Italian cruiser Muzio Attendolo

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Incrociatore Muzio Attendolo.jpg
Italian light cruiser Muzio Attendolo
Career (Italy)
Name: Muzio Attendolo
Namesake: Muzio Attendolo
Builder: CRDA
Laid down: 10 April 1931
Launched: 9 September 1934
Commissioned: 7 August 1935
Fate: Sunk 4 December 1942
General characteristics
Class & type: Condottieri-class light cruiser
Displacement: 7,523 tonnes standard
8,994 tonnes full load
Length: 182.2 m (597 ft 9.2 in)
Beam: 16.6 m (54 ft 5.5 in)
Draught: 5.6 m (18 ft 4.5 in)
Propulsion: 2 shaft Belluzzo geared turbines
6 Yarrow boilers
106,000 hp (79,000 kW)
Speed: 37 knots (69 km/h)
Complement: 578 men
Armament: 8 × 6-inch (152 mm) guns (4 × 2)
8 × 37 mm guns (4 x 2)
8 × 13.2 mm guns (4 × 2)
Armour: Deck: 30 mm (1.2 in)
Main belt: 60 mm (2.4 in)
Turrets: 70 mm (2.8 in)
Conning tower: 100 mm (3.9 in)
Aircraft carried: 2 aircraft
Aviation facilities: 1 catapult

Muzio Attendolo was a Condottieri-class light cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina, which fought in World War II. She was sunk in Naples by bombers of the United States Army Air Forces on 4 December 1942. Although salvaged after the war she was damaged beyond repair and was scrapped.


Muzio Attendolo was part of the Montecuccoli sub-class, which were the third group of Condottieri class light cruisers. They were larger and better protected than their predecessors.



Muzzio Attendolo after being torpedoed by submarine HMS Unbroken




St. Barbara’s Day bombing[edit]


In late December, B-24 Liberator heavy bombers increased their activity over Naples which had become the Italian's most important naval base. Taranto had become too dangerous to harbour major ships, but Naples was still in the range of Liberator and Wellington bombers. On 4 December 1942 (St. Barbara’s Day)[1] 20 USAAF B-24s of 98 and 376 Squadrons, based in Egypt, flew to Naples unnoticed. Confused with a formation of Ju 52s, and flying apparently from Vesuvio, they were already over the port before anti-aircraft defences opened fire at 16.40. The B-24s bombed with 500 and 1000 lb bombs from 6,200 m (20,300 ft). They searched for battleships, but these important targets were missed. On the other hand, while battleships were important but also hard to damage or sink, there were other ships less important, but much more vulnerable. Light cruisers were both light armoured and important targets, and the whole 7th Division was heavily struck.

Eugenio di Savoia had a near miss, but the aft hull was damaged with 17 killed and 46 wounded. The flooding and repair works were estimated as taking 40 days to clear. Montecuccoli was hit midships by a bomb just inside the funnel; although the funnel was reduced to a smoking crater, the armoured grating protected the machinery sufficiently but 44 were killed and 36 wounded, and seven months of works were needed.

Attendolo was hit in the midship by one or possibly two bombs, between tower 3 and tripod. The ship was totally taken out. The B-24 raid lasted until 17:28, and only after one hour did aid arrive. Attendolo had lost power and there was damage below the waterline and fierce fires aft. The fires were finally extinguished but an air raid alarm was sounded at 21:17. Although it was a false alarm, the vessels attending the Attendolo left and did not return to her aid until over an hour later. The ship hit the bottom and rolled of almost 180 degrees. It happened at 22:19. At least 188 were killed (the total number is unknown) and 86 wounded. One sailor was killed on Littorio, and 150 to 250 civilians died as well. Major ships were swiftly moved to La Spezia.

Attendolo was still considered repairable with 10 to 12 months estimated, but this never happened. The ship was used as dock with the Allied occupation, and raised and demolished in the post war period. The other two cruisers were repaired with some delays.

