Enrico Accorretti

Enrico Accorretti (14 July 1888 – 14 March 1978) was an Italian admiral during World War II.

Early life He was born in Macerata on July 14, 1888, the son of Marquis Giuseppe Accorretti, lieutenant colonel in the cavalry of the Royal Italian Army, and of Bianca Malacari Misturi. After attending the first year at the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Florence, he chose to pursue a military career like his father and brother Alberto.

Military career In 1907 he entered the Royal Naval Academy of Livorno, graduating in 1911 with the rank of ensign. He served on the armored cruiser Pisa during the Italo-Turkish War. After the Kingdom of Italy entered World War I on 24 May 1915, he first served as a navigation officer on the destroyer Ardito, engaged in the protection of naval traffic between Brindisi and La Spezia, and later on the protected cruiser Piemonte, operating within the Anglo-French squadron stationed in Thessaloniki. After returning to Italy in 1917 he became aide of Admiral Luigi Cito Filomarino in Venice, and later of the Duke of Spoleto and of the commander of the Third Army, Lieutenant General Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy-Aosta. He developed an interest in aviation and obtained the license of seaplane pilot, after which (having been meanwhile promoted to lieutenant) he was assigned to the "Giuseppe Miraglia" seaplane station in Venice as group leader of the bombing squadrons, participating in the bombing of Pola on 17 July 1918. Altogether he carried out twenty flight missions and was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valour.

Later life A staunch monarchist, Accorretti retired from the Navy in February 1947, following the establishment of the Italian Republic. In 1963 he ran at the elections for the Chamber of Deputies with the Italian Democratic Party of Monarchist Unity, but was not elected. He died in Rome on 14 March 1978.