In 1926 Mascherpa was promoted to lieutenant commander and given command of the San Marco Battalion; in 1931, after promotion to commander, he served on board the battleship "Duilio" and then became Chief of Staff of the Pola Naval Command. During the Italo-Ethiopian War he commanded auxiliary ships and was then appointed commander of the Aegean MAS Group; at the end of 1936 he was appointed executive officer at the Taranto Naval Barracks.