Today, July 14, 2025, we remember with deep respect 1st Corporal Major Alessandro Di Lisio, Paratrooper of the XXII Sappers Company “Angeli Neri” of the 8th Paratrooper Sappers Regiment “Folgore”, who fell sixteen years ago during the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
Born in Campobasso on May 15, 1984, Alessandro enlisted in the Italian Army driven by a strong sense of duty and love for his country. After participating in several international missions, on July 14, 2009, he lost his life at just 25 years old, while serving as a machine gunner (or in military jargon "rallista") on a Lince vehicle, about 50 km northeast of Farah, near Ganjabad.
During a patrol, he spotted a disturbed patch of ground and sensed the danger, immediately alerting the convoy. But there was no time to react: the explosion of an IED unleashed a devastating shockwave that left no escape for the young paratrooper, who passed away shortly after at the military hospital in Farah.
On July 17, 2009, Campobasso paid tribute to its valiant son with a solemn funeral in the city's Cathedral, gathering around the family and comrades in a silence full of pain and respect.
The Monument and the Memory
On July 14, 2019, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his death, Campobasso dedicated a garden and a monument to Alessandro Di Lisio.
The work consists of a part of a Leopard tank track, the reconstruction of a parachute, and a plaque with the following inscription:
“To the many who have been here.
To those who have given much.
To Alessandro Di Lisio who gave everything.”
Ganjabad July 14, 2009
Paratrooper Alessandro Di Lisio: Present!
Alessandro Di Lisio, posthumously promoted to the rank of Caporal Maggiore Scelto, is and will forever remain an example of courage and dedication. His name is etched in the memory of the Folgore, the Italian Army, and all those who believe in the values of service, sacrifice, and love for the country. Today, sixteen years after that tragic day, we remember him with the promise that his sacrifice will never be forgotten.
To not forget the sacrifice of those who gave everything for the good of others. Goodbye Alessandro.
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