Germano La Ferla was born on 22 April 1915 and was from Udine.

On 1 October 1936, he was commissioned (in Servizio Permanente Effettivo).

He took part in the Spanish Civil War where he claimed one victory while serving in the XVI Gruppo.

He was promoted to Capitano on 6 February 1941.

In July 1941, the 362^a Squadriglia, 22^o Gruppo moved to operate in Russia under the control of the CSIR.
The 22^o Gruppo was transferred on 9 August with a force of 51 MC.200s, 3 C.133s and 2 S.81s. All aircraft transferred through Tirana, Belgrade, Bucharest and Tudora arriving on 12 August without losses. Especially remarkable was the take-off from Belgrade in rain and with all the 51 Macchis of the four Squadriglie lined up in a right echelon.

On 28 February 1942, a mixed formation from the 362^a Squadriglia (Capitano La Ferla, Tenente Giovanni Beduz, Tenente Oberdan Militano, Tenente Giulio Torresi and Tenenente Frank Passerini), 369^a Squadriglia (Capitano Giovanni Cervellin, Tenente Walter Benedetti, Sottotenente Giuseppe Biron and Maresciallo Romano Pesavento) and 359^a Squadriglia (Capitano Vittorio Minguzzi) led by the 22^o Gruppo’s CO, Maggiore Giuseppe D’Agostinis (on his first mission over the Eastern front) flew a fighter sweep. At 15:00, they intercept ten Soviet fighters identified as "I-26s" (probably Yak-1s) and "I-27s" (probably Yak-7s at 4,500 meters over Alexandrowka. Two "I-26s" were claimed as shared by the pilots from 362^a and 369^a Squadriglie together with Maggiore D’Agostinis. Capitano Minguzzi claimed one and one probable "I-27". Two C.200s were damaged in the combat but managed to return to Stalino airfield.

On 9 March, six C.200s of the 362^a Squadriglia (Capitano La Ferla, Tenente Giulio Torresi, Sottotenente Edgardo Vaghi, Tenente Giovanni Beduz, Sergente Maggiore Attilio Sanson and Tenente Gianfranco Montagnani) plus Sottotenente Giuseppe Biron of the 369^a Squadriglia escorted Luftwaffe Stukas. Over Mikhailowka they met a formation of about twenty enemy aircraft composed of Soviet bombers escorted by fighters (the latter identified as "I-18s"). The returning Italian pilots clamed three shared fighters shot down and two more probables, for no losses.

On 15 March, five Macchi C.200s (Capitano La Ferla, Tenente Giovanni Beduz, Miazzo, Capitano Giovanni Cervellin and Bond) escorted six German Ju 87s. Over Laworoska-Mikhailowka they clashed with seven fighters, identified as I-80s. Two of the Soviet fighters were claimed shot down without losses.

At 09:45 on 17 March, 14 C.200s of the 22^o Gruppo took off from Stalino for a strafing mission on Luskotowa airfield, escorted by two Luftwaffe Bf 109F-4s from 1./JG 77. Among the participating pilots were Maggiore Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Capitano La Ferla, Tenente Edgardo Vaghi, Tenente Giulio Torresi, Tenenente Frank Passerini, Sergente Maggiore Fausto Fornaci (362^a Squadriglia, 9 victories in WWII) and Sergente Attilio Sanson (362^a Squadriglia, 12 victories in WWII). According to D’Agostinis were no less than ten I-16s destroyed on the ground.

From 12 March, the 22^o Gruppo was gradually withdrawn to Italy leaving their worn-out C.200s in Russia and being replaced by the 21^o Gruppo (356^a, 361^a, 382^a and 386^a Squadriglie) from early May.
The 22^o Gruppo flew 68 missions, took part in 19 air combats and flew 11 ground attack missions in Russia.
The Gruppo was credited with 66 destroyed, 16 probables and 45 damaged and awarded a Medaglia d’argento al valor militare.

In July 1942 the 22^o Gruppo, now back in Italy, was re-equipped with Re.2001s to operate from Sardinia and Sicily.

The 22^o Gruppo (359^a, 362^a and 369^a Squadriglie) flew naval escorts and then took part in the “battle of mid-August” before being sent to Sicily to take part in the offensive in October 1942 against Malta.

As of 8 November 1942 (on the launch of Operation Torch in North Africa), Capitano La Ferla served as CO of the 362^a Squadriglia, 22^o Gruppo CT. The unit was based at Monserrato, Sardinia, and equipped with Re.2001s.

January 1943, the 22^o Gruppo was based at Napoli-Capodichino, where the Gruppo had the task of defending the city and the port.
The Gruppo was organised into four Squadriglias operating a mixed complement of aircraft; Macchi C.202s, Re.2001s, MC.200s and CR.42s for night flying.
In the end of February the Gruppo also received eight Dewoitine D.520s

The Gruppo also received the prototype of the Re.2005 (MM494), which was incorporated into 362^a Squadriglia.

During April 362^a Squadriglia received three more Re.2005s from the “0-serie” (MM092344/362-1(?), MM092345/362-2 and MM092346/362-3).

La Ferla ended the war with one biplane victory and a total of five.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	193?
1	??/??/3?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed	Fiat CR.22		Spain	XVI Gruppo
	1942
	28/02/42	15:00	1/10	I-26 (a)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Alexandrowka	362a Squadriglia
	28/02/42	15:00	1/10	I-26 (a)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Alexandrowka	362a Squadriglia
	09/03/42		1/7	Soviet fighter (b)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Mikhailowka area	362a Squadriglia
	09/03/42		1/7	Soviet fighter (b)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Mikhailowka area	362a Squadriglia
	09/03/42		1/7	Soviet fighter (b)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Mikhailowka area	362a Squadriglia
	09/03/42		1/7	Soviet fighter (b)	Shared probable	MC.200		Mikhailowka area	362a Squadriglia
	09/03/42		1/7	Soviet fighter (b)	Shared probable	MC.200		Mikhailowka area	362a Squadriglia
	15/03/42		1/5	Soviet fighter (c)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Laworoska-Mikhailowka	362a Squadriglia
	15/03/42		1/5	Soviet fighter (c)	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Laworoska-Mikhailowka	362a Squadriglia
	30/03/42		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Russia	362a Squadriglia
	30/03/42		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Russia	362a Squadriglia
	30/03/42		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Russia	362a Squadriglia
	30/03/42		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed	MC.200		Russia	362a Squadriglia
2	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed				362a Squadriglia
3	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed				362a Squadriglia
4	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed				362a Squadriglia
5	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed				362a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 1 destroyed.
TOTAL: 5 and 11 shared destroyed, 2 shared probably destroyed.
(a) I-26 = Yak-1.
(b) Identified as “I-18s”.
(c) Identified as “I-80s”.

Sources:
A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume Three – Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk & Winfried Bock, 2016 Grub Street, London, ISBN-13: 9781910690000
Ali Sulla Steppa: La Regia Aeronautica nella campagna di Russia – Nicola Malizia, 2008 IBN Editore, Roma, ISBN 88-7565-049-7
Annuario Ufficiale Delle Forze Armate Del Regno D’Italia Anno 1943. Part III Regia Aeronautica – 1943 Istituto Poligrafico Dello Stato, Roma
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999, Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell’ A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 1 Volume A - L