Josip Among the First to Enter Liberated Knin
Josip Bebek, president of the Association of Veterans of the 4th Guards Brigade 'Pauci', recalled the historic August 5, 1995, for RTL Danas.
Josip Bebek, president of the Association of Veterans of the 4th Guards Brigade 'Pauci', recalled the historic August 5, 1995, for RTL Danas.
On this day 31 years ago, August 5, 1995, the Croatian Army liberated Knin in the military-police operation Storm. Among the first to enter the city was Josip Bebek, now president of the Association of Veterans of the 4th Guards Brigade 'Pauci' of Šibenik-Knin County. In an interview with RTL Danas, he shared his memories of those fateful moments, describing incredible enthusiasm but also a surprising disappointment.
Bebek recalled that the operation began from the direction of Bosansko Grahovo, and as a non-commissioned officer at the time, he was not aware of the final objective. "We set off from the direction of Bosansko Grahovo. Literally, as a non-commissioned officer in the Croatian Army, I didn't know we were going to Knin, that we were liberating Knin. I thought we were going on another operation and then we'd continue," he told RTL Danas.
The unit then began to approach the city. "We moved about three kilometers toward Knin. At 5 a.m. on August 4, the artillery preparation began. We were targeting a hill called Igla," Bebek described. Only last year did he learn of the tragic cost of taking that hill. "Unfortunately, last year I found out that two members of the 7th Guards Brigade, which took that hill, died there, and they are the true heroes of the Homeland War, while I am just your interviewee," he emphasized with respect.
After taking the hill during the day, they waited for darkness to advance further. "When it got dark, we moved further toward the Croatian border. Honestly, I can't remember the name of the place where we stationed. I know we were on the right, and on our left was the artillery of the 7th Guards Brigade. On the morning of the 5th, at 4:45 a.m., the operation began," Bebek recounted.
When asked by the journalist what it felt like to enter Knin on August 5, 1995, he gave an answer that vividly captures the determination of Croatian defenders: "If the American army had stood in front of us then, we would have entered Knin, because there was such enthusiasm, joy, and pride when we learned we were going to Knin. It couldn't be compared to anything. We would have entered even if the whole brigade had to carry us, but we would have entered."
Despite the immense euphoria and readiness for anything, entering Knin also brought him disappointment. "What disappointed me was that when we arrived, I thought there would be fighting in Knin, but we didn't fight; we entered a half-empty city," Bebek said. He also highlighted what he is particularly proud of.
He emphasized that the 4th and 7th Guards Brigades did not kill anyone after entering Knin. "A day or two later, to be honest, we moved toward Srb. We left a clean city," Bebek concluded his testimony for RTL Danas.
