Ernesto Cabruna " Capitano " Ernesto Cabruna ( 1889 – 1960 ) was a professional soldier who became a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories . He served in Italy ' s military police , beginning in 1907 . After service in Libya and Rhodes , he received a Bronze Medal for Military Valor a year after Italy ' s involvement in World War I began . He turned to aviation , became a pilot , and as such earned his first Silver Medal for Military Valor at the end of 1917 . In 1918 , Cabruna twice singlehandedly attacked swarms of enemy aircraft , winning victories both times . He was also raised into the officers ' ranks . On 26 September 1918 , he broke his clavicle . Two days later , he forced his way back to flying to participate in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto . He claimed his final two aerial victories on 25 October . The day before the Austro - Hungarian surrender , 2 November 1918 , Cabruna strafed two of their airplanes parked on their own airfield . He then won a Gold award of the Medal for Military Valor . Cabruna remained in military service postwar , serving as Aide de Camp to the Aviation Chief of Staff . He became an intimate of proto - fascist poet Gabrielle D ' Annunzio . He left the military on 2 June 1932 , having served his nation a quarter of a century . When he died on 9 January 1960 , he was interred on D ' Annunzio ' s estate . His Spad VII fighter plane is enshrined in the Italian Air Force Museum . Early life and service . Ernesto Cabruna was born on 2 June 1889 in Tortona , the Kingdom of Italy . His family were merchants . Young Cabruna attended technical school until , on 18 October 1907 , he joined the " Carabinieri Reali " , Italy ' s version of military police . The following year , he performed commendably during the 1908 Messina earthquake . On 30 September 1911 , he was promoted to " Vice Brigadiere " . From April 1912 to May 1913 , he was posted to Tripolitania , Libya . He later took part in the occupation of Rhodes . World War I . On 31 January 1915 , Cabruna was promoted to Brigadier . In October 1915 , he was posted to the 10th Company of the Turin and Allievi ( Cadets ) Legion . On 15 May 1916 , while stationed near Asiago , he rescued victims of an Austro - Hungarian bombing raid while under fire . His valor was rewarded with a Bronze Medal for Military Valor . In July 1916 , Cabruna reported to Torino for pilot ' s training . He was granted two licenses for the Maurice Farman 14 , awarded on 6 October and 16 November 1916 . He was posted to " 29a Squadriglia " on 28 December 1916 . He would fly reconnaissance missions while so assigned . Ernesto Cabruna flew his first combat sortie on 2 January 1917 . On 31 May 1917 , he was promoted to " Maresciallo " . After completing training on Nieuport fighters , he was assigned to a fighter squadron , " 84a Squadriglia " . On 21 September 1917 , he was transferred to another fighter squadron , " 80a Squadriglia " . He scored his first aerial victory on 26 October , and another on 5 December . By the end of 1917 , Cabruna merited a Silver award of the Medal for Military Valor . On 26 January 1918 , he was transferred to another fighter squadron , " 77a Squadriglia " . Their squadron symbol was a red heart on a while circle ; aft of this , Cabruna appended the coat of arms of his native city of Tortona . He would score a victory for his new squadron on 12 March 1918 . On 29 March 1918 , he broke away from a unit patrol and singlehanded attacked 11 enemy aircraft . Cabruna fired several bursts of machine gun fire into a red fighter , which exited in an abrupt dive . This daring feat was featured on the cover of a leading Italian magazine , " Domenica del Corriere " ; the illustration was by Achille Beltrame . Although existing Austro - Hungarian aviation loss files fail to support it , Cabruna was credited with the victory . On 4 April 1918 , he was commissioned into the officers ' ranks in a battlefield promotion . On 15 June 1918 , the swarm of enemy planes numbered 30 , but Cabruna again plunged into solo combat and downed his fifth victim to become an ace . Cabruna shot down two more enemies in June , before hitting a dry spell . On 26 September 1918 , he crashed an Ansaldo A . 1 Balilla in a landing accident , breaking his collarbone . The new fighter had broken an oil line ; spurting oil blinded Cabruna , and he was fortunate to survive the crashlanding . He was sidelined two days , then returned to flight duty for Italy ' s final offensive , the Battle of Vittorio Veneto . He claimed to have shot down two enemy aircraft on 25 October for his final aerial victories . On 2 November 1918 , he strafed two enemy airplanes on the airfield at Aiello and destroyed them . The next day , the Austro - Hungarians surrendered . Cabruna would be awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor for these latter day exploits . Post World War I . The Bongiovanni commission report of 1 February 1919 confirmed eight of the nine victories that had been symbolized on Cabruna ' s Spad VII . He was credited with victories over seven enemy airplanes and an observation balloon . In April 1919 , he was promoted to " Sottotenente " . He was also posted to " 39a Squadriglia " , where he became a familiar of Gabrielle D ' Annunzio . Cabruna joined in D ' Annunzio ' s short - lived proto - fascist revolt against the Italian government . When this ended , the ace was unemployed and penniless . Cabruna re - entered service . In December 1923 , he transferred from the " Carabineri " to the " Regia Aeronautica " . He returned briefly to Libya . In 1925 , he was promoted to " Capitano " . He was assigned as Aide de Camp for the Aviation Chief of Staff . However , his career apparently floundered , and he was discharged on 2 June 1932 for ill health . He became disgruntled with fascism after his departure from the military . During World War II , British military intelligence listed him as a member of the " Free Italy " organization , with the cover name of " X - 19 " . After World War II , Ernesto Cabruna chose life as a near - hermit . He died on 9 January 1960 . Death and legacy . Ernesto Cabruna died in Rapallo on 9 January 1960 . He is buried on the premises of D ' Annunzio ' s Vittoriale mansion . Cabruna ' s original Spad VII fighter is now displayed in the Italian Air Force Museum .