If there is a name that echoes in the skies of Italian military history, that name is undoubtedly Ferruccio Brandi.
Myth, legend, a hero unique in his kind, his life was a hymn to courage, determination, and sacrifice.
Born in Trieste on November 9, 1920, to Oscar and Virginia Malusà, Brandi already embodied the qualities of a born leader from a young age. His thirst for knowledge led him to the University of Trieste, where he enrolled in the faculty of economics and commerce.
However, the call of adventure and duty was stronger: in 1938, with a choice that would define the course of his life, he enlisted as a volunteer in the Royal Army.
Promoted to Aspirant in 1939 and assigned to the 152nd Infantry Regiment "Sassari", his rise to second lieutenant in the same year marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.
Brandi would not simply be a soldier, but a symbol of heroism, destined to leave an indelible mark in the history of the Folgore and all of Italy.
From young Lieutenant to El Alamein
Retained in active service, in 1940 he attended the parachuting course in Tarquinia, at the end of which he was assigned as commander of the III Platoon, 6th Company, II Battalion, of the 187th Paratrooper Regiment Folgore.
Following the "Folgore" Division, he was transferred to Italian North Africa, where he fought during the battle of El Alamein distinguishing himself in the battles of Deir El Munassib and Quota 187 (October 22-24, 1942) being seriously wounded on the 24th, hit in the face by a machine gun bullet.
Captured by the British during the fighting, at the end of his stay at the 9th General Hospital in Cairo he was transferred to a prison camp, returning to Italy in March 1945 to continue treatment.
However, his deeds did not go unnoticed, and it was his Paratroopers who strongly requested and obtained, in the post-war period, the highest honor, the Gold Medal for Military Valor with the following motivation:
Platoon commander of paratroopers, attacked by overwhelming armored forces, encouraged and incited his subordinates with his heroic example to defend the position entrusted to him at any cost. Surpassed by tanks, he gathered the few survivors and led them in a furious counterattack, managing to push back the enemy infantry followed by armored vehicles. Attacked again by tanks, with titanic valor, he inflicted heavy losses on them and, having exhausted the anti-tank ammunition, in an extreme attempt to immobilize them, he launched himself against one of them and set it on fire with a Molotov cocktail. In the daring enterprise, he was hit by a machine gun burst that detached his jaw; dominating the pain, he stood among his men, and with his jaw hanging, horribly disfigured, he continued to direct them with gestures, inciting them to fight, instilling in them his sublime heroism. With his stoicism and high fighting spirit, he saved the fiercely contested position and, prolonging the resistance for several hours beyond human possibilities, he imposed himself on the admiration of the enemy itself. His paratroopers, admired and proud, requested the highest reward for him.
El Munassib (North Africa), October 24, 1942
Post-war: Aquila 1 from 1969 to 1973
He resumed studying, obtaining a degree in economics and commerce in 1947, returning to active service with the Italian Army in March 1950, assigned to the 182nd Infantry Regiment "Garibaldi" as a captain in permanent active service.
In 1953 he took service at the Allied Forces Southern Europe Command, subsequently attending courses at the War School and the Joint Staff College.
In 1963, while holding the position of Chief of Staff of the "Avellino" Infantry Brigade, he was transferred at his request to Pisa to serve as Chief of Staff of the Paratrooper Brigade then being formed.
Between 1964 and 1965 he continued to hold this position despite the transfer of the Paratrooper Brigade Command to Livorno. Between 1966 and 1967 he served as commander of the Military Parachuting School in Pisa, and between 1968 and 1969 as commander of the 1st Paratrooper Regiment in Livorno.
Between 1969 and 1973 he was Commander of the Paratrooper Brigade Folgore.
In November 1971 he took part in the airdrop during the tragedy of Meloria.
The General, Aquila 1 at that time, was on the C-130 named "Gesso 2". He personally took care of the recovery organization of the remains of "C-130 Gesso 4" and the assistance to the families of the victims.
After retiring in 1983 he still held high positions, such as Commissioner for the Honors of the Fallen in war and Honorary President of the Association of Retired Paratroopers, until reaching the rank of army corps general.
He passed away on August 30, 2014, in Bolzano, leaving behind his wife, Mrs. Frieda Fischnaller.
Ferruccio Brandi remains a beacon of military virtues that continues to illuminate the path of future generations, reminding us that true value lies in unwavering loyalty to one's ideals of Homeland.
Folgore Commander Brandi!
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