Little Red Riding Hood, after the red beret
The story of the Bogdanova anti-armor star. Red Riding Hood destroyed as many as four enemy tanks with his hand thrower in one day!
Žarko was born in the family of Vinko and Ana, hard workers. He was an only son, very communicative and hardworking. Before the war, he worked at Tehnomechanika.
Already in June 1991, Žarko, a native of Zagreb, joined the defense of his homeland. At first he was a member of the HOS forces, and then he fought in the 204th Brigade of the Croatian Army. He fought on the Vukovar battlefield.
Žarko was very loved by his comrades. They always said that he was cheerful, talkative and open. They told how his military name "Red Riding Hood" was given to him by the women from the medical service after his cap. Namely, Žarko would always wear his red beret on the battlefield.
Žarko participated in the defense of Bogdanovac. His comrade Damir Radnić told how Crvenkapa was the anti-armor star of Bogdanov. He destroyed the first tank and immediately continued. According to the story of his comrades, on October 2, Red Riding Hood "killed" as many as four T-55 tanks with his hand launcher!
About two hundred defenders of Bogdanovac destroyed fifty enemy tanks and a thousand members of enemy units in a week. However, on the fateful October 10, the soldiers ran out of ammunition.
They had to retreat. The only way out was to break through the enemy ring towards Vinkovci. Bogdanovci was surrounded by minefields and densely deployed enemy. It is estimated that only about a hundred veterans managed to reach Vinkovci...
Posthumously, Žarko Manjkas earned the rank of captain in the Croatian Army. He was awarded the Order of Petr Zrinski and Frane Krsto Frankopan, as well as the Homeland War Memorial.
