▁had ▁lost ▁a ▁leg ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁in ▁Spain , ▁but ▁had ▁continued ▁to ▁fly ▁operation ally ▁during ▁ 1 9 4 0 - 4 3 ), ▁the ▁newly ▁appointed ▁Under secret ary ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Republican ▁Air ▁Force , ▁appe aled ▁over ▁the ▁ ▁radio ▁for ▁air men ▁to ▁en list , ▁and ▁Gor r ini , ▁together ▁with ▁ 6 , 9 9 6 ▁others , ▁did ▁not ▁hes itate ▁to ▁re join ▁in ▁combat ▁against ▁the ▁Ang lo - American ▁forces : ▁▁ ▁" After ▁flying ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁side ▁by ▁side ▁with ▁the ▁German ▁pil ots , ▁on ▁the ▁English ▁Channel , ▁in ▁North ▁Africa , ▁Greece , ▁Egypt , ▁Tun is ia ▁and ▁finally ▁over ▁my ▁own ▁hom eland , ▁I ▁had ▁made ▁friends ▁with ▁some ▁of ▁them , ▁particularly ▁from ▁J G 2 7 … ▁I ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁hang ▁my ▁coat ▁in ▁the ▁wind , ▁so ▁to ▁speak , ▁and ▁perhaps ▁fire ▁on ▁my ▁German ▁friends . ▁Also , ▁I ▁wanted ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁northern ▁Italian ▁towns ▁from ▁ind isc rim inate ▁bomb ing ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁possible ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁Gor r ini ▁joined ▁the ▁Italian ▁Aer onaut ica ▁Nazionale ▁Repub blic ana ▁( AN R ) ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁ 1 a ▁Squad rig lia , ▁ 1 ° ▁Gru ppo ▁C ac cia ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁fly ▁C . 2 0 5 ▁f igh ters . ▁At