Sinai: the MFO Italian contingent awarded for their service in Sinai

23 May 2014 09.05

The 'Desert Sailors' from the Coastal Naval Group Ten, comprising the Coastal Patrol Unit of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), were recently acknowledged for their personal and collective important achievements.

The chief of staff, Col. O’Steen (US), commended the whole contingent of the Italian Navy (78 men on three units) and delivered them an appreciation award for their skills and teamwork spirit.

Moreover, the US Army Department awarded the Army Achievement Medal to the commander and the command sergeant major of the Italian contingent in Sinai, Commander Francesco Pepe and First marshal lieutenant Gennaro Gargiulo, for their contribution to the success of the MFO operations.

As provided for by the trilateral 1978 Camp David agreements (USA – Egypt– Israel) in the wake of the Kippur war, Israel returned to Egypt the strategically critical Sinai, and the MFO was established, presently comprised of military and civil servants from 13 different countries.

Since April 25, 1982, when MFO first settled in the region, the Coastal Patrol Unit has guaranteed freedom of navigation and the Sinai peninsula. ITN patrol boats of the Esploratore class every year patrol the busy waters of the Straits of Tiran (around 1,200 cargo ships) for a total of 5,000 hours.

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