Operation Pisa

(Italian city)

'Pisa' was an Italian convoy operation across the Mediterranean from ports in southern Italy to Tripoli in Italian North Africa (8/12 June 1942).

The convoy was part of an effort which began on 7 June with the sailing of two Italian convoys, one comprising two ships from Palermo in Sicily to Tripoli under escort of the torpedo boats Castore and Clio, and the other of three ships from Tripoli to Naples escorted by the destroyers Ugolini Vivaldi and Lanzerotto Malocello and the torpedo boat Polluce. The convoys arrived on 11 and 9 June respectively without loss.

On 8 June 'Pisa' started with the despatch of the 'U' convoy, comprising the 6,339-ton Italian freighter Vettor Pisani escorted by the destroyers Antoniotto Usodimare and Premuda, from Naples for Tripoli, and the 'S' convoy, composing the 2,013-ton German freighter Sestriere escorted by the torpedo boats Circe and Lince, from Palermo for Tripoli. In the evening, off Cape Bon, the Italian submarine Alagi erroneously torpedoed and sank Antoniotto Usodimare, whose survivors were rescued by the torpedo boat Cigno. The two convoys then turned back to Palermo.

On 9 June the 5,322-ton Italian freighter Monviso departed Benghazi for Taranto, escorted by the destroyers Freccia and Euro and the torpedo boat Pallade, arriving on 11 June.

On 9 June the 5,609-ton German freighter Menès, escorted by the torpedo boat Lince, departed Palermo for Tripoli, which she arrived on 11 June.

On 10 June Sestriere and Vettor Pisani, escorted by Premuda, Cigno and Circe, departed Palermo for Tripoli, which they reached on 12 June.