When civil war broke out in the Dominican Republic on April 24, 1965, one of the more interesting personages fighting on the side of the Constitutionalist faction was the Italian, Ilio Capozzi (sometimes written as Cappoci). Capozzi's background is hazy but the consensus is that during World War Two, he served with Decima Flottiglia Motoscafi Armati Siluranti (Decima Flottiglia MAS) which was an elite unit of the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) consisting of highly trained commando frogmen and naval personnel. Following the war, Capozzi is said to have joined the French Foreign Legion (FFL) and during his time with the FFL, saw action in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) and later in the Algerian War which ran from 1954 to 1962. Capozzi, in 1956, answered a call by the dictator of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, seeking experienced soldiers to provide instruction to a new unit Trujillo wanted to create, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas (Frogmen Commando Corps) as part of the Dominican Republic Navy. Capozzi was not the only Italian enticed and other former Decima Flottiglia MAS veterans such as Victorio Tudesco and Enzo Lobasto joined Capozzi. Many other experienced and decorated Italian veteran commandos and instructors would assemble at the naval base located in Las Calderas. Once the cadre was in place, the first selections of personnel for the unit commenced in August 1957. The training was extensive, dangerous, and rigorous. A modern day analogy would be the United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams. Instruction included demolition (sea and land), small unit operations (for example, intelligence gathering), sabotage techniques, establishment of beachheads, survival in all climates, and being able to operate on little to no support. About 2,000 men were selected for the training but in the end, only 108 of them made it through, forming four platoons. The unit was commanded by Vice Admiral Manuel Ramón Montes Arache.
When the civil war erupted, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas joined the Constitutionalist faction that supported the deposed Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño. Situated in Santo Domingo, the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas established a hasty training facility to rapidly instruct civilian Constitutionalist faction rebels in urban guerrilla combat techniques. The forces of the Constitutionalists outnumbered the Loyalist faction's troops that supported acting President Donald Reid Cabral though the latter enjoyed more armored support and air power. At 10:30am on April 25, Constitutionalist forces, including elements of the Cuerpo de Comandos de Hombres Ranas, stormed the presidential palace in Santo Domingo, arresting Reid. This assault, though, was the last battle for Capozzi as he was killed during the attack. It was the U.S. intervention that commenced on April 30 that saw the end of the Constitutionalist uprising which had been on the verge of victory. The arrival of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine forces would see a ceasefire go into effect that very night. Some sources state Capozzi died on May 19, 1965, also while attacking the presidential palace. I was not able to find a definitive accounting of the combat that took place commencing on May 13 when Loyalist forces broke the ceasefire to attack Constitutionalist forces within the Santo Domingo area. It is possible that the Constitutionalists sought to retake the palace which was within the demilitarized zone that divided the two factions.
The photograph is one of many featuring Capozzi. His rank is unknown, sources citing he was a Captain while others state he was a Colonel. He is wearing French battle dress made with the U.S. M1942 “Frog Skin” camouflage pattern which was widely utilized by the U.S. Marines during World War Two and for a short period of time by the U.S. Army in the European Theater before its use was discontinued. Following World War Two, the U.S. sold the camouflage pattern to the French who utilized it in their uniforms through the 1950s with much of the production going to the French Foreign Legion, specifically the 1st. Foreign Parachute Regiment and 2nd. Foreign Parachute Regiment that saw combat in the First Indochina War. The helmet he wears is the U.S. M1 “steel pot” but it has been refitted with the French TAP/EO system as used by French parachutists. While not definitive evidence, the fact he has such equipment suggests Capozzi may have served in one of the two regiments. His web gear is a mixture though the majority is U.S. Army issue. Of note is his rifle, a 7.62mmX51mm ArmaLite AR-10. Numerous Central American countries purchased the AR-10, including Guatemala and Nicaragua. Capozzi, however, is said to have used a Cuban AR-10, Cuba having been another buyer. The grenade on his belt appears to be a U.S. M26 fragmentation grenade. Capozzi also carried a pistol sidearm and the brown leather magazine pouch is visible on his left hip along with a fighting knife. Behind the magazine pouch is the U.S. issue pouch (he had two) that he carried his extra AR-10 magazines in. The civilian rebel he is chatting with is armed with a .30cal. Cristobal M2 carbine.
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