Blago Zadro (31 March 1944 – 16 October 1991) was a commander of the northern part of Croatian forces in
Vukovar
Vukovar () ( sr-Cyrl, Вуковар, hu, Vukovár, german: Wukowar) is a city in Croatia, in the eastern region of Slavonia. It contains Croatia's largest river port, located at the confluence of the Vuka and the Danube. Vukovar is the seat of ...
during the
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugosl ...
. He was killed in an attack by the
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...
(JNA) in the town of
Borovo Naselje
Borovo Naselje ( sr-Cyrl, Борово Насеље) is a Vukovar borough located on the right bank of the Danube river in the Croatian region of Slavonia, 4 kilometers northwest of Vukovar town centre; elevation 90 m. The economy is based on ...
.
Early life
Blago Zadro was born in the small village of
Donji Mamići near
Grude
Grude () is a town and a municipality located in West Herzegovina Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Geography
Grude is located 49 kilometers from Mostar, 19 kilometers from Imotski, and 1 ...
in western
Herzegovina
Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geogra ...
. His family moved to
Borovo Naselje
Borovo Naselje ( sr-Cyrl, Борово Насеље) is a Vukovar borough located on the right bank of the Danube river in the Croatian region of Slavonia, 4 kilometers northwest of Vukovar town centre; elevation 90 m. The economy is based on ...
, an industrial district of
Vukovar
Vukovar () ( sr-Cyrl, Вуковар, hu, Vukovár, german: Wukowar) is a city in Croatia, in the eastern region of Slavonia. It contains Croatia's largest river port, located at the confluence of the Vuka and the Danube. Vukovar is the seat of ...
, in 1954 where he graduated high school and started working in the Borovo combine. He had a job mixing chemicals and rubber.
[Central Intelligence Agency Office of Russian and European Analysis (2000). ''Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990–1995: Volume 2.'' Washington, D.C.; p. 197] In 1968 he married Katica Soldo, also an employee of Borovo. They had three sons: Robert, Tomislav, and Josip. Zadro was interested in
Croatian history, particularly the
Bleiburg death marches, and was not a supporter of the
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
authorities.
In early 1990, due to mismanagement of the Borovo conglomerate, Zadro organized strikes and asked for the dismissal of the director.
[ Zadro became active in politics during Croatia's first democratic election in 1990; he founded a branch of the ]Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union ( hr, Hrvatska demokratska zajednica, lit=Croatian Democratic Community, HDZ) is the major conservative, centre-right political party in Croatia. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in Croa ...
(HDZ) for Municipality of Vukovar and became the vice president of the HDZ in Vukovar. After his department was closed, he spent three months in the reorganized Croatian police force in Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
. He joined the Croatian National Guard
The Croatian National Guard ( hr, Zbor narodne garde or ZNG) was an armed force established by Croatia in April and May 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. Although it was established within the framework of the Ministry of the Interi ...
when the war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
started.[
]
Battle of Vukovar
Zadro had commanded the 3rd Battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
of the 204th (Vukovar) Croatian Army
The Croatian Army ( hr, Hrvatska kopnena vojska or HKoV) is the largest and most significant component of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF).
Role and deployment
The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national i ...
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
during Battle of Vukovar
The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Bar ...
since the start of the fighting, along with two of his sons, where he led actions against the Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...
(JNA) and local Serb forces.[ Zadro's unit was assigned to defend the vital Trpinja road (), an open road leading directly into Vukovar. Because of its importance, the road became primary target for JNA tank units attacking the city and it became known as the ]tank graveyard
The term tank graveyard or tank cemetery refers to an area containing a number of derelict armored vehicles, generally as a result of warfare.
While they often are only a last resting place for destroyed, broken down or outdated equipment, tank g ...
due to actions of Zadro's anti-tank rocket
Anti-tank warfare originated from the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the Triple Entente deployed the first tanks in 1916, the German Empire developed the first anti-tank weapons. The first deve ...
groups "Yellow Ants" and "Turbo Platoon" which fought off many tank attacks, notably a single incident on 18 September when an entire battalion of about 60 tanks and armored personnel carriers was ambushed and destroyed there.
Zadro was killed by Serb forces on 16 October 1991. His body was recovered and buried by his unit. When the Serb forces surrendered the city, his body was removed and remained missing until 1998, when it was found along with the bodies of 937 other victims from a mass grave in Borovo Naselje. After his death, he was promoted to the rank of major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
.
Legacy
Speaker of the Croatian Parliament
The speaker of the Croatian Parliament ( hr, Predsjednik Hrvatskog sabora, literally the president of the Croatian Parliament) is the presiding officer in the Croatian Parliament, Croatia's legislative body.
Under Article 97 of the constitutio ...
Vladimir Šeks
Vladimir Šeks (born 1 January 1943) is a Croatian lawyer and politician. He has been a representative in the Croatian Parliament since the nation's independence, and has held the posts of the Speaker of the Parliament, as well as Deputy Prime M ...
stated "without heroes like Blago Zadro, there would be no free Croatia". A commemoration for him is held every year on the anniversary of his death in Vukovar, attended by many former comrades and political dignitaries. The main street in Borovo Naselje and a military school in Zagreb have been named after him. A street in Grude was named after him and in his birth village Donji Mamići was placed a monument in his tribute.
References
External links
Blago Zadro: Obican heroj i veliki ratnik
Zadro Blago
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zadro, Blago
1944 births
1991 deaths
People from Grude
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatian army officers
Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence
Military personnel killed in the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian military personnel killed in action