Omer O. ISIĆ

OMER ISIĆ, son of OMER, born in 1923* in Gornje Gnojnice near Mostar, a farmer. He joined the People’s Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments on February 14, 1945, in the 10th Herzegovinian Brigade. A fighter, he died in the battles fought by the units of the 29th Herzegovinian Division from March 5 to 8, 1945, at Ivan-sedlo*. These battles were described as “the toughest and bloodiest of all that the Division had fought in its nearly two-year-long war path”:

“The enemy’s persistence and firepower density, the unfamiliarity with frontal conflicts (in dense formations) and the natural environment, the lack of tools for digging trenches, the cold and frost on snow over 2 meters deep, as well as difficulties in supply (no warm meal could be delivered to the positions), the evacuation of the wounded, and the lack of sleep – these were extremely harsh obstacles that the fighters faced. The significance of Ivan-sedlo as a key position, the density of events in a narrow area, and their dramatic nature led the fighters – once again – to attempt to exceed their own capabilities. In doing so, they demonstrated exceptional valor, comradeship, and solidarity. During these three days, according to incomplete reports from brigade headquarters, 58 fighters and non-commissioned officers were killed, 184 were wounded, and there were about twenty severely frostbitten cases. The enemy losses were estimated at 410 dead and over 500 wounded, and enemy reports also mention a large number of frostbite cases. The recorded spoils include 110 rifles, 7 submachine guns, 2 machine guns, 2 81mm mortars, about 1000 hand grenades, about 1000 mortar shells, around 20,000 rifle rounds, and other items.” A nurse named Zdenka Karačić also died in the same battles.

*According to the information from the book “Spomenica Mostara 1941-1945.” Omer Isić was born in 1923, and according to the book “29th Herzegovinian Division,” Omer was killed at Ivan-sedlo.