. ▁With ▁the ▁V elt ro ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁ 1 4 ▁enemy ▁plan es ▁and ▁dam aged ▁six ▁more . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁highest ▁ranking ▁Italian ▁ace ▁still ▁alive ▁until ▁his ▁death , ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁awarded ▁the ▁Med aglia ▁d ' O ro ▁al ▁Val or ▁Milit are ▁( G old ▁Medal ▁of ▁Military ▁Val or ). ▁ ▁North ▁Africa ▁and ▁Greece ▁ ▁Gor r ini ▁came ▁to ▁North ▁Africa ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁ 8 5 a ▁Squad rig lia ▁of ▁ 1 8 ° ▁Gru ppo ▁C . T .. ▁He ▁shot ▁down ▁his ▁first ▁aircraft ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁over ▁D erna , ▁in ▁Cy ren a ica , ▁Lib ya . ▁ ▁While ▁flying ▁alone ▁a ▁CR . ▁ 4 2 , ▁during ▁a ▁protection ▁sortie , ▁he ▁intercept ed ▁ ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Br istol ▁Beau fig h ters , ▁just ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Theater . ▁Gor r ini ▁opened ▁fire , ▁immediately ▁before ▁the ▁two ▁British ▁aircraft ▁reached ▁the ▁a irst rip ▁N ▁ 1 ▁on ▁F the ja , ▁were ▁his ▁▁ 8 5 ª ▁Squad rig lia ▁was ▁based . ▁▁ ▁He ▁shot ▁the ▁leader ▁aircraft ▁from ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 7 0 0 - 8 0 0 ▁meters , ▁scoring ▁hits ▁on ▁the ▁ ▁right ▁wing tip . ▁While ▁the ▁second ▁Beau fig h ter ▁was ▁taking ▁ev as ive ▁action , ▁Gor r ini ▁closed