Rudolf Perešin

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Rudolf Perešin (1958-1995), a Croatian fighter pilot in the Yugoslav People's Army, defected from Željava Air Base to Klagenfurt, Austria in 1991, during reconnaissance flight because he wanted to help his homeland Croatia during the Croatian War of Independence. He was the first pilot to leave JNA due to disapproval of war.

He was born in the village of Jakšinec, Gornja Stubica near the Croatian capital of Zagreb. He entered Military Pilot Academy in Zadar, Croatia. He graduated in 1981 with outstanding scores at the top of his class as one of the best fighter pilots of JNA.

[edit] Return to Croatia

In 1990, as the JNA was quietly preparing for aggression on Croatia he, unlike most pilots, refused point blank to join Communist Alliance of Yugoslavia. He decided to defect to help defend his homeland, realising how risky that plan was. Like all Croatian born personnel, he was under close surveillance. That did little to discourage him and on October 25, 1991, he flew over to Austria after shaking off his escort.

Croats recognize him as one of the greatest heroes of the war, his defection dealing a powerful blow to the morale and political agendas of the aggressor while simultaneously giving a huge boost to morale, defiance and pride to Croats, who were fighting for their freedom against seemingly hopeless odds. After landing in Klagenfurt, he said one of the most memorable things of the war, equally boosting Croatian morale, explaining his action: "I am a Croat and I cannot and will not fire upon my Croatia".

The MiG-21 he used to defect can be viewed in front of the military museum in Vienna. On the May 2, 1995 while providing close air support to Croatian Army during Operation Flash he was shot down over Stara Gradiška by VRS Army Triple A. He was buried with full military honors in Mirogoj cemetery of Zagreb.

Today, Croatian Air Force Flight School in Zadar and Aviation High School in Velika Gorica are both named in his honor.