96th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment

A Soko 522 converted into monument to 423rd Assault Aviation Regiment in village Gospođinci.

The unit was established on December 9 1944, in Ruma, from Yugoslav partisan aviators with the Soviet Air Force 17th Air Army's 167th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment (167.GShAP). It became independent from Soviet command and personnel in May 1945. The regiment was part of the 42nd Aviation Assault Division, and was equipped with Soviet Il-2 Shturmovik ground-attack aircraft. The regiment took part in final operations for the liberation of Yugoslavia. During combat operations it was based at Ruma, Gospođinci, Bački Brestovac, Ilinovac, Velika Gorica/Pleso and Ljubljana airfields.

After the war the regiment moved to Pleso.

By 1948 this regiment was renamed like all other units of the Yugoslav Army, becoming the 96th Assault Aviation Regiment.[1]

The 96th Assault Aviation Regiment was formed by renaming the 423rd Assault Aviation Regiment at Pleso airport as part of the 37th Aviation Division. By 1949 the regiment moved to Lučko near Zagreb, and in 1952 it was relocated to Cerklje, where it remained until it was disbanded. In 1954 the Il-2s were replaced by US-built F-47D Thunderbolt fighters. The regiment was renamed the 96th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 96. lovačko-bombarderski avijacijski puk / 96. ловачко-бомбардерски авијацијски пук).

It was disbanded on October 22 1959.[2]