505th Bužim Brigade

The 505th Bužim Brigade (505. Bužimska brigada) was part of the 5th Corps under the command of Brigadier General Izet Nanić. The 505th Knightly Motorized brigade was honored by the late president of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegović, as the most elite brigade during the Bosnian War.

The 505th Knightly Motorized brigade was commanded by Izet Nanić from its creation to his death in 1995. Throughout the Bosnian war the 505th brigade liberated about 300 km2 of Bosnian territory from the Republika Srpska.

History
The brigade was formed on 15 August 1992, and it was first called the "105 Bužim Krajina Infantry Brigade", but it was changed on 1 April to the 505th Brigade. On the day of the formation, the brigade had 97 officers, 140 non-commissioned officers and 1,452 soldiers, with one-third of them being armed with infantry or hunting weapons. On 14 December, by decision of the presidency, the brigade was received the title "Knightly".

The first war experience of the brigade was on 21 April 1992, where soldiers from the Army of Republika Srpska attacked Bosanska Krupa with the goal to seize it. They did not manage to complete their objective, but the lack of weapons and ammunition forced the units to cross to the left bank of the Una River where positions were consolidated and established, and RS forces' advance in the direction of Cazin and Bužim was stopped. The first major victory of the brigade was in Munja '93, where 360 poorly armed fighters from the brigade fought against a well fortified and well armed brigade from the Army of Republika Srpska and won. Serb soldiers were killed in the battle and several hundred were wounded, while only 18 from the 505th Brigade were killed.

The commander of the brigade, Izet Nanić, was killed in the Siege of Bihać during Operation Storm on 5 August 1995. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the Golden Lily, and the Order of Hero of the Liberation War.

Losses
The 505th Buzim Brigade had 462 killed, 2,514 wounded and 189 missing / captured fighters and elders.

Reorganized Units
The brigade was reorganized, and these units were added:
 * 1. Detachment TO Bužim
 * 2. Detachment TO Bužim
 * 3. Detachment TO Bužim
 * Special Forces Unit "Hamze"
 * Special Forces Unit "Gazije"
 * Independent Units from the Detachment TO Bužim