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Mihailovic, Dragoljub Draza

Date of birth:
April 26th, 1893 (Ivanjica, Kingdom of Serbia)
Date of death:
July 17th, 1946 (Belgrado, People's Republic of Yugoslavia)
Nationality:
Yugoslav

Biography

Chetnik general during the Second World War. Executed by the communists.

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Awarded on:
1913

Silver variant
Medalja za hrabrost
Awarded on:
1913
Military Cross (MC)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1918

With swords
Officer's Cross of the Order of the White Eagle
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1920
Spomenica rata za osloboaenje i ujedinjenje 1914-1918
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1920

With swords
Knight's Cross of the Order of the White Eagle
Awarded on:
1928

Gold variant
Medalja za hrabrost
Awarded on:
1928
Order of St. Sava 4th Class
Awarded on:
1933
Order of the Crown 4th Class
Awarded on:
1937
Rad Bileho lva III Class
Awarded on:
1937
Order of the Crown 3rd Class
Awarded on:
1939
Tsarski Orden
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
March 27th, 1942
Order of the Karadorde's Star
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
February 2nd, 1943
“General of the Army Drazha Mihailovic, Legendary hero, symbol of the purest patriotism and the highest Yugoslav military virtues, never ceased to fight on the soil of his occupied homeland. With the help of his patriots, he constantly fought occupying army, preparing this way the final assault that will bring the liberation of his country and whole World side by side with those who never have accepted that one large country can submit itself to a brutal invader.”

Awarded by Charles de Gaulle
Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
June 14th, 1943
The decoration and personal letter from Sikorski were captured by the Germans before it could reach Mihailovic.
Order Odrodzenia Polski Wielki
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
March 29th, 1948
"General Dragoljub Draza Mihailovic distinguished himself in an outstanding manner as Commander-in-Chief of the Yugoslavian Army Forces and later as Minister of War by organizing and leading important resistance forces against the enemy which occupied Yugoslavia, from December 1941 to December 1944. Through the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General Mihailovich and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied victory.”

Posthumously awarded
Legion of Merit - Chief Commander (LoM - CC)

Sources

  • Photo: Public domain - Wikimedia Commons
  • - General Mihailovich medals | Pogledi
    - Miloslav Samardžić: General Draža Mihailović i OPŠTA istoriia četničkog pokreta/General Draža Mihailović and the general history of the Chetnik movement. 2 vols 4 Ed Novi pogledi, Kragujevac, 2005