pet ▁mines . ▁ ▁M occ ag atta ▁also ▁created ▁the ▁f rog man ▁training ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁San ▁Leopold o ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁in ▁Liv orno . ▁ ▁Com bat ▁record ▁ ▁The ▁Dec ima ▁M AS ▁saw ▁action ▁starting ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁when ▁F asc ist ▁Italy ▁entered ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁In ▁more ▁than ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁war , ▁the ▁unit ▁destroyed ▁some ▁ 7 2 , 1 9 0 ▁tons ▁of ▁Al lied ▁war ships ▁and ▁ 1 3 0 , 5 7 2 ▁tons ▁of ▁Al lied ▁merchant ▁ships . ▁ ▁Person nel ▁from ▁the ▁unit ▁s ank ▁the ▁World ▁War ▁I - era ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁batt les hips ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁( both ▁of ▁which , ▁after ▁months ▁of ▁work , ▁were ▁ref lo ated ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁action ), ▁w reck ed ▁the ▁heavy ▁cru iser ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁destroy er ▁, ▁dam aged ▁the ▁destroy er ▁ ▁and ▁s ank ▁or ▁dam aged ▁ 2 0 ▁merchant ▁ships , ▁including ▁supply ▁ships ▁and ▁tank ers . ▁During ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁Dec ima ▁M AS ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Golden ▁Medal ▁of ▁Military ▁Val our ▁and ▁individual ▁members ▁were ▁awarded ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁Golden ▁Med als ▁of ▁Military ▁Val our , ▁ 1 0 4 ▁Silver ▁Med als ▁of ▁Military ▁Val our ▁and ▁ 3 3 ▁Bron ze ▁Med als ▁of ▁Military ▁Val our . ▁ ▁Chron icle