{{short description|Italian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox military person |name=Gino Birindelli |birth_date=19 January 1911 |death_date= {{death-date and age|2 August 2008|January 1911}} |birth_place=Pescia |death_place= Rome |image= Ginobiri.jpg |caption= |nickname= |allegiance={{flag|Kingdom of Italy}} {{flag|Italy}} |branch={{navy|Kingdom of Italy}}<br/> {{navy|Italy}} |service_years=1930 - 1972 |rank=Admiral |commands= |other_work= }} '''Gino Birindelli''' (20 January 1911, in Pescia – 2 August 2008, in Rome) was an Italian admiral and chief of the fleet of the Italian Navy. After his retirement from the Navy, he was elected as a member of the lower house of Parliament for the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement.
==Early life== In 1925, he was admitted to the Italian Naval Academy and in 1930, he became sub-lieutenant of the Regia Marina. Assigned to submarines, he commanded ''Dessie'' and, after, ''Rubino''. After the degree in civil engineering from University of Pisa in 1937, in 1939, he was a trainer for frogmen commandos and human torpedoes and was sent to the V Flottiglia MAS.<ref>[http://www.marina.difesa.it/storiacultura/storia/medaglie/Pagine/Birindelli.aspx Official site Marina militare]</ref>
==World War II== On 21 October 1940, the submarine {{ship|Italian submarine|Sciré|1938|2}} departed La Spezia and sailed to Gibraltar carrying three manned torpedoes and four crews. The Decima MAS frogmen, commanded by Birindelli, entered the harbour but were unable to attack any ships due to technical problems with the torpedoes and breathing equipment. Only one human torpedo managed to get close to a target, the battleship {{HMS|Barham|04|6}}. The charge exploded but did not cause significant damage. The two crewmen, Birindelli and Damos Paccagnini, were captured by the British. The other four (including Teseo Tesei) managed to reach Spain and returned to Italy. Valuable experience was gained in this operation by the Decima. Gino Birindelli received the ''Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare'' (MOVM), his second, Damos Paccagnini received the ''Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare'' (MAVM). He remained a prisoner of the Allies until he was repatriated in 1944. After his release, he fought with the Italian Co-belligerent Navy against the Germans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marina.difesa.it/storiacultura/storia/medaglie/Pagine/Birindelli.aspx |title=Gino Birindelli |publisher=Marina Militare |language=it |accessdate=30 July 2016}}</ref>
==After the war== After the war, Birindelli was made Commander of Italian marines Comando Raggruppamento Subacquei e Incursori Teseo Tesei in 1952. In 1956 he was the commander of the cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Raimondo Montecuccoli||2}}. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1959, admiral in 1962 and fleet admiral in 1966. In 1969, he became chief of fleet, overseeing all operational units of the Italian Navy. In 1970 he became chief of Mediterranean Command of the NATO Fleet in Malta (he would be dismissed the following year by Dom Mintoff's Labour Party government, which declared him ''persona non grata'' within a day from the new cabinet's swearing-in)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marina.difesa.it/conosciamoci/notizie/Pagine/20080804_birindelli.aspx |title=Il saluto della Marina all'Ammiraglio di Squadra Gino Birindelli |language=it |publisher=Marina Militare |date=4 August 2008 |accessdate=30 July 2016}}</ref> and commander in chief NATO naval forces in southern Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jta.org/1972/03/17/archive/former-nato-commander-to-run-for-parliament-on-neo-fascist-ticket |title=Former Nato Commander to Run for Parliament on Neo-fascist Ticket |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=17 March 1972 |accessdate=30 July 2016}}</ref>
In 1972 Giorgio Almirante, the leader of the Italian Social Movement, added establishment figures such as admiral Birindelli as members.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Cheles |editor-first=Luciano |editor-last2=Ferguson |editor-first2=Ronald |editor-last3=Vaughan |editor-first3=Michalina |title=Neo-Fascism in Europe |year=1991 |isbn=0582039509 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/neofascismineuro0000chel/page/35 35] |publisher=Longman |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/neofascismineuro0000chel/page/35 }}</ref> Birindelli was president of the party from 1972-1973. He served in the Italian Parliament between 1972 and 1976, with MSI-DN.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-08-05/news/italy-bids-last-farewell-to-admiral-declared-persona-non-grata-by-mintoff-211393/ |title=Italy Bids last farewell to admiral declared persona non grata by Mintoff |work=Malta Independent |date=5 August 2008 |accessdate=30 July 2016}}</ref> Birindelli was a member of the clandestine masonic lodge Propaganda Due, although he later claimed he did not think highly of the organization. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Vella |first=Mario |date=2012-05-07 |title=The prince and we |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/The-prince-and-we.418683 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref>
== Honour == * Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (8 July 1977)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/35750 |access-date= 24 October 2022|website=www.quirinale.it}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Italian Social Movement}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birindelli, Gino}} Category:1911 births Category:2008 deaths Category:People from Pescia Category:Italian Social Movement politicians Category:National Democracy (Italy) politicians Category:Deputies of Legislature VI of Italy Category:Politicians from Tuscany Category:Italian monarchists Category:Italian admirals Category:Regia Marina personnel of World War II Category:Marina Militare Category:NATO military personnel Category:Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Category:Propaganda Due