Croatian 104th Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 104th Brigade was a unit of the Croatian Army that existed during the Croatian War of Independence
.
on May 8, 1991, and officially activated as of July 2, 1991. Operations were undertaken in September 1991 as part of blockades of the Yugoslav People's Army
at Varaždin
, which remains the home of the brigade.
The brigade undertook front line combat duty against Serbian forces in October 1991 and operated there into December 1992, suffering 174 casualties (29 dead). Operations in 1993 resulted in a further 13 casualties (1 dead). 8,500 soldiers served in the brigade from 1991 to 1993.
After demobilization, the brigade became a recruit training unit.
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
.
History
The 104th was formed as part of the Croatian National GuardCroatian National Guard
The Croatian National Guard was the name of the first modern Croatian military force. Croatian president Franjo Tuđman signed to law the Decree of Formation of the Croatian National Guard on April 20, 1991 which became the first professional armed forces with defence and training duties.These...
on May 8, 1991, and officially activated as of July 2, 1991. Operations were undertaken in September 1991 as part of blockades of the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
at Varaždin
Varaždin
Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
, which remains the home of the brigade.
The brigade undertook front line combat duty against Serbian forces in October 1991 and operated there into December 1992, suffering 174 casualties (29 dead). Operations in 1993 resulted in a further 13 casualties (1 dead). 8,500 soldiers served in the brigade from 1991 to 1993.
After demobilization, the brigade became a recruit training unit.
Operations
- VaraždinVaraždinVaraždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
barracks blockade, September, 1991 - KalnikKalnikKalnik is a municipality in the Koprivnica-Križevci County in Croatia. According to the 2011 census, there are 1,361 inhabitants in the area.-References:...
partisan barracks blockade, September, 1991 - BjelovarBjelovarBjelovar is a city in central Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Bjelovar-Bilogora County. During the 2001 census, there were 41,869 inhabitants, 90.51% which are Croats....
barracks blockadeBattle of the BarracksBattle of the barracks - sometimes also called War for the barracks - is a term given to a series of engagements that took place throughout Croatia as part of the Croatian War of Independence during 1991, with the most important fighting in September...
, 1991 - NuštarNuštarNuštar is a village in eastern Croatia, located northeast of Vinkovci and west of Vukovar, on the route D55. The population of Nuštar is 3,639, with a total of 5,772 people in the municipality, which also includes the nearby villages of Cerić and Marinci .90.79% declare themselves Croats...
, SlavoniaSlavoniaSlavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
front-line duty, October, 1991 - LipikLipik-Settlements:The settlements included in the administrative area of Lipik include:* Antunovac, population 365* Bjelanovac, population 10* Brekinska, population 126* Brezine, population 223* Bujavica, population 33* Bukovčani, population 16...
-PakracPakracPakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,852, total municipality population 8,482 . Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina.-Name:...
front-line duty, November, 1991 - July, 1992 - PosavinaPosavinaPosavina is a Slavic name for the region of the Sava river basin in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia that is adjacent or near the Sava river itself.-History:...
front-line duty, to July, 1993 - Operation StormOperation StormOperation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
, 1995
People
- Major Mirko Druško, 2nd Battalion Commander
- Colonel Ivan Matoković, Brigade Commander from 1994
- Major Vjeran Rožić, Brigade Commander 1993 to 1994
- Colonel Ivan Rukljić, Brigade Commander to December 15, 1992