Vlado Bagat

Vlado Bagat (October 20, 1915 – June 1, 1944) was a Croatian and Yugoslav soldier.

A native of Split, Bagat joined Communist Party of Yugoslavia in 1939. After Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941, Bagat was involved in creation of first Partisan units in Dalmatia and took part in actions against Italian occupation force. In 1943, after capitulation of Italy and during German counteroffensive, as a political commissar of 4th Naval Sector he supervised successful evacuation of Partisan units and civilian refugees from Dalmatian coast to islands and Allied-controlled Italy. In May 1944, as political commissar of 2nd Naval Sector, he thwarted German attempt to destroy Partisan units on island of Krk. Upon a return from his mission, he was killed in an ambush by German forces on the island of Olib.

Posthumously he received a title of People's Hero of Yugoslavia. After the war a sewing-machine factory in Zadar and an elementary school in Split was named after him. (School in Split was renamed to Pojisan Elementary School after the war in Croatia) A memorial on the island of Olib, to mark the spot of his death, was also removed during the Croatian war for independence.