Italian Battleship Littorio

Littorio was the lead ship of her class of battleships (along with Vittorio Veneto and Roma and in incomplete Impero). Launched on 22 August 1937, she was commissioned into the Italian Regia Marina on 6 May 1940.

Littorio was badly damaged when struck by three torpedoes dropped by Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bombers during the Battle of Taranto on the night of 1 November 1940. Repairs lasted until 11 March 1941.

For the remainder of the Second World War, Littorio undertook convoy escort duties, while also attempting to intercept British convoys. She participated in the First and Second Battles of Sirte (17 December 1941 and 22 March 1942 respectively), causing severe damage to the Royal Navy destroyers HMS Havock and Kingston and minor damage to the light cruiser Euryalus during the later battle.

During the attempted interception of convoy Operation Vigorous, Littorio was hit on Number 1 Turret by a bomb dropped by a Consolidated B-24 Liberator on 15 June 1942. This caused only minor damage and the turret remained in operation. Shortly before midnight that evening, Littorio was struck by a torpedo dropped by a British Wellington bomber, causing some 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of water to flood the ship’s bow. Her crew counter-flooded to correct the list. The ship was able to return to port for repairs that lasted until 27 August 1942.

Along with her two sisters, Littorio was moved to La Spezia in December 1942. On 19 June 1943 she was struck by three bombs during an American raid.

With the overthrow of the Mussolini Fascist Government, she was renamed Italia and moved to Malta to be interned for the remainder of the war. During transit to Malta, the fleet was attacked by Luftwaffe Dornier Do 271 bombers armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs. One Fritz X hit Italia just forward of turret no. 1; it passed through the ship and exited the hull, exploding in the water beneath and causing serious damage. Roma was meanwhile sunk in the attack.

Post war, Italia was allocated to the United States. Having no use for the battleship, she was sold for scrap and broken up at La Spezia.