Inside the former military airport "Americo Sostegni" in Tarquinia lies one of the symbolic places of Italian military history: the headquarters of the first National Parachuting School, now in a state of substantial abandonment.
These are not simply old military buildings. In that area, the first paratrooper units formed on national territory were born and trained. It is a place where the roots of the "Folgore" and numerous other units that have written fundamental pages of the history of the Italian Armed Forces are deeply embedded.
Where Italy's Paratroopers were born
The Paratrooper School of the Royal Air Force was officially established in Tarquinia on October 15, 1939, gathering the experience gained from the previous Training Camp of Castel Benito in Libya. In the early months of 1940, courses for instructors were initiated, and from July of the same year, the training of the first Italian paratrooper units began.
In Tarquinia, the first units of the paratrooper specialty were established: those of the Paratrooper Division, from which the legendary "Folgore" and the Carabinieri Paratrooper Battalion would be born. In the School, paratroopers were also certified, including the Arditi, the Paratrooper Swimmers of San Marco of the Royal Navy, and personnel of the Royal Air Force destined for special tasks (the "ADRA" battalion).
Thousands of young soldiers passed through those training structures and the famous launch tower over fifty meters high. Many of them would later fall on the battlefields of World War II.
A place of memory ... forgotten
Today, much of the former "Americo Sostegni" airport is in a state of progressive deterioration. For several years now, associations, citizens, and enthusiasts have been denouncing the abandonment of a complex that, due to its historical value, deserves much more attention.
Over time, proposals have been made for the redevelopment of the area, including the recovery of the airport function and the creation of spaces dedicated to the memory of the Parachuting School. In 2024, the municipal administration of Tarquinia outlined a broader project for the future of the former airport, linked to tourism, mobility, and the historical enhancement of the site.
However, intentions must be transformed into concrete actions. Every additional year of abandonment risks erasing what remains and making recovery increasingly difficult and costly.
A national parachuting museum in Tarquinia
The redevelopment should not be limited to simply tidying up the area. Tarquinia could become the natural home of a true historical and cultural center dedicated to Italian military parachuting.
The project could include the creation of a historical museum, the reconstruction of the School's environments, the exhibition of uniforms, parachutes, documents, photographs, and original materials, as well as a digital archive accessible to scholars, schools, and citizens.
Educational paths dedicated to the birth of airborne troops could be created, spaces for military associations, areas for commemorations, and joint initiatives with the Italian Army, the Air Force, the Carabinieri, and the National Association of Italian Paratroopers.
Such an intervention would restore dignity to the place and could also represent a concrete tourist and cultural opportunity for Tarquinia and the entire Tuscia territory.
An appeal to the institutions
BrigataFolgore.net makes an appeal to the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Culture, the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Tarquinia, and all competent institutions to initiate a shared path for the protection and recovery of the former Parachuting School.
It is necessary to verify the state of the structures, identify ownership and responsibilities, obtain public and possibly European funding, and define a project capable of combining memory, culture, tourism, and aeronautical activities.
We do not ask to celebrate war, but to preserve history. Letting the School of Tarquinia disappear would mean losing a place where a military tradition began that still today represents a heritage of courage, preparation, and spirit of service.
Tarquinia is the cradle of Italian military Paratroopers. That cradle cannot be left to rot in indifference.
Redeveloping the Parachuting School means protecting the memory of those who trained there, who fought, and who did not return.
It means returning an important part of its history to the national community.
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