Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Arcangelo Giliberti

Born  26 Feb 1918Naples

Ranks

  G.M.Guardiamarina
  T.V.Tenente di Vascello

Decorations

17 Sep 1942 Croce di guerra al valore militare
3 May 1945 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare
15 Nov 1946 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare

Career information

From 29.06.1939 to ? served as G.M. on the light cruiser DA BARBIANO.
AMMIRAGLIO CAGNI (T.V. Navigation Officer): from 25.07.1941 to April 1942+.
ASCIANGHI (T.V. First Officer): from February 1943 to May 1943?
ARGO (T.V. C.O.): from 08.05.1943 to 11.09.1943.

Commands listed for Arcangelo Giliberti


Submarine Type Rank From To
Argo (AO, I.26)Ocean goingT.V.8 May 194311 Sep 1943

Ships hit by Arcangelo Giliberti

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Arcangelo Giliberti

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Argo (AO, I.26)15 May 19430815Pozzuoli15 May 19431145Pozzuoli9,2Exercises.

Argo (AO, I.26)19 May 19430220Pozzuoli20 May 19430749La Maddalena254Passage Pozzuoli-La Maddalena.

Argo (AO, I.26)1 Jun 19430450La Maddalena1 Jun 19431155Ajaccio75Passage La Maddalena-Ajaccio.

Argo (AO, I.26)4 Jun 19430835Ajaccio4 Jun 19431229Ajaccio18,3Exercises.

Argo (AO, I.26)8 Jun 19430815Ajaccio8 Jun 19431230Ajaccio12,5Exercises.

1.Argo (AO, I.26)12 Jun 19432105Ajaccio21 Jun 19430855Ajaccio870,1Patrolled between 38°20'N and 39°00'N, and between 05°00'E and 05°40'E. On 15th June, she was ordered to move 40 miles to the south. On 17th June, she was ordered 37°20'N and the Algerian coast, between 05°07'E and 05°40'E.
  19 Jun 1943022037° 16'N, 5° 19'EA Sunderland aircraft circled the submarine. The gun crew were readied to open fire on the aircraft, but an opportunity arose and Argo dived without being attacked.
  19 Jun 1943090236° 54'N, 5° 25'E
(0) 246° - Cape Carbon - 16 miles.
At 0656 hours on 19th June, H.E. were heard and the submarine came to periscope depth and sighted a patrol vessel. T.V. Giliberti assumed that the vessel was perhaps patrolling ahead of a convoy in the Gulf of Bougie and submerged to a depth of 50 metres for a listening watch. At 0812 hours, noises were heard. It was a convoy steering 105°, entering the anchorage. At 0902 hours, four torpedoes from the bow tubes were fired a 7,000-ton freighter from a distance of 3,000 metres. Three hits were heard and the submarine dived to a depth of 110 metres, but there was no immediate reaction from the enemy. In fact, no hits were confirmed.
  21 Jun 19430150
(0) Off Cape Scorno.
At 0150 hours, the submarine Velella was encountered and recognition signals were exchanged.

Argo (AO, I.26)22 Jun 19430930Ajaccio22 Jun 19431620La Maddalena67,6Passage Ajaccio-La Maddalena.

Argo (AO, I.26)25 Jun 19432200La Maddalena26 Jun 19432324Pozzuoli226,1Passage La Maddalena-Pozzuoli via (1) Point A Olbia (2) 40°48'N, 10°26'E (3) Point C Naples.

Argo (AO, I.26)28 Jun 19430610Pozzuoli28 Jun 19430829Naples11,5Passage Pozzuoli-Naples.

2.Argo (AO, I.26)10 Jul 19430300Castellammare di Stabia14 Jul 19430835Taranto?Patrolled off Sicilian coast for Operation ZETA in zone 172 [between 38°25'N and 38°35'N, and between 12°40'E and 13°00'E], ordered to area 83 (near 37°02'N, 15°28'E). Early return due to engine defects.
  11 Jul 1943100037° 19'N, 15° 32'EMany aircraft were seen and the submarine dived.
  11 Jul 1943113137° 03'N, 15° 32'EThe submarine sighted the crew of a German torpedo bomber in a life boat and proceeded to pick up the four men. While the rescue was in progress, vessels were sighted on the horizon. As soon as the operation was completed, the submarine submerged to close the enemy, but they were too far to intercept.
  11 Jul 1943140237° 02'N, 15° 28'EAt 1215 hours, Argo dived at a depth of 30 metres and closed Syracuse. She listened with her hydrophones and came back to periscope depth from time to time to take a peek. At 1257 hours, a convoy was discerned over the horizon. At 1330 hours, a cruiser of the SOUTHAMPTON class and other warships could be observed. This was later identified as one of two cruisers, screened by four destroyers. At 1402 hours, four torpedoes were fired from a distance of 4,000 metres. One explosion was heard, as the submarine went down to 110 metres. The target may have been the cruiser HMS Uganda, in company with the antiaircraft cruiser HMS Carlisle, but the attack does not appear to have been observed. An A/S hunt started at 1752 hours which lasted until 0055 hours on 12th July. At 0200 hours, the submarine surfaced and retired to the northeast.
  12 Jul 1943033037° 19'N, 15° 51'EAt 0330 hours, Argo sighted an unknown submarine which may have been Bronzo,on her way to Syracuse.
  12 Jul 1943044537° 26'N, 15° 57'EAn unidentified aircraft was seen and Argo dived. The submarine then reported to have been hunted from 0455 to 1808 hours.
  13 Jul 1943041637° 56'N, 16° 42'EAt 0416 hours, flashes or flares were sighted to the rear and then several aircraft came into view. The submarine dived at 0436 hours and was hunted from 0449 to 1005 hours.

3.Argo (AO, I.26)22 Jul 19431955Taranto27 Jul 19431037Taranto?Sailed for patrol off the east coast of Sicily (Operation ZETA) but aborted due to defects (damaged gyroscopic and magnetic compasses) before reaching her destination. This was known through ULTRA and she returned to Taranto and eventually went to Monfalcone for a long refit.
  26 Jul 1943102438° 11'N, 17° 37'ETwo unidentified aircraft were seen and the submarine dived.

Argo (AO, I.26)30 Jul 19431957Taranto3 Aug 19430716Venice561Passage Taranto-Venice.

Argo (AO, I.26)5 Aug 19430831Venice5 Aug 19431535Monfalcone55Passage Venice-Monfalcone.

Argo (AO, I.26)11 Sep 1943Monfalcone11 Sep 1943ScuttledScuttled after armistice.
  11 Sep 1943
(0) At Monfalcone.
The submarine was at Monfalcone at armistice time and was scuttled.

21 entries. 14 total patrol entries (3 marked as war patrols) and 11 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines