Johan Pitka

Rear Admiral Sir Johan Pitka
Johan Pitka in 1920.
Born	February 19, 1872 Jalgsema, Estonia
Died	September 1944 (aged 72) unknown
Allegiance	Estonia
Service/branch	Estonian Navy
Years of service	1918–1920
Rank	Kontradmiral
Battles/wars	Estonian War of Independence World War II
Awards	Cross of Liberty (Estonia) Order of St Michael and St George Order of Lāčplēsis Order of the Cross of the Eagle

Johan Pitka, VR I/1, KCMG (19 February 1872 in Jalgsema, Järva County, Estonia – disappeared September 1944 in Läänemaa, Estonia) was a famous Estonian military commander from the Estonian War of Independence until World War II.

Pitka studied at Käsmu, Kuressaare and Paldiski marine schools and became a Master Mariner. From 1889 to 1907 he worked on sailing ships. In 1895 he was on the first sailing ship to transit Germany's Kiel Canal. From 1904-11, he lived in Great Britain. After the beginning of the 1917 Russian Revolution Pitka became active in society and started organizing returning Estonian soldiers who fought in the Russian Army during World War I. After the communists sentenced him to death he was forced to go underground. When the Germans occupied Estonia in 1918, Pitka began to organize the Defence League.

In the Estonian War of Independence, the Defence League was one of the main forces of the Republic of Estonia, and at that time Pitka started organizing armored trains. The first one was ready 10 days after the start of the war, and the second became ready two weeks later. In total, five armored trains were built during the war, and they played a crucial role in the Estonian victory. Many called Pitka the "father of armored trains" for this.