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Luca Amato was a Colonel in the Sicilian Army.
Biography[]
A hero of World War II, Luca had fought alongside the legendary Erwin Rommel and been hailed as "the Italian Desert Fox". He was skilled in guerilla warfare and an excellent strategist.
Luca and the bandits[]
On the strength of his war record, Amato was made Commander of the Special Force to Repress Banditry, in charge of defeating Salvatore Giuliano and his associate, Gaspare Pisciotta. He was dispatched to Sicily in 1949 with Captain Antonio Perenze, his personal bodyguard, and began his mission by cutting off Giuliano's ability to present his opinions to the public through newspapers. Working with Inspector Velardi, he also managed to discover a secret network of tunnels beneath Giuliano's house.
Personal vendetta[]
These actions infuriated Giuliano, who developed a personal hatred for Colonel Luca, but knew that his Palermo fortress was virtually impenetrable. He attempted to lure Luca out, but his trap failed to kill the Colonel, and subsequent engagements claimed the life of Passatempo, one of Giuliano's most loyal lieutenants.
However it was not Luca's actions that brought about Giuliano's demise, but the treachery of his cousin Gaspare. Amato instantly put out a story that the bandit chief had been careless and was killed by Captain Perenze.
Behind the scenes[]
- He was portrayed by Marino Matranga.
- In the book, he is known as Ugo Luca, the same as the real Colonel who had helped bring down Giuliano.