5th Corps (Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

5th Corps
5th Corps
	Fifth Corps insignia
Active	21st October 1992 – 1st December 2004 (dissolved as part of the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Allegiance	Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Branch	Bosnian Ground Forces
Type	Motorized, Mechanized, Mountain and Light Infantry
Role	Defense and liberation of Bihać pocket (Bihaćki okrug)
Size	10,152 (21.10.1992); 17,202 (24.03.1995); 18,106 (Peak size at the end of year 1995); 15,884 (01. 01. 1996);
Garrison/HQ	Bihać
Nickname(s)	Sila Nebeska (Heavenly Force)
Motto(s)	"Za slobodu i nezavisnost Bosne.""For the freedom and independence of Bosnia." Battle cry: "Tri tekbira.""Three takbirs."
Colors	Green, white, black, maroon, turqoise, gold.
Mascot(s)	Pegasus
Equipment	When the unit was formed the Corps had the following armament: T-55A Tank (1); M53/59 Praga (1); BOV M86 (1); Improvised APC (2); TAM 110 Communications truck (1); 76 mm ZIS-3 (2); 75 mm Pak 40 (1); Mortars 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm (20); Improvised rifle grenade launchers (unknown); Improvised mortars 40mm, 120mm (unknown); Automatic rifles (1,094); Semi-Automatic rifles (479); Light Machine-Guns (152); Sniper rifles (48); Osa Anti-Tank Launchers (10); Zolja Anti-Tank Launchers (28); M57RB Anti-tank Launchers (20); Anti-Aircraft Guns 12.7 mm (3); Recoilless rifle BST M60 60 mm (2); Numerous variants of hunting rifles and handguns;
Engagements	Bosnian War Operation Bosanska Krajina; Siege of Bihać (1992-1995); Resistance at Galaja 92; Battle for Bugar 92; Bloody road to Bosnia - Slunj Hills 1992; Operation Plamen 92; Operation Oganj '92; Operation Gorica-03; Battle of Velika Kladuša (1993); Operation Munja 93; Operation Trokut; Ambush near Cazin; Downfall of First autonomy; February offensive 94; Operation Pećigrad 94; Operation Tiger (1994); Operation Breza 94; Operation Mostobran 94; Operation Grmeč 94; Operation Shield 94; Operation Spider; Mala Kladuša offensive; Operation Vrnograč 95; Operation Sword–1; Operation Sword-2; Operation Sword 95; Operation Spržena Zemlja; Operation Storm; Downfall of Second autonomy; Operation Dawn 95; Operation Sana; Operation Prijedor '95;
Decorations	Brigade decorations: 501st Mountain Brigade awarded with title Celebrated (Slavna); 502nd Mountain Brigade first awarded with title Celebrated (Slavna), later with title Knightly (Viteška); 503rd Mountain Brigade awarded with title Celebrated (Slavna); 505th Motorized Brigade first awarded with title Celebrated (Slavna), later with title Knightly (Viteška); 511th Mountain Brigade awarded with title Celebrated (Slavna); Awarded medals: Order of Heroes of the Liberation War - Major Adil Bešić and Brigadier Izet Nanić; Order of the Golden Crest with Swords - Salih Dizdarić, Sidik Smlatić and Lieutenant general Atif Dudaković; Order of the Golden Lily with a Golden Wreath - Farko Hodžić; Order of the Golden Lily with a Silver Wreath - Muhamed Delalić; Order of Military Merit with Golden Swords - Salih Omerčević; Order of Military Merit with Silver Swords - Mirsad Sedić; Medal for bravery - Zijad Kudić and Mirsad Litrić; Military merit medal - Jasmin Čajić; Golden Lily - 144 recipients; Golden shield - not defined; Silver shield - not defined; Bihać resistance medal - 25 recipients;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Atif Dudaković; Izet Nanić; Adil Bešić; Mirsad Crnkić; Salih Omerčević; Asim Bajrektarević; Jasmin Kulenović
Insignia
5th Corps patch	Pegasus
Identification; symbol	ARBiH patch 5th Corps Pegasus patch and later newly designed 5th Corps insignia patch similar to the other ARBiH Corps patches in design. 5th Corps flag and flags of its brigades and larger units. Brigade patches and patches from other 5th Corps units. Other types of identification (armbands, headbands, brooches, etc.).

The 5th Corps was one of seven corps and smallest one of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The formation was around the Bihać pocket to protect it against the surrounding Serb forces. The Fifth Corps also fought secessional Bosniak forces loyal to Fikret Abdić, who was cooperating with Serb forces. Just days before the last 5th Corps military operation, Operation Sana, 5th Corps defeated Abdić's army and supporters, bringing the rogue autonomous province under government's control in the Downfall of Second autonomy operation. After that 5th Corps started all-out offensive Operation Sana, connecting to the rest of the Bosnian territory while bringing a number of previously lost and occupied regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina under government control, defeating 1st and 2nd Krajiški corps, strengthened with units that escaped Kninska Krajina and multiple Serb paramilitary forces coming to aid from different forntlines. During Sana 95 and Downfall of Second autonomy 5th Corps also liberated towns and communes in border section of Croatia. Connecting with Croat forces in Grabovac-Rakovica area, Korenica-Frkašić area, Bogovolja-Cetingrad area and on a overlooking hill west of Plitvička jezera. The solemny meet up was done on the border bridge in Tražačka Raštela, where commanders of both countries shook hands. During the Operation Sana 95 5th Corps captured biggest war loot the ARBiH ever had. Inventory of ARBiH weaponry grew exponentially after Operation Sana 95 which equipped the unit for further Operation Prijedor 95. In April 2018, police detained Atif Dudaković and 12 others on suspicion of committing crimes against humanity during the Bosnian war. The court process is still ongoing without any established evidence.