Check Point Pasta 2/7/1993-Mogadishu

The battle of Checkpoint Pasta, was fought by the Italians in Mogadishu in Somalia.

On 2 July 1993, during the operation known as "Kangaroo 12" decided by the Command Italfor, Italian forces divided into two mechanized columns carried a mop in search of weapons of Haliwaa district, north of Mogadishu, to various targets close to Pastificio (the long shaped building) destroyed, close to which was composed of a block just called Pasta. According to some reconstructions of the real purpose was to capture Aidid, but no official confirmation was ever given by the Italian.

The mop

The two columns, respectively, Alpha and Bravo, the first came from the Old Port area of Mogadishu (south) and the second from the town of Balad (north), another important Italian garrison during the mission located about twenty miles from Mogadishu.

After mopping up operation, the two columns again the way back. Following serious riots erupted in the area, with broad participation by the local population to which snipers were mixed, the situation fell to the point of rendering need to request reinforcements from the column Bravo, who was near the Pastificio along the way Imperiale .

The ambush

Some Italian media Armored VCC-1, stopped in front of barricades erected by the Somalis, were immobilized with anti-tank rockets and the surrounding streets were blocked with barricades on the part of Somali militiamen in one of these armored vehicles died parachutist Pasquale Baccaro, which had been shot in the leg by a rocket, while two other crew members were injured. It was decided then the intervention of the relief column Alfa, almost arrived at the base, with APC and M60 tank and havy Centauro with 105mm guns, but did not have permission to use for the risk of hitting civilians, the crews of armored, with the support of Mangusta and AB205 heli, tried to protect other vehicles and injured comrades with machine guns, while trying to put in motion a vehicle immobilized and men afoot rake the area during this action was shot to death the sergeant incursore Stefano Paolicchi.

Only on two occasions was used heavy equipment: an unspecified number of M60 opened fire against the containers which were used as shield for militants, causing great losses, and Mangusta attack helicopter with a missile struck a TOW Italian Iveco VM 90 stolen by Somalis.

Among the men of the relief column, the lieutenant Millevoi Andrea, the head of a column of Centauro, was hit by a sniper while leaned his way to direct the fire of machine gun 12.7 mm

The account of this day of fighting in what was to be a mission of peace was of three soldiers killed:

* Andrea Millevoi, Lieutenant of the regiment Lancieri Montebello, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare (MOVM) memory;
* Stefano Paolicchi, Sergeant Major of the 9th Battalion paratroopers stormed Col Moschin, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare (MOVM) memory;
* Pasquale Baccaro, 186 ° Regiment Folgore Parachute Brigade, MOVM memory;

There were also 36 wounded by the Italian and an unknown number of Somali militiamen and civilians dead or wounded. Among the wounded, the then lieutenant Gianfranco Paglia, paratrooper, during which the action was struck by three bullets (one lung that caused internal bleeding and a cord that will force him to a wheelchair for life ) while trying to rescue the crew of an armored assets. Gianfranco Paglia, which has been conferred the gold medal for military valor to the action, despite having lost the use of the legs, remained in service.