The entrance square of Cervia Airport has been dedicated to the memory of General Stefano Cagna, Gold Medal for Military Valour. The event was attended by the Commander of the Department, Colonel Ludovico Chianese, and the Mayor of Cervia, Roberto Zoffoli, as well as a delegation of military personnel.“General Stefano Cagna Square – Gold Medal for Military Valour.“, is the new place name indicated on the plaque blessed by the Wing's Military Chaplain, Don Carlo Lamelza, and unveiled by the attending Authorities.“An aviator, a flight instructor, a protagonist of the early fleet air cruises of the Italian Air Force – declared Colonel Chianese – who, aboard Italian seaplanes, made Italy famous worldwide. I like to recall his participation in the rescue mission to the “Red Tent”, inside which the survivors of the airship “Italia” disaster had taken refuge on the Arctic polar ice pack in ’28, which links him to the mission that the 15th Wing later took on, that of Search and Rescue. The choice of this dedication is precisely to indicate this link between past and present, bearing witness to the Unit's identity..The Commander then thanked the Mayor and the Municipal Administration for their support towards the Air Force and the Department, once again demonstrated through the sensitivity and speed with which they handled the necessary procedures for the authorisation of the new naming of the piazza. In turn, Mayor Zoffoli spoke of the relationship of mutual collaboration that has been established between the Base and the local Community for many years, stating: ”I am happy about the naming after General Cagna, witness to a commitment, to traditions and to a spirit, that of the 15th Wing and of the Air Force, dedicated to the country's security. A man, Cagna, who knew how to look at the world from above, with absolute dedication towards his ideals, leaving an indelible mark and passing on important values to us..The 15th Wing, with its SAR Groups/Centres located throughout the country, guarantees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty, even in hostile territory, and performs the function of Slow movers interceptor, as a measure against the growing threat of terrorist acts. The Wing also contributes to public utility activities such as searching for people lost at sea or in the mountains, emergency medical transport of patients in life-threatening conditions, and rescue of severely traumatised individuals.
From its inception to the present day, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved approximately 7,000 people in peril of their lives.
