STORMO! Forums

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site but have followed it for a few years and finally decided to join the forum. Just watnted to let you know that two Italian Ace's recently passed away.

Walter Omiccioli passed away on 30 January 2009, he was 88 years old. I tried various times to interview him but he always declined. During his time with the Regia Aeronautica (1940-43) he claimed 9 aerial victories, accomplished 403 combat missions (Malta, Africa, Mediterranean). He received one promotion for merit during combat and he was awarded 1 Silver and 3 Bronze medals for Military Valour, War Cross for Merit, War Cross for Military Valour and 1 Iron Cross Second Class.

Giuseppe Ruzzin passed away on 6 February 2009, he was 92 years old. He began his combat career with the Regia Aeronautica over Spain in 1936. When WW-II broke out he flew missions over France, England, Africa, Southern Italy and the Mediterranean. He flew a total of 433 combat missions and claimed 5 aerial victories. He was awarded 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals for Valour, War Cross for Merit, and 1 Iron Cross Second Class. He finished his career in 1971 with over 3,500 hrs of flight time in over 40 different aircraft. I was lucky to know him and interview him. He was a good frined who I will dearly miss.

All for now, more to come in the future.
Ciao per ora!

Welcome and thank you kindly for your post. I'm saddened by this news, both pilots were well known and respected. Our thoughts are with them and their families. Thank you again for your post.

ciao rudeone4life
sorry if only now i have read your post is very sad this pilots left us and with them incredible memories will be missing unless recorded in interviews or books
about W.Omiccioli did he ever give you any specific reason to deny your interviews?
salutissimi ciao
stefano

Yes, sadly many verterans of the WWII generation who fought on either side of the battle are going quickly. My father never talked about his time in the Pacific. According to them, they were just doing their jobs.

ciao Capitano
this kind of war expirience must have been very traumatic for the generation of our fathers that fought in ww2
My father fought in ww2 and wanting to liberate Italy from the german occupation run away from his home at the age of 16 lied about his age and eventually joined the polish commandos units under the command of gen.Anders althougth he did not speak a word of polish he look physically like one of them and was easy for him to lie about his age
What he did not realize was that the reality of war was very different from what he had imagined to fullfill his manhood with
Althougth he was one of the few to reach the summit in the battle for
Montecassino and consequently been decorated by gen.Anders in person
he did not speak very often about his heroism and when i visited the battle field in 1997 i have seen the cemetery of war of the polish army where they have sacrified more than 4000 men to the cause of this strategic monastry i became very emotional myself at the sight of such monument
ciao
stefano

hallo all
i would like to translate for all interested members a letter wrote by Walter Omiccioli "tiger18" to his most dearest friends on the day he left active service 12 march 1973;
...now i will try to age pointing the way to the newcomers setting aside my pride and my sens of being indispensable .May i find in this gradual distancing from things only the law of time.
I prey to the Madonna of Loreto that i may still be usefull to someone and may i be able to contribute to the joy and the courage of those that will now assume all the responsabiliy living in a style of human contact humble and serene with the world in tranformation without regrets of the past so that the sight of the airfield may be simple and natural like a happy sunset

Anybody can see what fiber of man Walter Omiccioli was let it be a rememberance for his spirit of sacrifiece and sense of duty
ciao a tutti
stefano

letter from stormi d italia giulio lazzati

Vince, wouldn't it be nice to have a "wall of honour" with the names of our aces and pilots listed, with at least a pic and their birth (and death where sadly necessary) dates? It would be our little humble way to celebrate these gallant and mostly unknown, but definitely special people.

A.

Ciao Bello !
This is a good idea. If you can get me a list of pilots + short bios I would gladly add a section to Stormo.

hallo
i must agree with Alex his is a very good idea
ciao stefano

Ciao Stefano,
Sorry for the late response to your question you asked me awhile ago. The reason Walter did not want to be interviewed was because he was tired of talking about the war. I have continued my search for pilots from the ANR here in Italy and I recently interviewed another pilot I just happened to find by accidnet, and it was a great interview. Right now I've a good bit of information from the following pilots that I've managed to interview or receive information from starting in 2001:

Giuseppe Biron, Ugo Drago, Luigi Gorrini, Attilio Sanson, Loris Baldi, Alessandro Vignes, Giuseppe Torre, Franco Benetti, Gino Pizzati, Giuseppe Ruzzin, Giuseppe Soldi, Bruno Benvinuiti, Tito Livio Bruno, Gabriello Aghito, Luigi Poluzzi, and Cesare Erminio

Some of these guys are very well know while others are not, most flew in the Regia Aeronautica while others were ANR only. All flew with the 1st or 2n Gruppo Caccia while Vignes and Soldi flew the SM.82 and Aghito was a radio operator flying in the SM.79. My work continues on my book and one day it will be published. Its just slow work, only me and my wife working on this project. Merry Christmas to everyone. Ciao from Italy!

I for one will be eagerly waiting for you book and will buy one when published. Thank you for all your effort and hard work.

I am also saddened by this news as both pilots were well known and respected.
My thoughts and condolences go out to the families.
Vincent.