Antonio Crabbia was from Castelfranco Emilia (Modena).

In February 1941, Crabbia belonged to the 160^o Gruppo C.T. At this time this unit took part in the Greek campaign and was equipped with Fiat CR.42s.

On 9 February 1941 18 S.79s from the 104^o Gruppo were out to bomb in the Kelcyre-Tepelene area. These bombers were escorted by twelve Fiat G.50bis fighters from the 24^o Gruppo led by Maggiore Eugenio Leotta, and twelve Fiat CR.42s from the 160^o Gruppo, led by Tenente Edoardo Crainz. Four Greek Gladiators of 21 Mira (Sminagos Ioanis Kellas (CO of 21 Mira), Anthiposminagos Anastasios Bardivilias, Episminias Ilias Dimitrakopoulos and Episminias Nikolaos Kostorizos) and eight PZLs from 22 and 23 Mire intercepted the formation.
The Greek fighters didn’t manage to penetrate the fighter screen, and a series of hectic dogfights started with the Italian escort. Overclaiming was heavy on both sides and the Greek pilots claimed eight enemy fighters, Kellas claimed two while Bardivilias, Dimitrakopoulos and Kostorizos claimed one enemy aircraft each. Episminas Epaminondas Dagoulas of 22 Mira claimed one fighter while Yposminagos Marinos Mitralexes from the same unit claimed one fighter over Berat; Mitralexes also claimed one additional fighter and a probable during the combat. The Greek Army confirmed the eight victories, and this was also confirmed by a Mr. Roussos, a journalist of the newspaper ELEYTHERON BHMA, who was on the ground with the troops as a war correspondent. His report is a first-hand account and also gives the enthusiasm of the Greek soldiers while the Italian planes fell to the ground.
The Gladiators flown by Kellas and Dimitrakopoulos were both hard hit during the combat but it was possible to repair these fighters. Yposminagos Kotronis was shot down, but he managed to force-land his PZL, totally destroying it in the process. He escaped, however, only lightly wounded. A second PZL was shot up by three fighters and Episminias (Sergeant) John Michopoulos of 22 Mira was wounded in the thigh, but he managed to get back to Salonika/Sedes and land. Other aircraft returned damaged.
The G.50bis pilots in return claimed one Gladiator and three PZLs shot down, while the pilots from the 160^o Gruppo submitted claims for three Gladiators (one each by Tenente Crainz, Sergente Maggiore Luciano Tarantini and Sergente Maggiore Aurelio Munich) and two PZLs (Sottotenente Raoul Francinetti and Sergente Crabbia).
It seems that no Italian fighters were lost on this occasion.

Sergente Crabbia was decorated with the Croce di Guerra al valor militare (gazetted 1942) for his actions between March and April 1941:

“Daring fighter pilot, he participated in risky strafing missions on a distant airport and against enemy troops and fortified positions, consistently demonstrating courage and disregard for danger.”
Skies of Greece and Yugoslavia, March-April 1941-XIX.

Later the 160^o Gruppo C.T. returned to Italy for a rest and at the end of 1941, the unit was in North Africa on ground attack duties.

At daylight on 27 January 1942 Blenheims of 21 Squadron were sent off from Malta to search for an enemy convoy, Squadron Leader C. A. White leading a sweep from east of the Gulf of Gabes, to Zuara. Some 20 miles off Zaezis, a freighter of an estimated 5000 tons was located, escorted by a destroyer and three CR.42s of 160^o Gruppo Autonomo C.T. As White manoeuvred his formation, seeking an opportunity to strike, one of the patrolling fighters, flown by Sergente Crabbia, broke away and latched onto two of the Blenheims, forcing the formation to scatter and, hence, the leader to call off the attack. Both Pilot Officer Booth's Z7288/S and Sergeant G. R. Cameron's Z7341/X were hit; the latter aircraft had its cupola shot away, Sergeant George Hancock, the Welsh air gunner, narrowly escaping injury.

In 1943, Crabbia flew Re.2001s from Olbia-Venafiorita (Sardinia).

At 11:45 on 24 May 1943, 36 B-25s of the 310th BG attacked Olbia and Venafiorita airfield. At Olbia two freighters, the Italian Nirvo (5,164 tons) and the German Tana (5,535 tons) were sunk by bombs. After the attack a reported six-eight Axis fighters intervened, bomber gunners claiming two Bf 109s shot down and one probable together with a probable Re.2001 between 14:15-14:30 between Olbia and Venafiorita. The claiming gunners all came from 381st BS:
Staff Sergeant M. L. Bozovich (B-25C 41-13074) claimed one destroyed Bf 109
Staff Sergeant J. W. White (B-25D 41-29980) claimed one destroyed Bf 109
Staff Sergeant F. E. Miller (B-25D 41-29962) claimed one probable Bf 109 and one probable Re.2001
B-25D 41-29962 from 31st BS was damaged by fighters over Venafiorita airfield but landed safely with the pilot 2nd Lieutenant Richard D. Denton and his crew safe.
29 P-38s of the 82nd FG escorted 102 B-17s of the four groups to Olbia and La Maddalena, twelve of the P-38s carrying tanks to allow them to make a dive attack on this target. The P-38s also became involved in combat with the Axis fighters. Between 14:20-14:30, the P-38s from 97th FS claimed three destroyed Bf 109s, one probable, one destroyed and one damaged Re.2001 over Alghero airfield. Claiming pilots were:
1st Lieutenant Henry Litchfield - one damaged Bf 109
2nd Lieutenant Henry F. Reager - one destroyed Bf 109
2nd Lieutenant Gerald Lynn 'Gerry' Rounds (P-38G) - one destroyed Bf 109
2nd Lieutenant John P. Stover - one destroyed Bf 109 and one probably destroyed Bf 109
2nd Lieutenant Russell C. Williams - one damaged Re.2001
The 96th FS recorded combat between 14:30-14:35 over a landing ground 1,5km south of Olbia and making claims for two destroyed MC.202s, one probable and seven damaged:
1st Lieutenant Frank A. Duncan - three damaged MC.202s
Flying Officer Frank Damon Hurlbut (P-38G) - one damaged MC.202
2nd Lieutenant Clarence Oscar 'Tuffy' 'C.O.' Johnson (P-38G) - one destroyed MC.202
Flying Officer John R. Rawson - one probably destroyed MC.202
1st Lieutenant William Judson 'Dixie' Sloan (P-38G) - one damaged MC.202
2nd Lieutenant Herman S. Solem - one destroyed MC.202
2nd Lieutenant Donn C. Warr - one damaged MC.202
Several P-38s were shot up but only one was lost when 1st Lieutenant Charles J. Zubarik from 96th FS (P-38G 42-13054) was shot down at around 14:30 near Olbia and he became a PoW.
No German unit took part in this combat, but Regia Aeronautica reported that the raid had been targeted by five MC.202s of the 24^o Gruppo from Alghero and six Re.2001s of the 160^o Gruppo from Venafiorita. The Italian fighters became involved in combat with the escorting P-38s and made claims for seven shot down and three probably destroyed. The 24^o Gruppo reported combat between 13:25-14:55 and Maresciallo Giuseppe Di Santo (354^a Squadriglia) claimed one P-38 over Alghero while the pilots from the 370^a Squadriglia intercepted the P-38s off Porto Conte where Sergente Maggiore Renato Mazzotti and Tenente Piero Riparbelli claimed one destroyed each while one destroyed and two more probably destroyed were shared by Sottotenente Rodolfo Bergamini, Sergente Cassio Poggi and Sergente Maggiore Ottavio Pozza. The Re.2001s from 394^a Squadriglia, 160^o Gruppo, intercepted the P-38s in the Venafiorita area between 13:25-14:35 and Sergente Maggiore Crabbia (MM7302) claimed one destroyed, Sergente Maggiore Bruno Valenti (MM9932) claimed one destroyed and Sergente Dante Baiutti (MM90766) claimed one destroyed and one probably destroyed.
24^o Gruppo lost one MC.202 when Sergente Ottorino Salvetti (354^a Squadriglia) was shot down over Sardinia and killed.

Sergente Maggiore Crabbia was decorated with his second Medaglia d’argento al valor militare (gazetted 1956) for his actions over Sardinia between 21 December 1941 and 24 May 1943:

“Skilled and daring fighter pilot, already distinguished in previous operational cycles, he continued his intense combat activity in defines of the national territory. During an attack by a powerful formation of bombers escorted by numerous fighters on his airfield, he took off on alert and attacked, alongside two comrades. Despite the overwhelming enemy force, he succeeded in shooting down an enemy fighter in flames.”
Skies of Sardinia, 21 December 1941 – 24 May 1943.

On 24 June 1943, there were heavy combats over Sardinia when at 07:00 P-38s of the 14th Fighter Group set off for Alghero, Sardinia, followed 45 minutes later by P-40s of the 325th FG. On arrival the 14th Group's pilots claimed seven Bf 109s shot down, two probables and three damaged over Alghero airfield between 07:00-11:30. All claims were made by the 37th FS were the destroyed were claimed by 1st Lieutenant Hubert M. Blair (two destroyed), 2nd Lieutenant John S. Garbett, 1st Lieutenant James M. Hollingsworth, Captain Carl F. Rudder (two destroyed) and 1st Lieutenant George D. Wightman. The probables were claimed by Lieutenant Kenneth L. Waldron and Captain Robert H. Wilson. The damaged were claimed by Captain Carl F. Rudder, 2nd Lieutenant John D. Joyce and Captain Robert H. Wilson.
The 14th FG lost two P-38s when P-38G 43-2360 from the 37th FS was shot down near Villanova at 10:00 with 2nd Lieutenant Harold R. Alexander becoming a PoW and a P-38G from the 49th FS with 2nd Lieutenant William D. Nealy III being KiA.
The P-40s from 325th FG swept over the southern part of Sardinia where they were heavily attacked by fighters and engaged in dogfights during which the US pilots claimed five Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Captain Bunn Hearn Jr. (325th FG) claimed one 89 km south-east of Cap Spartivento between 07:45-10:35 while the other four were claimed by pilots from the 318th FS: Flight Officer Bill H. Slattery (P-40F 41-19904) claimed one at 09:05 over Sardinia, Flight Officer Mark P. Boone (P-40L 42-10887) claimed one at 09:15 over Gulf of Palmas, 2nd Lieutenant Roy Burton Hogg (P-40L #950) claimed one at 09:15 over Gulf of Palmas and 1st Lieutenant Rayburn D. Lancaster (P-40L #447) claimed one at 09:25 over Sardinia.
The 325th FG lost three P-40s when P-40F 41-19947 from the 318th FS was hit by Flak and spun into the water just off the coast with 2nd Lieutenant Rufus G. Rappman being KiA, P-40F 41-19916 from the 319th FS failed to return and 2nd Lieutenant Andrew L. Bollich was KiA and P-40L 42-10479 was hit by enemy fighters and crash-landed in the target area with 2nd Lieutenant Francis S. Blifford Jr. being KiA.
The P-40s from the 325th FG seems to have been engaged by Bf 109 Gs from JG 51, which claimed three destroyed (reported as P-40Es?) and one probable when Oberfeldwebel Otto Schultz (4./JG 51) claimed one destroyed at 09:15 at 500 meters altitude, Leutnant Siegfried Müller (5,/JG 51) claimed one destroyed at 09:35 at 40 meters altitude and Unteroffizier Helmut Piwowarski (6./JG 51) claimed one destroyed at 09:35 at 40 meters altitude. The probable was claimed by an unknown pilot. One P-40 was also claimed by Maggiore Riccardo Rovere in a Fiat G.55 of the 20^o Gruppo south of Cape Teulada (take off 09:00). This was possibly the first claim made with the Fiat G.55.
Bf 109 G-6 Wnr. 18093 from 5./JG 51 was shot down south-west of Botte but the pilot was safe.
At 09:50, 52 more P-38s, this time from the 1st FG, escorted 34 B-26s of 319th BG to bomb the Chilivani railway junction in northern Sardinia, but 26 of these fighters lost formation and returned early. A further wave of 52 P-38s of the 82nd FG headed for Golfo Aranci, escorting 36 B-25s of the 321st BG.
The 1st FG pilots who reached the target area at Chilivani at 09:50 claimed a further eight Bf 109s plus two probables and five damaged. From the 27th FS 1st Lieutenant Charles W. Brown claimed one destroyed while 1st Lieutenant Gilbert E. Butler claimed two. The remaining claims were made by the 94th FS where Captain Otto H. Wellensiek claimed two destroyed while 2nd Lieutenant James E. Bower, 2nd Lieutenant Harry C. Newsome (plus one additional as a damaged) and 1st Lieutenant Leonard P. Stephan, Harry C., all claimed one destroyed. The probables were claimed by 2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Holcombe and 1st Lieutenant Benton E. Miller while the last damaged were claimed by 2nd Lieutenant Albert W. Fell, Lieutenant William D. Jacobsen, 2nd Lieutenant John D. Pace and 2nd Lieutenant Phillip A. Sager Jr.
1st FG lost three P-38s with nine more damaged. The lost Lightnings were P-38G 42-12910 from the 27th FS, which was shot down around 10:00 over Chilivani with 2nd Lieutenant David M. Conn KiA, P-38G 42-13246 from the 27th FS, which was shot down at 10:00 over Chilivani with 2nd Lieutenant Thorman R. Nielson PoW and P-38G 42-12918 from the 94th FS, which was shot down around 10:10 over Oristano with 2nd Lieutenant John A. Hay KiA.
One of the 319th BG's B-26s was also shot down; this bomber was in fact from the 441st BS, 320th BG, that lost B-26B 41-17874, which crash-landed at base with 1st Lieutenant Paul M. Karlowitz and the five of his crew safe. The bombing did, however, sink the Italian steamer Cor Jesu (3,993 tons).
Finally, at 10:30 the 82nd FG's 2nd Lieutenant Louis E. Curdes (P-38G-5 from the 95th FS) claimed one destroyed MC.202 over Golfo Aranci. At the same the gunners in the 321st BG's B-25s claimed two Bf 109s shot down, one more as a probable and two damaged over Olbia. The two shot down were claimed by engineer Staff Sergeant Joseph C. Kovis in B-25 41-13008 from the 446th BS and gunner Corporal Leo W. Wilson in B-25 42-53371 from the 447th BS.
Against the P-38s, Bf 109 G pilots from III./JG 77 claimed 14 destroyed and three probably. These were claimed by:
Leutnant Fritz Wilke (7./JG 77) west of Bosa at 600 meters altitude at 09:54
Oberleutnant Eberhard Niese (7./JG 77) west of Bosa at low altitude at 09:55
Oberfeldwebel Eduard Isken (8./JG 77) west of Tresnuraghes at 600 meters altitude at 09:55
Major Kurt Ubben (Stab III./JG 77) west of Bosa at 3000 meters altitude at 09:55
Oberfeldwebel Johann Pichler (7./JG 77) east of Montresta at 100 meters altitude at 09:56
Unteroffizier Wilhelm Skreba (9./JG 77) north-west of Bosa at 1500 meters altitude at 10:00
Oberfeldwebel Eduard Isken (8./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 100 meters altitude at 10:02
Feldwebel Luicke (9./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 10:03
Leutnant Wolfgang Ernst (9./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 200 meters altitude at 10:03
Unteroffizier Glien (9./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 1000 meters altitude at 10:05
Unteroffizier Karl-Heinz Böttner (8./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 700 meters altitude at 10:10
Leutnant Joachim Grun (9./JG 77) north-west of Oristano at 10:10
Unteroffizier Robert Koch (7./JG 77) west of Oristano at 1000 meters altitude at 10:12
Major Kurt Ubben (Stab III../JG 77) south-west of Oristano at 1200 meters altitude at 10:15
Feldwebel Richard Förster (8./JG 77) (probably destroyed)
Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Hackler (8./JG 77) (probably destroyed)
Hauptmann Emil Omert (8./JG 77) (probably destroyed)
III./JG 77 lost two Bf 109 G-6s when WNr. 18160 was shot down by P-38s south of Villanova with the pilot safe and WNr. 16587 Yellow 2 from 9./JG 77 suffered 70 % damage in combat with P-38s and crash-landed at Chilivani with Leutnant Gerhard Hanf WiA.
The Italian fighters claimed a total of seven destroyed, three probably and one damaged by the MC.202 and Re.2001 pilots of the 20^o (see above), 24^o and 160^o Gruppi. There was some of the usual misidentification of the US types involved, claims also being made for two Bostons and a probable (probably B-26s) and for two B-24s as probables near Olbia - but there were no four-engined bombers in this area.
The MC.202s from the 24^o Gruppo made their claims between 09:55-10:50 when Sottotenente Antonio Longhini (355^a Squadriglia) claimed one P-38 destroyed, Tenente Tullio Giovanni (355^a Squadriglia) claimed one P-38 destroyed and a second damaged 30 km off Tavolara and Sergente Deplano Mazzini (355^a Squadriglia) claimed one Boston probably destroyed near Olbia. While reportedly flying a Re.2001, Sergente Maggiore Renato Mazzotti (370^a Squadriglia) claimed one P-38 near Olbia between 10:20-11:00.
The Re.2001s from the 160^o Gruppo made their claims near Olbia between 10:20-11:00. Claiming pilots were Maresciallo Osvaldo Scuffi (375^a Squadriglia), who claimed one Boston destroyed between 10:20-10:50, Capitano Livio Forasteri (375^a Squadriglia), who claimed one Boston destroyed, Sergente Maggiore Crabbia (394^a Squadriglia), who claimed one P-38 destroyed, Tenente Raoul Francinetti (394^a Squadriglia), who claimed one B-24 probably destroyed and Sergente Maggiore Bruno Valenti (394^a Squadriglia), who claimed one B-24 probably destroyed.
Italian losses was only one MC.205 from 353^a Squadriglia, 20^o Gruppo, which failed to return after a scramble from Capoterra with Sergente Giusto Giusti being MiA. Two Re.2001s from 375^a Squadriglia were damaged in combat with Capitano Livio Forasteri being safe and Maresciallo Osvaldo Scuffi safely force-landing his badly damaged fighter. Finaly, Luftwaffe Flak at Venafiorita claimed one enemy aircraft destroyed.
On this occasion only the claims for P-40s had borne any semblance to the facts. This time it was not due to a plethora of claims being made by gunners in the bombers; these accounted for only two of the totals. During this morning's fighting in simple terms the Americans had claimed 22 Bf 109s and one Macchi destroyed, five probables and ten damaged against an Axis loss of three fighters shot down and three damaged, one badly enough to require a force-landing. But equally, the Axis pilots had claimed 26 destroyed (19 P-38s!), six probables and one damaged against a US loss of eight fighters destroyed, nine damaged and one bomber crash-landed.

In August he got malaria and was transferred to Hospital in Pisa.

Crabbia ended the war with 1 biplane victory and a total of 3.

Crabbia passed away in Castelfranco on 21 September 1998.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
1	09/02/41		1	PZL P.24 (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Kelcyre-Tepelene area	160o Gruppo
	1942
	27/01/42		1	Blenheim (b)	Damaged	Fiat CR.42		20 miles off Zaezis	160o Gruppo
	27/01/42		1	Blenheim (b)	Damaged	Fiat CR.42		20 miles off Zaezis	160o Gruppo
	1943
2	24/05/43	13:45-14:35	1	P-38 (c)	Destroyed	Re.2001	MM7302	Venafiorita area	394a Squadriglia
3	24/06/43	10:20-11:00	1	P-38 (d)	Destroyed	Re.2001		near Olbia	394a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged.
TOTAL: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged.
(a) Claimed in combat with fighters from 21, 22, 22 Mire. The 24^o and 160^o Gruppi claimed five PZLs and four Gladiators without loss. The Greek fighters claimed eight enemy fighters for the loss of one PZL while several more were damaged.
(b) Blenheims Z7288/S (Pilot Officer Booth) and Z7341/X (Sergeant G. R. Cameron) of 21 Squadron damaged.
(c) Claimed in combat with P-38s from the 82nd FG which claimed 3 destroyed Bf 109s, 1 probable, 1 destroyed and 1 damaged Re.2001 while losing 1 P-38 (pilot PoW). The 24^o and 160^o Gruppi claimed 7 destroyed and 3 probables while losing 1 MC.202 (pilot KiA).
(d) US fighter and bombers claimed 23 destroyed, 5 probably destroyed and 10 damaged fighters while losing 8 fighters and 1 destroyed B-26. Axis fighters claimed 25 enemy aircraft destroyed and 6 probably destroyed and 1 damaged while losing 3 fighters and 3 damaged. Axis AA claimed 1 additional enemy aircraft.

Sources:
A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume Four - Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk, Winfried Bock and Wg Cdr Andy Thomas, 2018 Grub Street, London, ISBN-13: 9781911621102
Air war for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete - Christopher Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-07-0
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell' A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 1 Volume A - L
Istituto del Nastro Azzurro
Additional information kindly provided by Pierpaolo Maglio and Dimitrios Vassilopoulos.