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WWII Italian Ship's Wheel Returned to Italy at Ambassador’s Residence

On Tuesday, January 19, the Monuments Men and Women Foundation returned to the Italian State a brass ship’s wheel belonging to the Italian Ministry of Defense during an event held at the residence of the Italian Ambassador to the United States. The restitution took place in the context of a diplomatic gathering celebrating collaboration between Italy and the United States.


 

The Foundation extends its sincere thanks to H.E. Marco Peronaci, Ambassador of Italy to the United States, and to the Embassy’s staff for including this restitution in such a significant event. The Foundation also wishes to thank Bank of America and its other donors for supporting its research and mission to preserve and protect cultural heritage.


A man in a beige military uniform sits by the water, his face tense. A beach is in the background, with a cloudy sky and trees in the distance. The atmosphere is calm.
Italian Ambassador to the United States, Marco Peronaci; Comandande Carabinieri Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale Generale di Brigata Antonio Petti; MMWF President Anna Bottinelli (courtesy Embassy of Italy in the United States)

 “As an Italian, moments like this carry a special resonance for me, but what makes them truly meaningful is seeing Italy and the United States working together to return cultural heritage to its rightful home,” said MMWF President Anna Bottinelli. Ambassador Peronaci remarked that the restitution was “another strong evidence of our shared commitment to historical memory and cultural displacement of wars.”

 

The brass ship’s wheel dates to 1938 and originates from the Italian Spica-class torpedo boat R.N. Partenope, which served primarily as a convoy escort in the Mediterranean during World War II. Following Italy’s armistice in September 1943, the damaged vessel was abandoned and scuttled in a dry dock in Naples. The wheel was acquired there in 1944 by a U.S. Navy officer and remained with his family in the United States for decades before they initiated its restitution through the Foundation.

 

In collaboration with the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale and the Museo Tecnico Navale, the Foundation confirmed the wheel’s authenticity and facilitated its return to Italy.



 
 
 

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