The BATAJNICA airport no longer bears that name, as of today it bears name of a HERO
From now on, Batajnica military airport will bear a new name, Military Airport „Colonel-pilot Milenko Pavlovic“, after a famous officer who was killed during NATO bombing. Pilot Milenko Pavlovic, commander of the 204th fighter aircraft squadron, died as a hero while defending his country during NATO aggression in 1999. He died on May 4th, 1999 in the MiG-29 fighter aircraft, not far from his native town of Valjevo. As web portal TangoSix reveals, the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces made a decision to change the name of the airport on June 6th, and it has already come into force. The Republic of Serbia has awarded him with the Order of Courage, and Serbian Orthodox Church has presented the Order of the Holly Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic to his family for act of courage. His colleagues who were with him before he took off said that Pavlovic asked his deputy to keep his younger colleague at any cost, so that he can fly by himself, following an order to engage in battle with NATO aircrafts. At the time, they said, he approached the aircraft and said: „You are just kids, you are not going to die, I will!“ Then he pulled young co-pilot out of the cockpit and took off by himself. A street that leads to Batajnica airport was named after him, while 101st fighter squadron named one MiG-29 aircraft after him. Batajnica airport is the biggest military airport in former Yugoslavia.
Izvor: Tangosix/B92
Foto: YT/Screenshot
