The ship bears the name of Admiral Luigi Durand de la Penne, who was awarded the Gold Medal for Valour for his heroic deed on December 18 and 19, 1941. His mission was to force the English stronghold in Alexandria with slow-running torpedoes (S.L.C.) and to sink as many ships as possible berthed in the harbour. The attack units were released very short of the barrage by the submarine “Sciré”, commanded by Lieutenant Junio Valerio Borghese.

Lieutenant Luigi Durand de la Penne, acting in his capacity as leader of S.L.C. 221, 222 and 223, respectively ridden by Durand de la Penne himself, the Italian Navy Weapons Officer Vincenzo Martellotta, and Lieutenent Engineer Antonio Marceglia, assisted by P.O. Emilio Bianchi, CPO Mario Marino, and Leading Seaman Spartaco Schergat, on December 19, 1941 at daybreak, sunk the English battleship “Valiant”. At the same time, Marceglia and Schergat were sinking the Dreadnought “Queen Elizabeth,” while Martellotta and Marino sunk the oil tanker “Sagona” and damaged the destroyer “Jervis.”

Durand de la Penne placed the charges under the Valiant’s fore towers by himself, for his operator had lost consciousness and surfaced. But right afterwards, he was captured together with P.O. diver Emilio Bianchi and jailed on the same ship, in a room next to the ammunition magazine where he was confined, although he had informed the Commander of the English Unit, Captain Morgan of the imminent explosion of the charge to allow him bring his crew to safety.

He survived the explosion that sank the ship and was later confined for some time to Yol, India. In February 1944, he was repatriated and participated in the liberation war with the Attack Units Group. The ceremony where he was awarded the Medal for Valour was held in Taranto in March 1945, a historical place and date: in fact it was the very Commander of the Valiant, Sir Charles Morgan, Admiral by then, who decorated Luigi Durand de la Penne, under the invitation of the Lieutenant of the Italian Kingdom, Umberto of Savoy, who chaired the ceremony.

“An extraordinary example of bravery and genius.” «Winston Churchill»

The Crest of the Unit is inspired by the motto “UTIQUE VINCE”, as it means to recall the ideal alliance between the Unit and the winged Victory, depicted in an attitude of defense, to symbolize her role played in the AAW field. At the bottom of the circle is the stylized coat of arms of the Marchesi de la Penne family. The motto “Utique Vince” (wherever it wins) means that the Unit will gain victory wherever she goes.