Marko Babić (16 February 1965 – 5 July 2007) was a

Croatian Army The Croatian Army ( or HKoV) is the land force branch of the Croatian Armed Forces. It is numerically the largest of the three branches of the Croatian Armed Forces. The HKoV is the main force for the defense of the country against external threa ...

officer (

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

at time of death) who served during the

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...

. He is most notable for his contribution during the

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 ...

, where he led the defence of Trpinjska Cesta. Babić was second in command in the 3rd Battalion of the 204th Vukovar Brigade, under Blago Zadro. This area was one of the most direct ways to attack Vukovar, and was targeted by

Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA/; Macedonian language, Macedonian, Montenegrin language, Montenegrin and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian language, Croatian and ; , J ...

(JNA) forces for a tank breakthrough into the town. Consequently, during the period of September 14–20, 1991, JNA launched some of the largest tank and infantry attacks at the city. One of them was started on September 18 from the north on Trpinjska cesta (Trpinja road) by the JNA's 51st Mechanized Brigade's one battalion of about 30 tanks and 30 APCs. These fell into an ambush, and were almost wiped out; as a result, an area where the fighting occurred was nicknamed '' tank graveyard''. Marko Babić himself is credited with destroying 14 tanks, more than anyone in the battle of Vukovar. The 2nd episode of the 2005 10-part TV documentary ''Heroes of Vukovar'' is dedicated to Babić and his fighters. He died on 5 July 2007 at the age of 42, as a result of having suffered a stroke.

References

External links

Javno.hr: Umro umirovljeni pukovnik Marko Babić
1965 births 2007 deaths Croatian army officers Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence People from Vukovar {{Croatia-bio-stub