In 1940, in the midst of World War II, the commander of the Italian submarine, Salvatore Todaro, made a decision that is still considered one of the most humane in the history of naval warfare.

During a combat patrol in the Atlantic Ocean, his submarine, Comandante Capellini, sank a Belgian merchantman.

After the attack, everything had to happen according to the laws of war. The submarine was to sink immediately and leave the battle zone. Staying afloat is a risk to your own crew and the entire mission.

But Comandante Capellini saw something different.

Among the wreckage of the sunken vessel in the cold ocean, people were vainly fighting for their lives. Belgian seamen were drowning.

There was no chance of a quick rescue.

And then Comandante Capellini did something that no one expected from him. He invited as many distressed seamen as possible to make their way on lifeboats to his submarine and to climb on board.

As there was not enough space on the smaller craft, some of the salvaged seamen were destined to be abandoned on their open-topped lifeboat with just a remote chance of survival.

And then Capellini went even further.

He ordered the lifeboat to be tied to the submarine and began to tow it across the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.

For several nights and days, the submarine steadily made its way towards Europe.  By necessity, voyaging on the surface of the sea, the submarine’s skipper ran the risk of being noticed and attacked.

The crew members reminded the commander that just a few hours earlier, he had risked the entire operation for the sake of the enemy.

Capellini’s answer is history.

‘Now they are not enemies. They’re sailors.

When the rescued seamen were taken to a safe place and handed over to local authorities, the submarine returned to its combat mission.

More than 80 years have passed.

Countries, borders and wars have changed. But this story reminds us of an important thing: even in the darkest times, a person remains a person.

Sometimes one act says much more about true greatness than any military victories. Because there are laws of war and there are the laws of humanity. And it is they who remain in the memory for the longest time.  Let readers know what you think.

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