Emil Uzelac
Emil Uzelac , also Milan Uzelac , (born August 26, 1867 in Komárom , † January 7, 1954 in Petrinja , Yugoslavia ) led the establishment of the air forces of Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the independent state of Croatia.
Life
Emil Uzelac was born the son of a small farmer. He grew up on his parents' farm in Svarca , Croatia . After joining the Austro-Hungarian armed forces , he graduated from the Kuk Technical Military Academy , was then promoted to lieutenant on August 18, 1888 and transferred to the 2nd Genie Battalion. During his stay in the garrisons of Pola and Trieste , he carried out electrical engineering studies and passed exams at the nautical academy in Trieste, where he also received the rank of lieutenant in the merchant navy. On November 1, 1898, he was promoted to captain. In 1900 he was transferred to the genius direction in Klagenfurt with the promotion to major on May 1, 1908.
On April 24, 1912 he was appointed head of the airship department from which the Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops (LFT) emerged. Throughout his life he was interested in technical progress, especially in the development of aircraft "heavier than air". He acquired the license within a very short time. After that, he took every opportunity to test new aircraft for the LFT. On May 1, 1912, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. On August 29, he was promoted to colonel . During the First World War he was forbidden to fly close to the front because of his position. Nevertheless, he used his visits to the flying companies for traffic patrols.
In 1917, Emperor Karl introduced the new post of Inspector General of the Air Force and filled it with Colonel Uzelac and Archduke Joseph Ferdinand . On May 1, 1918, he was promoted to major general. On September 30, 1918, his post as General Inspector was terminated during the last restructuring of the Austro-Hungarian Air Force and subordinated to the newly introduced post of Chief of Aviation at the Army High Command, which Major General Otto Ellison von Nidlef took over on October 1, 1918 .
After the First World War he settled in Petrinja. He became a general in the new Royal Yugoslav Air Force. One of his first tasks was to translate Austrian regulations and technical manuals. He was also responsible for the procurement of new aircraft.
When Croatia was an independent state during the Second World War , Uzelac commanded its air force.
Awards
- Austrian Military Merit Cross
- Duke of Saxony-Ernestine House Order
- Cross of Honor of the Second Class (Prussia)
- Order of the Iron Crown III. class
- Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold with war decoration
- Ottoman Mecidiye Order II class
- Iron Cross 2nd class
- Order of the Iron Crown II class with war decoration
- Iron Cross 1st class
- Cross of Merit II. Class with war decorations and swords
literature
- Christopher Chant, Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1, Osprey Publishing
- Reinhard Karl Desoye: The Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops - The emergence, construction and organization of the Austro-Hungarian Army Air Force 1912–1918 , Diplomica Verlag, Hamburg 1999 ISBN 978-3-8386-2914-8
Web links
- Glenn Jewison: Emil (Milan) Uzelac (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Reinhard Karl Desoye: The Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops - The Origin, Development and Organization of the Austro-Hungarian Army Air Force 1912–1918 pp. 113–114
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Uzelac, Emil |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Uzelac, Milan |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Austrian officer, air force commander |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 26, 1867 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Komarno |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 7, 1954 |
| Place of death | Petrinja , Yugoslavia |