dr Roberto Gualtieri, the Chief of the Defence Staff Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, as well as civil authorities and high-ranking authorities from the other Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence.
Today is a special anniversary, marking the achievement of a unique milestone, full of heroic deeds and historical roots that reach from the past to a rapidly evolving present with a distinct technological identity. A century of the Tricolore's flight which carries with it the heritage of values, passion and professionalism of the Armed Force, which today, more than ever, is essential to contribute, together with other civil and military institutions, to the security of the Country and its citizens.
During the morning, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, after presiding over a solemn flag-raising ceremony at the Piazzale Three Arches of the Air Force Palace, he went to the Altar of the Fatherland. Here, accompanied by the Armed Forces chiefs and the Presidents of the veterans' and corps associations of the Italian Air Force, he laid a wreath at Shrine of the Unknown Soldier, located within the Vittoriano Complex and a symbol of all those who fell in the wars in which Italy has participated and of their heroic sacrifice.
The ceremony was sealed by a flypast of Armed Forces aircraft, among which a special formation of “fighter” aircraft drew the number “100” in flight above the Pincio Terrace. This was followed by a series of aerial passes that honoured this important anniversary until its culmination when the National Acrobatic Patrol, an essential part of aeronautical tradition and a fundamental piece of the broad mosaic represented by operational realities, has coloured the skies of the Capital in green, white, and red.
It Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Luca Goretti, after the due greetings to the President of the Republic, the Authorities present and all the distinguished guests, bowed respectfully to War flag, “guardian of the memory of those who came before us”and a heartfelt tribute to all the War and Institutional Colours of the Armed Force that are “a continuous source of inspiration for all men and women in light blue”The General then expressed words of deep emotion for the recent tragic incidents that occurred in Guidonia, on March 7th, to Colonel Giuseppe Cipriano and Lieutenant Colonel Marco Meneghello, and on December 13th in Trapani in which Major Fabio Altruda lost his life, “to share the immense grief of their families and reaffirm the example of courage, passion, and dedication they provided until their final moments, along with all those who have left us too soon.
“Today, we are in this beautiful setting of the Pincio precisely to celebrate, a hundred years later, this fundamental moment in the history of the Armed Force. Regardless of the beauty of the place, the choice of location was not made by chance. We look directly out onto Piazza del Popolo, one of the most celebrated and famous squares in Rome, to underline the strong bond that unites us with all the Italian, European, and world population. This is to reinforce our vocation, that of being “with people, among people, for people”We are at the service of the citizens and the Italian people as a whole.”
He then added: “Since 1923, our strength has been to look ahead and dare, to never stand still! I am firmly convinced that this is the best result we could have achieved and to pass on to the new generations who will follow us, to maintain the necessary innovative drive within the furrow of our glorious tradition.”
During the ceremony, the presentation of the sabre was particularly significant the longest-lived aviator, the Marshal Luigi Pasqui, born in 1918, and the youngest aviator in the Armed Forces, pilot trainee Giorgio Strata, Class of 2004. The gesture represented a symbolic passing of the baton, a sign of generational continuity among all the members of the great Azzurri team.
General Goretti then expressed his sincere gratitude to all the personnel in blue, past and present, the crews, the specialists, all our military and civilian personnel, who have never shirked their duties, never have, and never will.
It Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, In his speech, he emphasised how the Air Force is an extraordinary institution, an integral part of Italian history, and that everyone looks upon it with admiration, respect, and deep recognition and gratitude for what the men and women of the Italian Air Force have done and continue to do daily for our country and its security. He then continued: “Italy, thanks to the Italian Air Force, demonstrates every day that it operates with full mastery in this extraordinary ecosystem, thanks to the availability of cutting-edge means and technologies, but above all of highly specialised, motivated and qualified personnel.”.
The Admiral concluded: “The Air Force, the pride of our Armed Forces, is a fundamental element of the “technological deterrence” that we must strengthen – without delay and swiftly – to defend our country from serious threats to its security and our democratic values.”
It Minister of Defence, Hon. Guido Crosetto: “Today is the birthday of the Blue Army, one hundred years lived with the freshness, ambition and even the swagger typical of those who fly high, challenging the sky.”The Minister went on to point out that: “In the last hundred years, the world has profoundly changed, but the best qualities of the Air Force have not: courage, the ability to put yourselves at the service of a greater adventure, the future of the Nation.”.
OMI Honour to the War Flag of the Italian Air Force.
At the conclusion of the address by Air Force General Luca Goretti, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, in the presence of the Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, conferred upon War flag of the Italian Air Force decoration of“Knight of the Military Order of Italy”with the following reasoning:
“Over its 100-year history, the Air Force has operated in defence of oppressed populations, in maintaining international peace and stability, intervening with its units, often under heavy threat, facing all assigned missions with courage, a sense of responsibility and extraordinary valour, always and everywhere, and also in support of land and naval components, fighting with bravery, dedication and generosity. For the audacity of its crews in operational theatres around the world, supported by the expertise and generous commitment of its personnel in blue, it distinguished itself in air defence operations, the neutralisation of hostile military targets, patrol, electronic warfare, air-to-air refuelling, reconnaissance, special operations, and the urgent transport and evacuation of Italian and foreign citizens in danger. Furthermore, on the occasion of numerous natural disasters and health emergencies, the Air Force, thanks to its commendable and steadfast logistical structure, contributed, with its own means and thousands of flight missions, to bringing generous aid to the civilian population in Italy and around the world, showing a very rare example of dedication to the homeland and to the highest ideals of civilisation. A bright heritage of values, high professionalism, altruism and a sense of duty that all Air Force personnel have always honoured, earning the admiration, respect, praise and unanimous gratitude of the Italian and international community. Skies of Italy and the World, 1923 – 2023”.
Review the event on the Italian Air Force's YouTube channel by clicking: https://www.youtube.com/live/pAvQaNxJIIk?feature=share of the Armed Forces' social media channels
Historical notes
On March 28, 1923, Italy decided to establish an Air Force separate from the other armed forces. Italian aviators finally saw their aspiration for independence realised, building on the expertise gained in the skies of the Great War and strengthened by the visions of early air power theorists. The Royal Air Force, as it was initially named, joined the Army and Navy, and its distinctive features included a drive towards modernity and the myth of speed characteristic of the early decades of the 20th century, inevitably thrusting it into the spotlight. In those years, the men in blue achieved memorable feats aboard aircraft that would worry even the most experienced pilot today. Among these, transatlantic flights were particularly significant, giving Italy the opportunity for the first time to demonstrate its propensity for modernity and the importance of training and teamwork beyond its national borders. The young Air Force forged itself through the difficulties of the Second World War, developing its identity as a complex organisation, a team working to achieve ambitious goals.
In 1946, with the war over, the Blue Force assumed its current name, the Air Force, and reorganised itself to defend the peace of the newly established Italian Republic. The century that has passed has therefore been one studded with epic achievements, made by exceptional men and women, who have piloted increasingly high-performing aircraft with ever more advanced technological characteristics. An exciting journey of sacrifice and silent selflessness, that of the Air Force personnel who carry out their duty every day, inspired by the same founding values that guided the first aviation pioneers.
The growth of the Air Force has represented, and still represents, the evolution of the national defence instrument, the constant updating of which allows Italy to defend democratic principles from possible violations of peace and guaranteed freedom.
