Andrea Adorno (1980, Catania) is an

Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...

soldier, recipient of the Gold Medal for Military Honour. He is the first Italian officer to receive the medal while still serving in the military.

Career

Adorno served in the

4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment The 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment ( it, 4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti) is a United States Army Rangers, Ranger-type special forces regiment of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain warfare, mountain combat. The regiment is one of thr ...

, where he was deployed in the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

and

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

. From 2011 to 2018 he served in the 62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" and 4th Alpine Division Cuneense. On 16 July 2010 he was awarded the

Gold Medal of Military Valour The Gold Medal of Military Valour ( it, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The fac ...

for his service in Afghanistan. ''"Alpine paratrooper, during the operation «Maashin IV», aimed at disrupting the Afghan insurgency, after conquering the objective, he was invested with his unit by overwhelming enemy fire. With uncommon courage and absolute contempt for danger, he reached a tactical foothold from which he reacted with his own weapon to the adversary's action. Upon realizing that the enemy was about to fire on the soldiers of another squad of his platoon, he did not hesitate to interpose himself between them and the threat, interdicting the action. Seriously wounded in a leg, he stoically maintained his position guaranteeing the security necessary for the reorganization of his unit. Fulgid example of elective military virtues."''

References

Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor 1980 births Alpini Italian soldiers Living people {{Italy-mil-bio-stub