Editorial board
23 December 2022 08:51
Yesterday afternoon, the day of the 80th anniversary of the disappearance of Carabiniere MOVM Giuseppe PLADO MOSCA, born in Acquaviva Platani on 11 August 1918 and died on 22 December 1942 in Russia, during the Second World War, Lieutenant Colonel Alessio ARTIOLI , representing the Provincial Commander of the Carabinieri of Caltanissetta Colonel Vincenzo PASCALE, recalled, during a liturgical celebration at the church of Santa Maria della Luce in Acquaviva Platani, the disappearance of the Carabiniere hero originally from Acquaviva Platani. During the religious function, concelebrated by Don Salvatore Falzone, Military Chaplain of the CC Palermo Legion Command, and Don Vincenzo Valenza, Parish Priest of the local church, the heroic episode in which the Carabiniere Giuseppe PLADO MOSCA lost his life for the which on 6 February 1951 the President of the Republic conferred the highest honor “in memory” on the soldier with the following motivation:
“Officer in command of a large unit engaged in difficult and bitter combat, he was distinguished by conscious courage. Surrounded by the troops of the Division and subjected to deadly fire from automatic weapons and artillery, he confirmed his value by repeatedly participating in desperate counterattacks. Although exhausted by privations and by the cold, in a last desperate burst of energy, a soldier followed first who, on horseback and waving the tricolor, was looking for his adversary. Dragged by their magnificent heroism, hundreds of men, although exhausted of strength, in an overwhelming assault with the white weapon, managed to break the circle of iron and fire that held them. On reaching the opposing position, he was hit by a burst of machine gun fire, but his conscious heroism allowed the exhausted troops of the division to break through.” Arbusow Valley (Russia), December 22, 1942.
In addition to Carabinieri colleagues and citizens, a nephew of the decorated man, Dr. Calogero Alaimo, various civil and military authorities including the Mayor of Acquaviva Platani Salvatore Caruso, the President of the City Council Gianni Massimo Castellana, the Commander of the CC Company of Mussomeli, Captain Giuseppe Tomaselli, the representatives of the National Carabinieri Association. In this regard, it is recalled that the young PLADO MOSCA in 1939 left to perform military service and was assigned to the 19th Infantry Battalion stationed in Albenga (SV). When the hostilities of the Second World War arrived, he was assigned to the Yugoslav front and later to the Albanian one. From there he forwarded an application to be enrolled in the Carabinieri Arma as an auxiliary Carabiniere, returning home. After attending a short course at the Legion Students in Palermo, he was assigned to the Carabinieri Legion in Milan. Mobilized, he left for the Russian front where, as a carabiniere in charge of a large unit command, he participated in the retreat from the Don river to the Donez, with troops from the “Turin” Division.
Yesterday afternoon, the 80th anniversary of the disappearance of Carabiniere MOVM Giuseppe PLADO MOSCA, born in Acquaviva Platani on 11 August 1918 and died on 22 December 1942 in Russia, during the Second World War, Lieutenant Colonel Alessio ARTIOLI, representing the Provincial Commander of the Carabinieri of Caltanissetta Colonel Vincenzo PASCALE, recalled, during a liturgical celebration at the church of Santa Maria della Luce in Acquaviva Platani, the disappearance of the Carabiniere hero originally from Acquaviva Platani. During the religious function, concelebrated by Don Salvatore Falzone, Military Chaplain of the CC Palermo Legion Command, and Don Vincenzo Valenza, Parish Priest of the local church, the heroic episode in which the Carabiniere Giuseppe PLADO MOSCA lost his life was remembered, for which on February 6, 1951, the President of the Republic conferred the highest honor “in memory” on the soldier with the following motivation:
“Officer in command of a large unit engaged in difficult and bitter combat, he was distinguished by conscious courage. Surrounded by the troops of the Division and subjected to deadly fire from automatic weapons and artillery, he confirmed his value by repeatedly participating in desperate counterattacks. Although exhausted by privations and by the cold, in a last desperate burst of energy, a soldier followed first who, on horseback and waving the tricolor, was looking for his adversary. Dragged by their magnificent heroism, hundreds of men, although exhausted of strength, in an overwhelming assault with the white weapon, managed to break the circle of iron and fire that held them. On reaching the opposing position, he was hit by a burst of machine gun fire, but his conscious heroism allowed the exhausted troops of the division to break through.” Arbusow Valley (Russia), December 22, 1942.
In addition to Carabinieri colleagues and citizens, a nephew of the decorated man, Dr. Calogero Alaimo, various civil and military authorities including the Mayor of Acquaviva Platani Salvatore Caruso, the President of the City Council Gianni Massimo Castellana, the Commander of the CC Company of Mussomeli, Captain Giuseppe Tomaselli, the representatives of the National Carabinieri Association. In this regard, it is recalled that the young PLADO MOSCA in 1939 left to perform military service and was assigned to the 19th Infantry Battalion stationed in Albenga (SV). When the hostilities of the Second World War occurred, he was assigned to the Yugoslav front and later to the Albanian one. From there, he applied to be enrolled in the Carabinieri Corps as an auxiliary Carabiniere, returning home. After attending a short course at the Legion Students in Palermo, he was assigned to the Carabinieri Legion in Milan. Mobilized, he left for the Russian front where, as a carabiniere assigned to a large unit command, he participated in the retreat from the Don river to the Donez, with troops from the “Turin” Division.