Cvitan Galić: Difference between revisions

Cvitan Galić
Cvitan Galić
Born	29 November 1909; Gorica, Grude, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary
Died	6 April 1944 (aged 34); Banja Luka, Independent State of Croatia
Buried	Mirogoj Cemetery
Allegiance	Kingdom of Yugoslavia; Independent State of Croatia; Nazi Germany
Years of service	1932–1944
Rank	Captain
Spouse(s)	Ana Vocel

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 03:26, 6 April 2024

Cvitan Galić (29 November 1909 – 6 April 1944) was a Croatian World War II fighter ace.

Born in the village of Gorica near Grude, in present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Galić finished grade school in the town of Sovići. In 1927 he joined the Royal Yugoslav Air Force completing pilot training with 7. Vazduhoplovni Puk (VP - aviation regiment) at Mostar on 1 November 1930.^[1]

During the German-led invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Galić serving with the Mostar-based III. PS. The following month, Galić flew to Sinj where he joined the newly formed Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia. He joined the Croatian Air Force Legion and went to Fürth near Nürnberg for special training before going to the Eastern Front as part of 15 (kroat.)/JG 52, a Croat staffel attached to Jagdgeschwader 52 of the Luftwaffe. Flying a Bf 109E-4, he scored his first victory on 2 March 1942, a R-10 shot down over Magnitovka.

By June 1943 Galić had scored 38 confirmed air victories and had completed 2 tours with the Croatian Air Force Legion. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 23 June 1943. From Germany he also received the Iron Cross 1st Class and 2nd Class. He received the Ante Pavelić Award for Bravery which gave him the title of vitez (knight).

He was killed by strafing Spitfire IXs of No.2 Squadron SAAF South African Air Force on 6 April 1944 at Zalužani airfield near Banja Luka when a bomb hit his Morane-Saulnier M.S.406. He had just moments earlier landed after completing a patrol and was in the act of leaving the cockpit when the attack occurred.^[1] He was buried at Mirogoj Cemetery, but his grave was destroyed by the Yugoslav Partisans in 1945.

In 439 sorties Galić claimed a DB-3, Pe-2, Spitfire and R-10, two MDR 6 flying boats, five Il-2s, four MiG-ls, four I-153s, five I-16s, five MiG-3s and nine LaGG-3s.

References

Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49, Oxford, 2002 ISBN 1-84176-435-3.

^ ^a ^b Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces -49, Oxford, 2002.

[:0-1] Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces -49, Oxford, 2002.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox military person
 | name          = Cvitan Galić
-| image         =
+| image         = Cvitan Galic.JPG
 | caption       =
-| born          = {{Birth date|1909|11|29}}
+| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1909|11|29|df=y}}
-| died          = {{Death date and age|1944|04|06|1909|11|29}}
+| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1944|04|06|1909|11|29|df=y}}
 | placeofburial_label =
 | placeofburial = [[Mirogoj Cemetery]]
+| birth_place   = [[Gorica, Grude]], [[Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Austria-Hungary]]
-| placeofbirth  = [[Ljubuški]]
-| placeofdeath  = [[Banja Luka]]
+| death_place   = [[Banja Luka]], [[Independent State of Croatia]]
 | placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
 | nickname      =
-| parents       =
-| brothers      =
-| sisters       =
 | spouse        = Ana Vocel
-| sons          =
+| laterwork     =
-| sisters       =
+| known_for     =
+| allegiance    = [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]]<br>[[Independent State of Croatia]]<br>[[Nazi Germany]]
-| laterwork     =
-| known_for     =
+| branch        =
+| serviceyears  = 1932–1944
-| allegiance    = [[Yugoslav Royal Air Force]]<br>[[Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia|Croatian Battle Air Force]]
-| branch        =
+| rank          = Captain
-| serviceyears  =
+| servicenumber =
-| rank          =
+| unit          =
-| servicenumber =
+| commands      =
-| unit          =
+| battles       =
+| battles_label =
-| commands      =
-| battles       =
+| awards        =
-| battles_label =
-| awards        =
 }}
-'''Cvitan Galić''' (born on November 29, 1909 – died on April 6, 1944) was a [[Croatia]]n [[World War II]] [[fighter ace]].
+'''Cvitan Galić''' (29 November 1909 – 6 April 1944) was a [[Croatia]]n [[World War II]] [[fighter ace]].
-Galić was born on November 29, 1909 in the village of Gorica near [[Ljubuški]]. He finished grade school in the town of [[Sovići]]. In the late 1920's he was transferred to the [[Yugoslav Royal Air Force]] and finished its pilot academy in [[Mostar]] by 1932.
+Born in the village of Gorica near [[Grude]], in present-day [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], Galić finished grade school in the town of [[Sovići]]. In 1927 he joined the [[Yugoslav Royal Air Force|Royal Yugoslav Air Force]] completing pilot training with 7. ''Vazduhoplovni Puk'' (VP - aviation regiment) at [[Mostar]] on 1 November 1930.<ref name=":0" />
-During the [[April War]], he was in Kosor near Mostar. He flew to Sinj where he joined the newly formed [[Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia]]. He joined the [[Croatian Air Force Legion]] and went to [[Fürth]] near [[Nürnberg]] for special training before going to the Eastern Front as part of 15 (kroat.)/JG 52, a Croat ''staffel'' attached to [[Jagdgeschwader 52]] of the Luftwaffe.
+During the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia|German-led invasion of Yugoslavia]] in April 1941, Galić serving with the Mostar-based III. PS. The following month, Galić flew to [[Sinj]] where he joined the newly formed [[Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia]]. He joined the [[Croatian Air Force Legion]] and went to [[Fürth]] near [[Nürnberg]] for special training before going to the Eastern Front as part of 15 (kroat.)/JG 52, a Croat ''staffel'' attached to [[Jagdgeschwader 52]] of the Luftwaffe.  Flying a Bf 109E-4, he scored his first victory on 2 March 1942, a R-10 shot down over Magnitovka.
-Galić had scored 38 confirmed air victories and had completed 2 tours with the Croatian Air Force Legion.<ref>[http://www.briandunning.com/aces/ Top Scoring Fighter Aces]</ref> He was awarded the [[German Cross]] in Gold on June 23, 1943.<ref>[http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=898 Foreign holders of the German Cross in Gold]</ref> From Germany he also received the [[Iron Cross]] 1st Class and 2nd Class.<ref>[http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/related/axis_allies/croatia_main.htm Independent State of Croatia]</ref> He received the Ante Pavelić Award for Bravery which gave him the title of ''vitez'' (knight).
+By June 1943 Galić had scored 38 confirmed air victories and had completed 2 tours with the Croatian Air Force Legion. He was awarded the [[German Cross]] in Gold on 23 June 1943. From Germany he also received the [[Iron Cross]] 1st Class and 2nd Class. He received the [[Medal of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić for Bravery|Ante Pavelić Award for Bravery]] which gave him the title of ''vitez'' (knight).
-He was killed by Spitfires of the [[South African Air Force]] on April 6, 1944 at Zalužani airfield near [[Banja Luka]] when a bomb hit his [[Morane-Saulnier M.S.406]].<ref>[http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/axisalliesbg_1.htm Late-War Bf 109s of the Axis Allies: Part One - Croatia]</ref> He had just moments earlier landed after completing a patrol and was in the act of leaving the cockpit when the attack occurred.<ref>Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces -49, Oxford, 2002.</ref> He was buried at [[Mirogoj Cemetery]], but his grave was destroyed by the [[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisans]] in 1945.
+He was killed by strafing Spitfire IXs of No.2 Squadron SAAF [[South African Air Force]] on 6 April 1944 at Zalužani airfield near [[Banja Luka]] when a bomb hit his [[Morane-Saulnier M.S.406]]. He had just moments earlier landed after completing a patrol and was in the act of leaving the cockpit when the attack occurred.<ref name=":0">Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces -49, Oxford, 2002.</ref> He was buried at [[Mirogoj Cemetery]], but his grave was destroyed by the [[Yugoslav Partisans]] in 1945.
+In 439 sorties Galić claimed a DB-3, Pe-2, Spitfire and R-10, two MDR 6 flying boats, five Il-2s, four MiG-ls, four I-153s, five I-16s, five MiG-3s and nine LaGG-3s.
 == References ==
-* Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49, Oxford, 2002 ISBN 1 84176 435 3.
+* Savic, D. and Ciglic, B. Croatian Aces of World War II Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49, Oxford, 2002 {{ISBN|1-84176-435-3}}.
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist|30em}}
-==External links==
-*[http://www.vojska.net/hrv/zivotopis/g/galic/cvitan/ Cvitan Galić at Vojska.net]
-*[http://www.acc.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=10532 Biographies : VLADO LENOCH<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.acc.af.mil
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Galic, Cvitan
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = November 29, 1909
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Ljubuški]]
-| DATE OF DEATH     = April 6, 1944
-| PLACE OF DEATH    = [[Banja Luka]]
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Galic, Cvitan}}
-[[Category:Recipients of the German Cross]]
-[[Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross]]
-[[Category:Croatian Home Guard personnel]]
 [[Category:1909 births]]
 [[Category:1944 deaths]]
+[[Category:People from Grude]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić for Bravery]]
+[[Category:Royal Yugoslav Army personnel of World War II]]
+[[Category:Croatian Home Guard personnel killed in action]]
 [[Category:Croatian World War II pilots]]
-[[Category:Croatian military personnel killed in World War II]]
+[[Category:Deaths by South African airstrikes during World War II]]
-{{WWII-bio-stub}}
-{{Croatia-bio-stub}}
-[[es:Cvitan Galić]]
-[[hr:Cvitan Galić]]
-[[it:Cvitan Galić]]
-[[pl:Cvitan Galić]]