“Vukovi” Brigade mark 26th anniversary
The 26th anniversary of the Guards Brigade “Vukovi” and the 11 th annivesary of the Motorised Battalion “Vukovi” of the Guards Mechanised Brigade were marked at a ceremony held in Gospić on 30 October 2018, that was attended by the Envoy and Assistant to the President of the Republic of Croatia as Supreme commander of the Croatian Armed Forces Ante Deur, by the Envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and of the Defence Minister and of the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, the Commander of the Croatian Army Major General Siniša Jurković, by the Commander of the Guards Mechanised Brigade Brigadier General Tihomir Kundid, by the Envoy of the Minister of the Homeland War Veterans Ivan Vukić, by the Mayor of Gospić Karlo Starčević and representatives of the local authorities and members of the Brigade and their families.
The main ceremony was held in the barracks of the 9th Guards Brigade, with wreath laying at the memorial monument to the fallen, missing and deceased members of the Brigade, and a presentation of the berets to the new members of the new Motorised Battalion “Vukovi” by the Envoy of the President of the Republic Ante Deur, by the Commander of the Croatian Army Major General Siniša Jurković, by the Commander of the Guards Motorised Brigade Brigadier General Kundid and by the Battalion Commander Major Marko Krpan and by the chairman of the Association of the War Veterans of the 9th Guards Brigade “Vukovi” Antonio Šebalj.
The Envoy of the President of the Republic congratulated to the members and said: “Stay faithful to the homeland. You represent the future and strength of the Croatian Armed Forces. I wish you success and wish that you bring peace, strength and safety to Lika and to Croatia as well”.
Congratulating the former and present members on the anniversary, the Commander of the Croatian Army, Major General Siniša Jurković stressed that the 9th Guads Brigade took part in the liberating operations such as “Maslenica”, “Medački džep” and “Storm”.”The Brigade was established when Croatia needed it most and had an important role in the war for the liberty. I am grateful for all you did“,. General Jurković underlined the participation of the Motorised Battalion “Vukovi” in the Exercise “Velebit 18 – Joint Force”, where the Croatian Armed Forces proved the readiness to exercise defence of the Republic of Croatia as their main task and proved to be credible and reliable ally.
The Commander of the Motorised Battalion“Vukovi“ Major Krpan reminded of the 56 fallen members of the Brigade in the Homeland War, in whose memory a running race was organised on 29 October 2018 from Otočac to Gospić, with the participation of two members of the Battalion “Vukovi” and two members of the Association of War Veterans of the 9th Guards Brigade War “Vukovi”, wearing commemorative shirts with the inscription” “56 km for 56 killed in Vukovar” and “For all fallen members of the Croatian National Guard and of the Ministry of the Interior”. As many as 56 members of the Battalion “Vukovi“ took part in the race running one kilometer each, accompanying the four regular participants“
The Chairman of the Association of War Veterans of the 9th Guards Brigade “Vukovi” Antonio Šebalj honoured the families of the fallen members, and called on to the new members to be proud and honest and to strive towards excellence.
The ceremony featured the presentation of decorations and awards to the meriting members and a mass recited for all fallen and missing in the Cathedral of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the unveiling of the memorial plaque to the nurses and paramedics participants of the Homeland War.
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