Italy
Maggiore Pier Giuseppe Scarpetta
Italy
Maggiore Pier Giuseppe Scarpetta
21 June 1913 - 14 August 1942
| Date | Decoration | Note |
| ??/??/40 | Medaglia d’argento al valor militare (1st) | O.M.S. |
| ??/??/40 | Medaglia d’argento al valor militare (2nd) | O.M.S. |
| ??/??/41 | Medaglia d’argento al valor militare (3rd) | 1940-43 |
| ??/??/40 | Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare (1st) | O.M.S. |
| ??/??/43 | Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare (2nd) | 1940-43 |
| ??/??/?? | Croce al merito di guerra | 1940-43 |
| ??/??/?? | Medaglia commemorativa della campagna di Spagna (1936-1939) | O.M.S. |
| ??/??/?? | Medaglia di benemerenza per i volontari della guerra Spagna | O.M.S. |
Giuseppe Scarpetta was born on 21 June 1913 and was from Mencalieri (Turin).
On 1 October 1934, he was commissioned (in Servizio Permanente Effettivo).
Scarpetta took part in the Spanish Civil War were he served in the XVI Gruppo. During this conflict he claimed one victory.
In November 1940 Scarpetta was commander of 395a Squadriglia, 154o Gruppo Autonomo C.T., which was equipped with Fiat CR.42s and G.50s. The unit was at this time based at Beraf and operating over Greece.
On 11 November 1940 a Greek Blenheim from 32 Mira was lost, failing to return from a reconnaissance to the north-west of Kelcyre on behalf of a 8th Division.
This aircraft was encountered by CR.42s of 154o Gruppo near Poligrade, and was shot down by Capitano Giuseppe Scarpetta. Sminagos (Captain) Photius Maravelias and his crew were killed.
The British offensive Operation Crusader was launched in North Africa on 18 November 1941. Italian reinforcements were rushed to Libya including the 157o Gruppo, which arrived at Benghazi K2 in early December with their MC.200s and Maggiore Luigi Filippi as CO of the Gruppo and with Capitano Scarpetta as CO of the 384a Squadriglia.
During the war Scarpetta also commanded 360a, 150a and 98a Squadriglias and finally 7o Gruppo.
He was promoted to Maggiore on 8 June 1942.
Scarpetta was killed in combat on 14 August 1942.
At the time of his death, Scarpetta was credited with 2 biplane victories and a total of 6.
Claims:
| Kill no. | Date | Number | Type | Result | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
| 193? | ||||||||
| 1 | ??/??/3? | 1 | Enemy aircraft | Destroyed | Fiat CR.32 | Spanish Civil War | XVI Gruppo | |
| 1940 | ||||||||
| 2 | 11/11/40 | 1 | Blenheim (a) | Destroyed | Fiat CR.42 | NW Kelcyre | 395a Squadriglia |
Biplane victories: 2 destroyed.
TOTAL: 6 destroyed.
(a) Blenheim of 32 Mira lost. Sminagos (Captain) Photius Maravelias and his crew were killed.
Sources:
A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume One – Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest, 2012 Grub Street, London, ISBN 978-1908117076
Air war for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete - Christopher Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-07-0
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
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell' A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 2 Volume M - Z
Italian Aces of World War 2 - Giovanni Massimello and Giorgio Apostolo, 2000 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 1-84176-078-1
Additional information kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.
