MONUMENT UNVEILED IN MEMORY OF FOUR KILLED AIR FORCE MEMBERS

( Editorial: --> 5277 ) OTOK, Dec 2 (Hina) - A monument was unveiled and a memorial park opened in Otok near Vinkovci on Tuesday on the sixth anniversary of the death of four members of the first Osijek air force platoon - Rade Griva, Ante Plazibat, Mirko Vukusic and Marko Zivkovic.. The monument was unveiled by a Croatian Parliament Deputy Speaker, Vladimir Seks, who spoke about the importance of Croatia's struggle for independence. He called on the gathered to venerate those who gave their lives for Croatia. Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, the military ordinary who blessed the monument, said that the monument showed a cross as the symbol of love which the dead aviators had for their homeland. The Croatian Air Force commander, Major General Josip Culetic, said that aviators were the main force in the Osijek area in the very beginning of the Homeland War. "When no one could break the siege of Vukovar and bring medicines, they managed to do that," Gen. Culetic added. A memorial service was held after the monument unveiling ceremony, and an exhibition of war photographs and belongings of Otok's defenders was staged in the primary school in this eastern Croatian town. (hina) mš 021338 MET dec 97