Name Pilo class Planned 8 | Builders Odero Completed 8 | |
Operators Regia Marina (1916–1943)
Kriegsmarine (1943–1944) Succeeded by Generali class destroyer | ||
The Rosolino Pilo class was a class of eight destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) constructed before and during the First World War. Like other Italian obsolete destroyers, they were reclassified as torpedo boats in 1929, and seven ships served throughout the Second World War. Two ships were sunk by mines while under Italian service during the Second World War, with two more being seized by Nazi Germany following the Italian Armistice in 1943. The remaining three ships survived the war and continued in use with the post-war Italian Navy, with the last two of the class being decommissioned in 1958.
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German capture
Following Italy's surrender on 8 September 1943, Germany captured two of the Pilo-class vessels. Giuseppe Missori was renamed TA22, and Giuseppe Dezza was renamed TA35. These vessels were re-designated as torpedo boats and put into service with the Kriegsmarine. TA22 was attacked by the all African American fighter group, the Tuskegee Airmen, who put it out of action. TA35 was sunk on 17 August 1944.