The 16th Krajina Brigade was the successor of the Krajina Strike Proletarian Brigade, established in 1942 by Yugoslav Partisans in the village of Lamovita near Prijedor, Bosnia. After the second world war the brigade was re-established in Travnik and later moved to Banja Luka as the 16th Regiment. In 1985 the 16th Krajina Regiment was renamed 16th Krajina Brigade. With the Breakup of Yugoslavia, the brigade entered into service with the Army of Republika Srpska.
The decision to mobilize the 16th Krajina Brigade was made after the Yugoslav government decided to intervene after the declaration of independence by Croatia. As such, between 13 June 13 and 15 August, 1991 the brigade conducted mobilization activities and preparatory exercises were in the villages of Mašići, Han Šibić, and Berek. As ordered, on 16 September 1991 the first elements of the brigade crossed the Sava River into the Socialist Republic of Croatia near Gradiška joining the 329th JNA Armored Brigade. In their first action, the soldiers of the 16th Krajina Brigade liberated the villages of Donja Varoš, Gornja Varoš, Nova Varoš and break into the Brotherhood and Unity Highway. The next day, with the first few wounded, the first soldier of the 16th Brigade, Bojan Majstorovic, was killed. After a few days, the rest of the brigade crossed the Sava River and in a rush liberated settlements in the direction of Kosovac-Gornji Bogicevci, Nova Varos-Donji Bogicevci, and then the villages of Gornji Rajici, Rozdanik, Jazavica, Voćarica, Paklenica, and part of Stari Grabovac. Under the command of then commander Milan Čeleketić, the 16th Brigade liberated 65 km2 of the territory of Western Slavonia, which was mostly inhabited by the Serbian population.
War in Bosnia
In the spring of 1992, a portion of the brigade returned to Banja Luka, and several troops were deployed to Mount Vlašić. By the end of May 1992, a new mobilization was carried out near Mount Manjača were 1,500 new troops were added to the brigade. In 1992, a smaller element of the brigade was deployed to the Republic of Serbian Krajina, with a larger portion deploying to Posavina to take part in Operation Corridor. In mid-June 1992, the 16th Brigade systematically liberated villages from Doboj to Modriča and Živkovo Polje. In the afternoon of June 26, 1992, combatants of the 16th Brigade liberated the village of Miloševac, and a little later Captain Dmitry Zaric's 2nd Company broke through the last enemy strongholds and merged with the units of the East Bosnian Corps. In this way, a corridor between Krajina and Serbia was established. Subsequently, the 16th Brigade participated in the liberation of the Serbian territories in Posavina from 3 to 17 July 1992, liberate 13 villages and breaking out to the Sava River, achieving their mission as directed by VRS headquarters. After breaking out to the Sava River, the 16th Brigade was tasked to defend the Lower Svilaj-Obodni Canal, and portions of the brigade engaged in combat operations near Ostra Luka, at the Gradačac front in order to ensure that the corridor with Serbia was not compromised. During this time, Lieutenant Colonel Milan Čeleketić was replaced by Colonel Novica Simić as brigade commander. Shortly thereafter, VRS command promoted Colonel Simić to general, appointing him commander of the Eastern Bosnia Corps of the Army of Republika Srpska. The new commander of the 16th Brigade become Lieutenant Colonel Vukadin Makagić. From mid-August to early November 1992, units of the 16th Brigade, under the command of Colonel Slavko Lisica, participated in the liberation of Brod. At midnight on October 6, units of the 16th Brigade entered Brod again reaching the Sava River. After the liberation of Brod, most of the brigade returned to frontline positions on the Donji Svilaj-Brusnica route, and about a month later the 16th Brigade was tasked to the Orasko front. In late December, the 16th Brigade received Lieutenant Colonel Vlado Topić as commander, and proceeded to the Brčko front in defense of the corridor along with the East Bosnian Corps of the Republika Srpska Army, headed by their former commander Major General Novica Simić. From the beginning of 1993 until the summer of the same year, the 16th Brigade liberated 13 populated areas and expanded the corridor between Republika Srpska and Serbia by 33 km2. Following this action, the brigade took a short break before being moved to the Doboj-Teslić front. This brigade participated in Operation Drina in early 1994. Following the fall of a number of Krajina municipalities during Operation Maestral in September 1995, as part of Operation Vaganj, the Brigade, along with the 43rd Prijedor, 6th Sanska, 5th Kozarska, 65th Protection Regiment and other units returned 5th Corps to the river Una. Prior to entering Bosanska Krupa, the brigade was relocated to the Manjača region, where it was tasked, in cooperation with other units, to suppress the 5th ARBiH Corps from Mrkonjić Grad and liberate Kljuc. In just three days, the 16th Krajina arrived near Kljuc, when the General Staff decided to return the brigade to the Doboj front. This unit's combat tour lasted 1,727 days between 1992 and 1995, where the brigade lost 437 soldiers, approximately 2,000 wounded and 11 reported missing.
Decorations
The brigade was awarded the Order of Nemanjić, the highest military recognition of Republika Srpska, for its merits in the 1992-95 war.
