A real hero is someone who gets up even when he can't.

Stjepan

Dino

Although he was wounded and tortured, he continued to fight for his homeland.

Stjepan Herbut was a native of Vukovar. He worked at the Borovo factory in Vukovar, and joined the defense of his hometown immediately after the outbreak of aggression. He was wounded at the beginning of October 1991, and then he was captured. He was tortured in several enemy camps. At first he was taken to the Stajićevo camp, then he was moved to Srijemska Mitrovica and finally to Novi Sad.

His wife and son arrived in Rovinj in the nineties as exiles from Vukovar. Stjepan was finally released in a prisoner exchange in January 1992. After being discharged from the hospital where he was treated for the consequences of abuse in the camp, he comes to Rovinj to join his family. After treatment, he was diagnosed with a high degree of disability. Despite this, he applied for inclusion in the units of the Croatian Army. Although his health was impaired, he was a soldier of the 9th Guards Brigade Vukovi with whom he participated in several important operations, among which the "Storm" operation stands out.

He was awarded several times for his courage and self-sacrifice. He died as a result of war activities and abuse in the camp on the way to Gospić Hospital. In 1997, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Zrinski and Frankopan with a gilded braid.

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