World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseAngelo Iachino was born in Sanremo, Italy in 1889 to a middle school teacher. He entered the naval academy at Livorno, Italy in 1904, and graduated in 1907. He served off Libya in North Africa before WW1. During WW1, he served as the commanding officer of a torpedo boat. Between 1923 and 1928, he served in the Italian embassy in Tianjin, China as a naval attaché as well as commanding officer of a river gunboat. In 1928, he was given command of a destroyer. In the early 1930s, he was the commanding officer of a cruiser. He commanded groups of light warships during the Spanish Civil War.

ww2dbaseDuring WW2, Iachino participated in the occupation of Albania in Apr 1939. In Nov 1940, he was the commander of a cruiser squadron during the Battle of Cape Spartivento (also known as Battle of Cape Teulada, primarily in Italy). On 9 Dec 1940, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral and became the commander-in-chief of the Regia Marina, the Italian Navy. In this role, he personally led ships in action at the Battles of Cape Matapan, First Sirte, and Second Sirte. On 5 Apr 1943, he was replaced by Carlo Bergamini, and held no further significant posts during WW2.

ww2dbaseIachino retired from naval service in 1954 at the rank of admiral. He passed away in Rome, Italy in 1976.

Photographs

Angelo Iachino Timeline