June 10th is the Italian Navy's day. The choice of this date is no coincidence. It commemorates the Battle of Premuda, fought in 1918 during the First World War, when the MAS 15, a small armed motorboat, sank the Austro-Hungarian battleship. Statue of Saint StephenA bold, almost impossible undertaking, accomplished by Commander Luigi Rizzo. Since then, that date has come to symbolize the Navy's spirit: resourcefulness, courage, and the ability to accomplish much with little.
The Italian Navy is one of the most versatile and respected armed forces in the world. It has approximately 30.000 active service members, dozens of warships, submarines, helicopters, and aircraft aboard. It patrols the waters of the Mediterranean—one of the busiest and most volatile seas on the planet—and participates in international missions ranging from the fight against piracy and human trafficking, to sea rescue and NATO operations. But the Navy is more than just a military force. It is often the first face of the state encountered by migrants in distress at sea. Every year, Italian sailors save thousands of people from certain shipwrecks.
The Navy carries a dual spirit in its DNA. On one hand, tradition: the rituals, uniforms, respect for hierarchy, and a sense of duty passed down from generation to generation. On the other, a constant drive for innovation. Italy's new naval vessels are among the most technologically advanced in the world. The program to build next-generation aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines speaks of a defense industry that has not stopped.
Today, in ceremonies held throughout Italy—in the military ports of Taranto, La Spezia, and Augusta—crews will parade, flags will be raised, and fanfares will ring out. This isn't just a formal ritual. It's a country's way of saying thank you to those who choose a different life, one of months away from home, of rough seas and nights on guard duty, of risks most of us don't even know about.
The sea has always been the most difficult border to maintain and the easiest to forget, until we encounter a news story, an emergency, a distant crisis that suddenly becomes close. The Navy is there, on that border. Every day. Often silently. Always present. Today, it's right to remember it.
