Federico Martinengo

Federico Carlo Martinengo (18 July 1899 – 9 September 1943) was an Italian flying ace, credited with five aerial victories, during World War I, and an Italian admiral during World War II.

Early life and service

Federico Carlo Martinengo was born in Rome on 18 July 1899. The son of a naval officer, he studied the classics in school before moving on to the Regia Accademia Navale in Leghorn in September 1911. After graduating as a midshipman on 25 May 1915,

World War I and aviation career

During World War I, Martinengo first served on board the battleship Conte di Cavour and later on the transport Trinacria. in October 1940 Martinengo became chief of staff of the Taranto Naval Department, a charge that he held until promoted to rear admiral. Around 12:30 on the same day, the two submarine chasers met two German R boats off Gorgona Island; the latter commanded them to stop, but Martinengo ordered to increase speed instead, upon which the German units opened fire with their machine guns, and the Italian submarine chasers returned fire. They fought with their machine guns till 13:20, then Martinengo ordered to go nearer to the coast in nearby Cala Scirocco, so that they would obtain support from the Italian coastal batteries on the island (as the German R-Boats were more heavily armed than his two VAS). Having personally taken the helm of VAS 234, Martinengo was hit ten minutes later by a burst of machine gun from one of the R-Boats, and he was killed instantly. VAS 234 was also set afire, but she managed to reach the shore and allow her crew to disembark, before exploding and sinking. Martinengo's body (he had been the only casualty in the fight) was recovered on 14 September and buried at Gorgona; he was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor.

Legacy The Marina Militare Italiana has named one FREMM multipurpose frigate after him.