A RICORDO PERENNE
DELLA MEDAGLIA D’ORO
MAIORE FRANCESCO DI SALVATORE
AVIERE SCELTO FOTOGRAFO

NOTO
ISCRIVENDOLO SUPERBA NELL’ALBO DEI SUOI EROI

INTREPIDO SPECIALISTA DI VELIVOLO SILURANTE, GIÁ DECORATO SUL CAMPO, ESENTATO DAL SERVIZIO PER LE FERITE RIPORTATE IN PRECEDENTI AZIONI, CHIEDEVA L’INDOMANI AL PROPRIO COMANDANTE, IN PROCINTO DI PARTIRE PER UNA NUOVA MISSIONE, LA CONCESSIONE DI POTERLO ANCORA SEGUIRE E L’ONORE DI FAR PARTE ANCORA UNA VOLTA DELL’EQUIPAGGIO. ASSECONDATO NEL SUO DESIDERIO, INCURANTE DELLE RAFFICHE DELLA CACCIA AVVERSARIA, CHE NEL TENTATIVO DI OSTACOLARE L’IMPRESA COLPIVA GRAVEMENTE L’APPARECCHIO, IMPAVIDO E SERENO PARTECIPAVA IN PIENA COMUNIONE DI SPIRITO COL PROPRIO COMANDANTE AD UN’EPICA GESTA IL LANCIO DELL’APPARECCHIO IN FIAMME E DEL SILURO CONTRO UNA NAVE NEMICA CHE VENIVA COLPITA E INCENDIATA PRECIPITAVA QUINDI GLORIOSAMENTE CON IL VELIVOLO IN MARE, NELLA LUCE DI UNA NUOVA SUPERBA VITTORIA DELL’ALA ITALIANA

CIELO DEL MEDITERRANEO 11-12-NOVEMBRE 1942

A plaque in the town hall of Noto is dedicated to Francis Maiore (1921-1942) who was born in Noto, and was killed in the battles in June 1942 in the North African region.
Trained as a photographer and aircrewman, Maiore participated in the Italian forces operating with the Germans against Allied shipping convoys. He was in a torpedo bomber, and after being hit by Allied planes, he crashed his plane on an Allied ship. He died a few days later.
He received the Military Gold Medal (Medaglia d’oro al valor militare)

The place where the sign is located was photographed on the same day by the same photographer Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:
IN PERENNIAL MEMORY
OF THE GOLD MEDAL
MAIORE FRANCESCO DI SALVATORE
AIRMAN CHOSEN PHOTOGRAPHER

NOTO
SUPERBLY ENTERING HIM IN THE ROLL OF HIS HEROES

INTREPID TORPEDO AIRCRAFT SPECIALIST, ALREADY DECORATED IN THE FIELD, EXEMPT FROM SERVICE DUE TO WOUNDS INCURRED IN PREVIOUS ACTIONS, THE NEXT DAY HE ASKED HIS COMMANDER, ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR A NEW MISSION, TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW HIM AGAIN AND THE HONOR OF BEING PART OF THE CREW ONCE AGAIN. HAPPENED TO HIS DESIRE, UNCONCERNED BY THE GUNS OF THE OPPONENT FIGHTER, WHICH IN AN ATTEMPT TO HINDER THE ENTERPRISE HAD SERIOUSLY HITS THE APPARATUS, FEARLESS AND SERENE HE PARTICIPATED IN FULL COMMUNION OF SPIRIT WITH HIS COMMANDER IN AN EPIC DEED: THE LAUNCH OF THE APPARATUS IN FLAMES AND THE TORPEDO AGAINST AN ENEMY SHIP WHICH WAS HIT AND SET ON FIRE, THEN HE FALLEN GLORIOUSLY WITH THE APPARATUS INTO THE SEA, IN THE LIGHT OF A NEW SUPERB VICTORY OF THE ITALIAN WING

SKY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN 11-12-NOVEMBER 1942