Petar Gračanin | |
---|---|
Born | 22 June 1923 Jagodina, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes |
Died | 27 June 2004 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro |
(aged 81)
Allegiance | Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
Service/branch |
Yugoslav People's Army Ground Forces Yugoslav Army Yugoslav Ground Forces (1999) |
Years of service | 1941–1985 1999 |
Rank |
Colonel General, JNA General of the Army, JA |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Order of National Hero of Yugoslavia |
Other work | President of the Presidency of Serbia |
Petar Gračanin (Serbian Cyrillic: Петар Грачанин; 22 June 1923 in Jagodina, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes – 27 June 2004 in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro) - was a Serbian military commander in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
In July 1941 he joined the Yugoslav Partisans. After the formation of the 2nd Proletarian Brigade, in March 1942, at first he was a member and later the commander of a battalion. He was promoted to his first military rank in 1943. In April 1944 he was wounded and transferred to Italy. In 1945, he became Chief of Staff in OZNA for Morava administrative center. A year later in 1946 he became commander of a tank brigade, Chief of Staff, deputy commander of an armored division and Chief of Staff of School center armored-mechanic units.
He graduated at the military аcademy.
As Federal Secretary of the People's Defense, he was chief of the section, and chief of staff of the section for personal authority. In the 7th Army he was chief of staff and deputy commander. He was also chief of staff of the Command-headquarters academy (1974–1978), and later he was assigned as commander of the 1st Army. He was chosen as a member of the CP SKJ in 1978 and 1982. He was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1970, Lieutenant General in 1974, and Colonel General in 1978.
He was chief of the General Staff of Yugoslav People's Army from 5 May 1982 to 1 September 1985.
His active military service ended on 31 December 1985. After that he was in high state positions such as:
President of Presidency of SR Serbia (1987–1989)
Federal Secretary of the Interior (1989–1991)