Background
Blago Zadro was born in the small village of Donji Mamići near Grude in Herzegovina.
Blago Zadro was born in the small village of Donji Mamići near Grude in Herzegovina.
His family moved to Borovo Naselje in 1954 where he graduated high school and started working in the Borovo combine.
He was killed in an attack by Serb forces in the town of Borovo Naselje. He had a job mixing chemicals and rubber. After his department was closed, he spent three months in the reorganized Croatian police force.
Zadro became active in politics during Croatia"s first democratic elections in 1990.
He founded a branch of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for Municipality of Vukovar and became the vice president of the HDZ in Vukovar. He joined the defense corps when the war started.
Because of its importance, the road became primary target for JNA tank units attacking the city and it became known as the Tank Graveyard due to actions of Zadro"s anti-tank rocket groups Yellow Ants and Turbo platoon which fought off many tank attacks, notably a single incident on 18 September when an entire battalion of about 60 tanks and armored personnel carriers was ambushed and destroyed there. Zadro was killed by Serb forces on 16 October 1991.
His body was recovered and buried by his unit
When the Serb forces surrendered the city, his body was removed and remained missing until 1998, when it was found along with the bodies of 937 other victims from a mass grave in Borovo Naselje. After his death, he was promoted to the rank of major general. President of Sabor Vladimir Šeks stated "without heroes like Blago Zadro, there would be no free Croatia".
A commemoration for him is held every year on the anniversary of his death in Vukovar, attended by many former comrades and political dignitaries.
The main street in Borovo Naselje and a military school in Zagreb have been named after him. A street in Grude was named after him and in his birth village Donji Mamići was placed a monument in his tribute.
Zadro"s unit was assigned to defend the vital Trpinjska cesta (Trpinja road), an open road leading directly into Vukovar.