Later that year he was promoted to sub-lieutenant, and would join a mountain artillery unit stationed on the Col di Lana, with whom he would fight during the outbreak of World War I.

[4] Due to his merits in the war, Magliocco was promoted to Lieutenant in 1917, and, upon his request, was sent to Rome where he studied aviation in Centocelle for three months.

[9][10] On 26 June 1936 Magliocco, serving as Deputy Chief of the Italian Royal Air Force and Deputy Viceroy of Italian Ethiopia, flew out of the airbase at Addis Ababa, leading two Caproni Ca.133 bombers and a IMAM Ro.1 reconnaissance aircraft, in order to meet with local leaders at Lechemti.

[5][11] After landing the Italians set up camp around the aircraft, but were then ambushed on the night of 27 June 1936 by the Arbegnoch, Ethiopian guerilla fighters while in the Welega district.

[11][14][15] Following what would become known as the "Lechemti Massacre," a retaliatory bombing campaign of the area for these losses, several of the men who died were posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valour, including Vincenzo Magliocco.