He attended the local technical high school before studying engineering in Vienna and architecture in Munich.

When Italy finally entered World War I, Pessi volunteered to serve as a Sottotenente in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the Italian army.

On 3 May 1917, Pessi adopted the nom de guerre of Giuliano Parvis; he wanted to avoid repercussions from the vengeful Austro-Hungarians who considered him traitorous.

[3] On 1 February 1919, the evaluation committee of the aviation military intelligence section released its list of victory confirmations for Italian pilots.

[4] One of the denials was for a 6 November 1917 claim where the Austro-Hungarian victim had fallen within his own lines; it was later proven that ace Rudolf Szepessy-Sokoll had died in that crash.

On 18 July 1933, Pessi was flying this route, aboard Dornier Wal serial I-AZEE, when he disappeared on an overwater approach to Rhodes.