Tank and armored battalions created during the 1975 army reform were all named for officers, soldiers and partisans, who were posthumously awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valour for heroism during World War II. The 7th Tank Battalion's name commemorated 1st Tank Infantry Regiment Lieutenant , who, together with his brother , formed one of the first partisan units in Piedmont after the German occupation of Italy in September 1943. Having already lost his brother on 13 February 1944 in a firefight with German forces, Alfredo Di Dio was killed in action on 12 October 1944. Equipped with M60A1 Patton main battle tanks the battalion joined the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi", whose headquarters had been formed from the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment's headquarters.