Wednesday 12 May: the inauguration ceremony for the monument and the Cisterna di Latina branch of the Air Force Association. The event, organised by the municipality of Cisterna in collaboration with the 70th Wing in Latina, was presided over by Air Marshal Pasquale Preziosa, Commander of the Air Force Schools/3rd Air Region in Bari, and acting, for the occasion, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, accompanied by the National President of the AAA, Air Marshal Gianbortolo Parisi. The monument, consisting of a SIAI SF-260AM aircraft, formerly belonging to the Pontine Division’s Flight School and made available by the Italian Air Force to the Municipality of Cisterna, has been placed at a roundabout near the San Valentino neighbourhood, close to the AAA branch. On this occasion, the banner of the newly formed branch, named in memory of Captain Mauro Corselli, was blessed. The officer, who enlisted in 1979 following a varied flying career, served from 1986 with the 70th Wing as a flight instructor. It was during a training mission that took off from Comani Airport on 20 October 1988 that, for tragic reasons, he was killed in a plane crash alongside his colleague, Captain Armando Renzi, near Pofi (Frosinone). Mauro’s family and numerous colleagues from the Vulcano III course at the Air Force Academy were present to honour his memory. During his speech, General Preziosa, in thanking the Mayor and the townspeople for this noble initiative, stated that “this monument also stands as a testament to and a reminder of the sacrifice made by so many Italians who, in pursuing their dream of flight, placed that dream at the service of the community and, in doing so, were willing – though not by choice – to sacrifice their lives, often whilst still young. They are the men whose wings were clipped by war whilst, without a second thought, they flew to defend their country; they are the Italians who fell on peacekeeping missions, whilst bringing aid to distant populations; they are the men who fell whilst testing their aircraft to open new paths to civil progress; and they are also the men who fell during training, such as Flight Captain Mauro Corselli and Flight Captain Armando Renzi”. Turning then to the members of the Air Force Association, he went on to say that “the wish I express to you on behalf of the Italian Air Force is that your – and our – association will enjoy ever-greater support and success, in the certainty that the years to come will see you still and always by our side, for today more than ever we need not only solidarity, but also and above all the example of those who preceded us in service and taught us a sense of belonging, a sense of duty, honour and, consequently, love for the Air Force and for our country”. In their speeches, the Mayor of Cisterna, Antonello Merolla, and the representative of the President of the Province, Dr Mauro Carturan, thanked the Italian Air Force and the personnel of the 70th Wing, commanded by Colonel Giovanni Magazzino, for making the construction of the monument possible and for their collaboration in ensuring the success of the event, emphasising that the proximity of the ‘E. Comani’ military airfield is a source of pride for the civilian population and a reminder of the important role played by the Pontine unit in training future Air Force pilots and beyond. The orange aeroplane that flew over the skies of the province of Latina for years, now placed on a plinth in the town of Cisterna, will keep alive the memory of all those who, whilst serving their country in the blue uniform, sacrificed their lives.”.
The ceremony concluded with the reading of the Aviator's Prayer, during which a formation of two SF-260EA aircraft flew over the monument.
The SIAI SF-260AM military aircraft, painted orange, was retired on 19 September 2009, after 33 years of honourable service and with over 4,500 trainee aeroplane pilots graduated. It was gradually replaced starting from 2005 by the Aermacchi SF-260EA aircraft, painted grey, an updated version of the previous one which, equipped with cutting-edge instrumentation, allows for more advanced training courses suitable for the modern needs of the Armed Forces.
