Milan Spasić
| Milan Spasić | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
November 8, 1909 Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbia |
| Died | April 17, 1941 (aged 31) Bay of Kotor, Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| Allegiance | Yugoslav Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1932–1941 |
| Rank | Naval Lieutenant |
| Unit | The destroyer Zagreb |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Yugoslavia (World War II) |
| Awards | People's Hero of Yugoslavia |
Milan Spasić (November 8, 1909 – April 17, 1941) was a naval Lieutenant of the Royal Yugoslav Navy. During the April War, Spasić, along with his fellow Lieutenant Sergej Mašera, scuttled the destroyer Zagreb in the Bay of Kotor near Tivat to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Italian Royal Navy. Both Spasić and Mašera died in the scuttling.
Milan Spasić was born in 1909 in Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbia. He completed both elementary and high school education in his hometown, graduating in 1929 with many honors. He later enrolled in the Naval Military Academy (VII class) in Dubrovnik alongside Sergej Mašera, who would later turn out to be a future comrade. After graduating from the academy in 1932, he continued in his academic studies.
At the time of outbreak of the April War in 1941, Spasić was a lieutenant on the destroyer Zagreb stationed in Dobrota (Bay of Kotor). He was the officer in charge of the ship's torpedoes and mines. Zagreb and the destroyers Beograd and Dubrovnik were the most recent Royal Yugoslav Navy ships at that time. On the 6th of April, they were the target of an air attack by five Regia Aeronautica bombers. The bay was under attack by Italian aircraft once again on April 13, but the bombing did not damage Zagreb. Later, on the 15th of April, the Yugoslav Royal Army asked for a truce. The crews of the ships stationed in the Bay of Kotor were instructed not to open fire on the Axis forces and to surrender peacefully. They were also ordered to not destroy anything.
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