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Vice Admiral Fridrih Moretti - Profile Picture
Vice Admiral Fridrih Moretti (1932–2024) was a highly respected officer in the Yugoslav Navy (Jugoslavenska ratna mornarica, JRM), best known for his expertise in submarine operations and his leadership during a pivotal era in Yugoslav maritime history.
Biography
Fridrih Moretti was born on January 5, 1932, in Sarajevo, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, into a working-class family as the eldest of four children of the second generation of Austrian immigrants from Linz. The family soon moved—first to Mostar, and later, as World War II approached, to Banja Luka. From an early age, Fridrih gave the impression of a boy captivated by bodies of water. He often spoke about sailing and was fascinated by the great discoveries of Columbus and other explorers. After graduating from the Teacher Training School in Banja Luka in 1950, he enrolled at the Naval Academy in Divulje, near Split, graduating in 1954 and receiving his first officer’s commission. As a young lieutenant, he interned with the Sixth Destroyer Division on the RE-51 Triglav, sailing in the escort of the Galeb during state visits to Asian and African countries. It was then that he began to fulfill his childhood dreams—exploring the seas and oceans, experiencing their moods and beauty, and practicing celestial navigation under star-filled skies.
Under the influence of Captain Alojz Škufca, a former commander of a submarine in the Royal Yugoslav Navy, he applied for the first submarine course in the Yugoslav Navy and became a submariner on September 29, 1956—a pivotal step in his career. He would spend a full 18 years in the submarine service, spending many days and nights both underwater and at sea level. He continued his naval career as an active-duty officer with additional education (Command and Staff Academy, 1969–71; National Defense School, 1974–75). Throughout his career, he held numerous command positions and steadily rose to the top ranks of the Yugoslav Navy. He spent the majority of his service in the submarine sector, advancing from commander of the P-811 Sutjeska submarine to being appointed commander of the 88th Submarine Division on October 17, 1980. At the time of the breakup of Yugoslavia, Moretti was serving in his final post—as chief of staff of the Naval Military District Command, effectively the second-highest position in the Yugoslav Navy (JRM). He worked tirelessly to prevent JRM military action against Croatia. In September 1991, Moretti worked with Admiral Sveto Letica and local officials to enable Croatian personnel to peacefully resign from the Yugoslav Navy. He was the last to do so, retiring voluntarily on September 28 due to political disagreements with the military leadership. Although he offered his services to the Croatian military, he was never activated. As a result od his actions, Yugoslav authorities stripped him of his vice admiral rank, accusing him of desertion and aiding Croatian forces.
In retirement, Moretti remained active as a member of the Association of Anti-Fascist Fighters of the City of Split, the Croatian Pensioners’ Union, and the Military Retirees Club within the same union. He held numerous responsible roles in these organizations. He was also a founding member of the veterans’ group VeDRa. He authored two significant military publications: Tactics of Submarine Use (1977) and Use of Naval Commandos (1983), and contributed to the Naval-Military Encyclopedia (2nd edition, 1972) and the Maritime Lexicon (1990). He also worked as an editor and reviewer for numerous other books and publications.
His decorations include:
• Burma Medal (1955)
• Medal for Military Virtues (1956)
• Order of Military Merit, 3rd Class (1961)
• Two Orders of the People’s Army, 3rd Class (1969, 1972)
• Order of Military Merit, 2nd Class (1977)
• Order of the People’s Army, 2nd Class (1980)
• Order of Brotherhood and Unity, 2nd Class (1984)
Additional pictures
Sources
In memoriam – admiral Fridrih Moretti. Častan čovjek u zlim vremenima
Na vječnu plovidbu otišao je vjerojatno najpoznatiji podmorničar u Hrvata | Express
List of admirals of Croatia - Wikipedia
PALUBA - Index
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