A true mercenary yesterday has left us

mike_cos

mike_cos

Folgore
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Is with much sadness that I inform you that yesterday a good friend of mine died. He served in the Folgore Brigade in the sixties and then joined with Bob Denard during Belgian Congo war and became one of the members of his personal guard.This warrior was Franco Caroti, 67 years.
"...adesso che son morto, guardate nel mio sacco, ci troverete un mitra ed un oncia di tabacco..."

FOLGORE!

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Mike, I'm truly sorry for your loss.

The world has lost a Warrior and that makes this a darker place.
 
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Farewell to the real paratrooper and soldiers of fortune. Farewell to Franco Caroti, Monza, 67, son of a policeman, one of the green berets of the FOLGORE Brigade, Military Instructor and Congolese national shipping. Caroti died suddenly last week because of a heart attack and find it lifeless at home were some friends from the town section of the National Association of paratroopers' Italy, worried because he had not presented at the usual appointment. Dismayed and shocked his friends and comrades still wanted to give him a final farewell to accompanying 'final run with a traditional ceremony in which the Lightning, along with a group of loyal friends Monza, had enlisted in the mid-sixties. An adventurous life that has seen starring Franco Caroti dismissed in 1966 after he left for Paris with his friend Sandro Caregnato to enlist as a military instructor in arming Congolese National starting at a time in Africa. In those years, Franco found himself repeatedly in the face of death, but without fear of danger, she has put risk their lives to save the white settlers, priests and nuns from the violence and massacres of people in war.
"Frank was an extraordinary man, always faithful to his principles, and every time I returned to Italy was a pleasure to listen to his stories" The Sixties and Seventy were difficult years for Africa torn by tribal warfare and battleground between politics and the interests of Western countries and the communist bloc At first everything went well
but then, when the failed coup against the Tshombe regime of Mobutu's allies, friends became enemies. " Mobutu sent a radio message to the Congolese, with orders to kill "all white people especially the mercenaries paid by Tshombe." "So began the odyssey of soldiers with an epic retreat from thousands of miles in the bush up in Bukavu, where the mercenaries stood after months of battles. During these months of war Franco with his unit the 2nd Group Bob Denard during the retreat, the indomitable danger saved hundreds of white settlers with their families, and hundreds of priests, nuns and missionaries favorite target of Simba warriors in tribal clashes During one of these fights died his friend Sandro. After another period of heavy fighting in Bukavu, there was the UN's intervention in a truce, and daring mercenaries managed to take refuge in Rwanda where they were locked in a prison camp and the UN where they remained for several months and were freed thanks to decisive mediation of the Vatican. " Once back in Italy and the African experience Caroti archived footage of the profession represented, got married and lived for many years in Switzerland, Brazil and Argentina. "But our friendship and love for the FOLGORE Brigade and our ideals were far stronger than the distance Franco was a great friend, a great soldier and man. And as we all paratroopers was a "little 'bit crazy and a' poet 'as our song says one an idealist and a dreamer. He had only one regret in his country were ignored for political calculation the many Italians who had beaten him to the West as in Congo, were almost forgotten as the 12 airmen of the 'Italian Air Force massacred in Kindu in 1962.

Demonstrated a strong friendship on Saturday at the moving funeral celebrated in the church of Regina Pacis in the presence of banners of parachutes in Milan and Monza, with the coffin wrapped in the flag and supported his Green Beret. "A witness who is a skydiver never dies, but flies in that 'corner of heaven ... and from watching us and protects,. The body was buried in the cemetery.


CIAO FRANCO A PRESTO
Simba Mulele Battle


 
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