The destroyer Aviere , belonging to Class Gunner , entered service with the Italian Navy from 15…

The destroyer Aviere , belonging to Class Gunner , entered service with the Italian Navy from 15 January 1951 together with the destroyers Gunner in the framework of a program to expand naval launched in 1950 . Both units had served during the Second World War in the US Navy and belonged to two different classes, although with the same general characteristics: l ‘ Aviere to Class Livermoore , the Gunner to Class Benson . The characteristics of the two classes were naval however often so similar that the class is identified as Class Benson / Livermoore .

These units, contributed with their four guns 127/38 mm at enhancing component artiglieresca naval surface of MMI increasing at the same time anti-aircraft capabilities. Along with the weapons, even the new electronic equipment for the direction of the shot and surveillance aeronavale represented the starting point for training staff on new generation systems that would be adopted later in a more diffuse and generalized.

The Aviere former USS Nicholson (DD-442) built in ‘ arsenal of Boston , launched May 31 1940 , entered service June 3 1941 . After taking part in the Second World War , working both in the Atlantic than in the Pacific and have been placed in reserve February 26 1946 , was ceded to Italy with delivery to the MMI January 15 1951 and had the serial number D 554 . The ship effected team activities until 1970 , when with the commissioning of the unit disarmament mate Gunner was used as Ship Experience for the testing of the systems currently in use on board of numerous Italian and foreign naval units and had the new distinctive optical A 5302 . Among the weapons systems tested the new cannon from 127 / 54mm of ‘ Oto Melara , embarked on the bow, and then replaced by a model lanciabas antisubmarine automatic single barrel. Aft was instead mounted a particular version of 76 / 62mm Compact equipped with a system for the local direction of the shot, then not adopted in the final configuration of the part that was the progenitor of the 76/62 Super Rapid . Between the two funnels were placed the pitcher to eight cells for the new missile surface-to-air short-range Sea Sparrow with related equipment driving, which would be later integrated into a system that would allow even the enslavement of the pieces d ‘artillery. [1] After being struck on 1 September 1975 the ‘ Aviere was later used as a target.

This was the second unit to carry the name Aviere . The first unit was a destroyer class Soldati The series , built by the shipyard OTO of Livorno , launched September 19th 1937 and entered service August 31 1938 , in the course of the Second World War after making 41 escort missions and 16 research the enemy was sunk 17 December 1942 by a torpedo submarine English HMS Splendid , while her sister ship Black Shirt escorting the ship German Ankara between Naples – Bizerte . The Aviere manovreò doing to shield the German ship and its commander Captain Ignatius Castrogiovanni [2] that during the sinking gave up his place on the raft to a sailor, sinking with the unit was decorated with medal ‘Gold Valor memory. Currently in the Navy is in service with the name Aviere a patrol team of the Class Soldiers .

View full size (1470×1133)