A Romanian war veteran who fought in World War II for his country and this month was decorated for his bravery, has died. He was 107.
Ion Vasile Banu died on December 25 according to the National Association of the Cult of the Heroes which his nephew Ortensiu Banu, confirmed to Hotnews news agency on Monday. He had suffered a stroke and was being treated in hospital, his nephew said.
He became a public name in Romania after President Nicusor Dan chose the veteran as the single person he honored on Romania’s National Day on December 1.
Banu received the Order of Military Virtue in the rank of Knight, but the award generated some controversy because he had fought for the Axis powers which Romania was part of at the time. Unable to defends its territory as the Soviet Army advanced, Romania joined the Allies in 1944 and fought against the Nazis.
However, the Romanian president said the veteran deserved the unique award because: “At 107 years old, Mr. Ion Vasile Banu represents the essence of what love for the country means.”
Banu joined the Romanian Army at 21 years old when Romania was allied with the Axis powers against the Soviet Union and in 1941 fought for the liberation of the Republic of Moldova, known as Bessarabia in Romanian, which was in Soviet hands. He also fought against the Soviets on the front at the Don Bend in 1942.
He told reporters this month that he had had gone deaf during the battles after three artillery shells exploded next to him.
The president outlined his patriotic service to Romania, saying: “We are and will remain obliged to honor those who defended our ideals of freedom at the cost of their lives, and thanks to them we live today in a free, dignified, democratic and European Romania,” he added.
Romanians need no reminder of war as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine goes into its fourth year. Last month, NATO scrambled jets after Russian drones made their deepest incursion into Romania since the beginning of the war. Fighter jets track two uncrewed aircraft in first daytime violation of Romanian airspace.
German Typhoon and Romanian F-16 fighter jets took off in pairs to follow the uncrewed aircraft. The first flew back into Ukrainian airspace, but the second was later found downed in eastern Romania about 110 kilometers from Ukraine. It was the 13th time Romanian airspace has been breached by Russian drones.
Former Defense Minister Ionuț Moşteanu said two of the German pilots had been given orders to shoot down the second drone, but it appeared to have crashed, possibly because it had run out fuel.
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