Roma was sunk 9 September 1943 by two German SD 1400 Fritz-X guided bombs (released from Do 217K-2 aircraft) while en route to surrender at Malta. The second bomb triggered a cataclysmic magazine detonation that ripped the ship in half. Ammiraglio di Squadra Carlo Bergamini, the commander-in-chief of the Italian Battle Fleet, and over 1,200 crewmembers perished with the ship. Bergamini was posthumously awarded the Medaglia d’Oro al Valore Militare and promoted to the rank of Ammiraglio d’Armata.

Class

Battleship / Littorio

Construction

Laid down - 18 Sep 1938
Launched - 9 June 1940
Completed - 14 June 1942

Sources used

Aldo Fraccaroli - Italian Warships of World War II
Andris J. Kursietis - La Regia Marina 1919-1945: The order of battle and Admirals of the Royal Italian Navy

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -