Unit Name: | 501st Celebrated Mountain Brigade of ARBiH |
Dates: | 1992-1995 |
Country: | Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Garrison: | Eastern Bihać |
Commander1: | Senad Sarganović |
The 501st Celebrated Mountain Brigade was formed on July 19, 1992, as the First Bihać Infantry Brigade in Kamenica near Bihać, with the aim of defending Bihać and its surroundings from Serbian attacks. Although the brigade had no problems with the number of men, the main problem of this brigade and the entire Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the lack of weapons and military equipment, despite its contribution during the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was extremely significant and large.
The 501st Celebrated Mountain Brigade was formed on July 19, 1992, at the very beginning of the attack by Bosnian Serb paramilitary formations on the besieged Bihać district, which gained its true shape and intensity in the following days. The brigade was composed of young volunteers from the Bihać municipality and new refugees from the surrounding occupied territory. When forming the brigade, it consisted of:
On the day of the formation, there were 85 officiers, 125 non-commissioned officers and 1131 fighters.
The brigade was formed shortly after the first attacks on the city of Bihać, and the first combat tasks were to defend the first line of defense around Bihać. During the first half of the war, the brigade did not have significant offensive actions, the main actions were of a defensive nature with the aim of preventing the city from falling into the hands of the aggressors. Significant operations in which the brigade gave its contribution were the liberation of Grabež, Ripče, and other settlements in Operation Grabež 94, followed by operations: Winter 94, Morning, Spider, Ripač 95, Sana 95.
The Brigade had 307 dead, 1763 wounded, 69 missing or captured and 518 injured or a total of 2657 fighters and elders. 29 fighters and elders are "Zlatni Ljiljani" - recipients of the Order of the Golden Lily.