Niedziela 06/18/2008 Washington DC Polski Kosciol w Silver Spring
The Battle For Monte Cassino - 6/6
GEN FRANCISZEK GĄGOR CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE POLISH ARMED FORCES
General Franciszek GĄGOR was born in Koniuszowa near Nowy Sącz. He is a 1973 graduate of the Mechanised Infantry Officer College in Wrocław and holds a Master's Degree in English Philology from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. He received his doctorate in military science from the National Defence Academy in Warsaw (1998). The General is also a graduate of the NATO Defence College in Rome (2001) as well as the National Defense University in Washington DC (the National War College in 2002). In 1973-1978 he held staff and command posts in the 2nd Tank Regiment, 10th Armoured Division in Opole. In 1978-1988 he worked as a senior lecturer in the Officer College in Wrocław.
In 1988 he was assigned the post of senior operations officer in the Combat Training Inspectorate. Then, he served in the Peacekeeping Operations Section, Military Foreign Affairs Department (MFAD), Ministry of National Defence (MoND).
In 1992 he was the Head of the Peacekeeping Operations Branch, MFAD, MoND. In 1993 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel. In 1994 he assumed the post of the Director of the Arms Control and Peacekeeping Operations Bureau (Deputy Director of the MFAD, MoND); in 1996-1999 headed the latter. General Gągor participated in preparations of the Polish Armed Forces for the Partnership for Peace Programme. He represented the MoND in international negotiations concerning arms control, disarmament and confidence-building measures. In 1999-2001 he was the Chief of the Operations Directorate at the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.
General Gągor has gained broad experience in UN peacekeeping missions. His career included the following positions:
• 1992 - Deputy Sector Commander of UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission UNIKOM;
• 2003 - Force Commander of UNIKOM;
• 2003-2004 - Force Commander of UNDOF.
From January 2004 he served as the Polish Military Representative to the NATO and EU Military Committees in Brussels.
On 27 February 2006 he was appointed Chief of General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces; subsequently, on 3 May 2006 promoted to the rank of General.
General Gągor was decorated with the Officer's and Cavalier's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and Golden Cross of Merit.
He is married with two children. General Gągor speaks fluent English and has a good command of Russian and French. His interests include history and tennis.
Szef sztabu generał dr Franciszek Gągor
ur. 1951-09-08
Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego
Generał Franciszek Gągor urodził się w Koniuszowej k/Nowego Sącza na Podhalu. W 1973 roku ukończył Wyższą Szkołę Oficerską Wojsk Zmechanizowanych we Wrocławiu. Jest również absolwentem (1983 r.) Wydziału Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu. W 1988 r. doktoryzował się z nauk wojskowych w Akademii Obrony Narodowej w Rembertowie. W 2001 roku gen. Gągor ukończył studia w Akademii Obrony NATO w Rzymie, a rok później z wyróżnieniem Podyplomowe Studia Strategiczno-Operacyjne na Uniwersytecie Obrony w Waszyngtonie (USA).
W latach 1973-1978 zajmował stanowiska dowódcze i sztabowe w 2. Pułku Czołgów 10 Dywizji Pancernej w Opolu. W międzyczasie był oficerem operacyjnym w misjach UNEF i UNDOF. W latach 1978-1988 służył jako starszy wykładowca w Wyższej Szkole Oficerskiej Wojsk Zmechanizowanych we Wrocławiu, odpowiedzialny m. in. za szkolenie polskich kontyngentów, wyznaczonych do operacji pokojowych. W tym okresie brał również czynny udział w misji ONZ UNDOF (1980/1981, 1985/1986). W latach 1988-1990 gen. Gagor pełnił obowiązki Zastępcy Szefa Logistyki w Kwaterze Głównej w misji UNDOF. W roku 1988 rozpoczął służbę w Głównym Zarządzie Szkolenia Bojowego, a następnie w Zarządzie Wojskowych Spraw Zagranicznych SG WP. Jako Szef Oddziału Operacji Pokojowych był bezpośrednio odpowiedzialny za przygotowanie, nadzór i koordynację działań polskich jednostek wypełniających zadania poza granicami kraju. W 1991 r. był Zastępcą Dowódcy PKW w operacji ,,Pustynna Burza”, a w latach 1991-1992- Zastępcą Dowódcy sektora misji UNIKOM. W roku 1994 gen. Gągor został Dyrektorem Biura Kontroli Zbrojeń i Misji Międzynarodowych. W latach 1996-1999 pełnił obowiązki Dyrektora Departamentu Wojskowych Spraw Zagranicznych MON. W tym czasie gen. Gągor reprezentował resort obrony RP w międzynarodowych rokowaniach dotyczących kontroli zbrojeń, rozbrojenia i środków budowy zaufania oraz był odpowiedzialny za przygotowanie i koordynację działań SZ RP w Programie PfP oraz PARP. Jednocześnie był jednym z głównych przedstawicieli zespołu przygotowującego polską akcesję do Sojuszu Północnoatlantyckiego, odpowiedzialnym m. in. za udział Polski w procesie planowania obronnego NATO. W 1997 roku został awansowany do stopnia gen. brygady, a w 1999 r. objął obowiązki Szefa Generalnego Zarządu Operacyjnego SG WP, które sprawował do roku 2003. W tym okresie był odpowiedzialny za przygotowanie doktryn w zakresie szkolenia SZ, planowanie operacyjne oraz gotowość bojową SZ RP, udział jednostek WP w operacjach pokojowych oraz proces planowania obronnego w SZ RP.
W latach 2003-2006 gen. Gągor poszerzał swoje doświadczenie międzynarodowe pełniąc najwyższe stanowiska dowódcze w operacjach pokojowych ONZ oraz instytucjach NATO i UE. Był między innymi:
• Dowódcą misji UNIKOM w Iraku / Asystentem Sekretarza Generalnego ONZ -2003 r.;
• Dowódcą misji UNDOF na Wzgórzach Golan / Asystentem Sekretarza Generalnego ONZ – 2003/2004r.;
• Polskim Przedstawicielem Wojskowym przy Komitetach Wojskowych NATO i UE w Brukseli - 2004/2006 r.
W dniu 27 lutego 2006 roku został awansowany przez Prezydenta RP do stopnia generała broni i powołany na stanowisko Szefa Sztabu Generalnego WP. 3 maja 2006 roku został awansowany przez Prezydenta RP do stopnia generała.
Za wzorową służbę uhonorowany został m.in. Krzyżami Oficerskim i Kawalerskim Orderu Odrodzenia Polski oraz Złotym Krzyżem Zasługi, odznaczeniami resortowymi i wieloma odznaczeniami innych państw.
Gen. Gągor jest autorem licznych publikacji w obszarze współpracy wojskowej, wojskowych spraw zagranicznych, modernizacji i rozwoju SZ. Włada jęz. angielskim, francuskim i rosyjskim.
Interesuje się historią, literaturą angielską oraz problematyką operacji kryzysowych, tenisem ziemnym, siatkówką, narciarstwem.
Gen. Gągor jest żonaty i ma dwoje dzieci.
Battle of Monte Cassino
- the fifth greatest battle of World War II
The pact signed in Moscow at the end of August between Hitler and Stalin gave a green light for war against Poland.
September 1,1939 Wehrmacht launched its Blitzkrieg, and a couple weeks later, the Red Army stabbed the overwhelmed Polish Army in the back, splitting Poland in half along a prearranged line.
Less then two years later, Hitler’s surprise attack on Russia forced Stalin to turn to the West for help. This gave the Polish government-in-exile in London a chance to negotiate the release of Polish prisoners held in the Gulag. Out of almost two million held there, only less then 75,000 prisoners were released from prisons and labor camps. They joined the recruiting centers and waited - sick and hungry — for the arms that Stalin has promised their prime minister in London, but few only were delivered. General Wladyslaw Anders, just released from the notorious Lubyanka prison, knowing the Russians well, was very apprehensive and suspicious about Stalin's designs on Poland. Being aware of his plans to control newly organized army militarily as well as politically, Anders worked out a plan of evacuation to Iran Under pressure of Wehrmacht advance to the gates of Moscow in late 1941, Stalin panicked and dropped his guard, allowing several divisions of Polish volunteers to join the British 10th Army in the Middle East.
Welcome there, they were fed, dressed, armed and trained. By mid 1943 the 2nd Polish Corps was ready for action .just in time to help with a stalled advance at the Gustav Line barring advance to Rome during five month of heavy Allied fighting. The Gustav Line crossing Apennine peninsula was anchored on towering Monte Cassino, with its thousand year old Benedictine monastery on top.
As in ancient times, the mountain was vital to the German's defenses. It was providing a perfect observation point to which the Germans added an elaborate system of bunkers and tunnels. From this fortified vantage point, the Germans commanded the valley of the river Liri, and the road to Rome. Built by Romans, now Highway 6, ancient Via Casillina was originally constructed to facilitate the movement of Roman troops in their march North to expand the Roman Empire. Now, twenty-five centuries later, troops of the allied forces, including the Polish Free Army, used the same road on their way to victory.
Before the 2nd Corps took positions, the Allies in preparation for storming the Monte Cassino attempted to eliminate town of Cassino, located at its foot. Now being in ruins, and almost totally destroyed on surface, it was still representing a formidable obstruction with its underground bunkers.
Town of Cassino, originally known as Cassimum, was regarded as a sacred place and was revered by the Romans. Two centuries before the birth of Christ, emperor Markus Aurelius Antonius — had his villa there.
Town of Cassino, in the three month prior to May 1944, has been devastated in the offensives led by the American 5th and British 8th armies.
After the New Zealanders under gen. Friberg suffered huge losses, frustrated general called for destruction of monastery from the air. In one of the most tragic miscalculations of the war, 500 American bombers pulverized the ancient abbey with its priceless medieval treasures — some saved, were evacuated to Rome by Abbot Diamare.
"The Lord willed it, and it was good thing for the salvation ion of Rome , - the old abbot told his Benedictine monks after bombardment.
The New Zealanders, supported by Indian troops, attacked once more, and again were driven off by Germans, who had taker advantage of the rubble to create new defense positions.
Meanwhile, the Allied invasion at Anzio launched in February to circumvent the Gustav Line , was still cornered or the beach by Germans.
The debacle at Anzio and the ruins of monastery, still defended, were symbolic of Allied failure to achieve victory in Italy.
Beginning of April , the Polish 2nd Corps was deployed to the front at Monte Cassino. The offensive started one hour before midnight on May 11, 1944. In his Order of the Day, gen. Anders addressed his apprehensive troops: "Soldiers, the time to defeat our ancient enemy has come. With faith in God's justice, tonight at 11 o'clock, we are going into battle beginning our last march to victory and on to our country, Poland."
The campaign in Italy , was difficult one. The mountainous terrain with some peaks reaching 6,000 feet, many fast flowing rivers and deep valleys were limiting use o armor in its classic concept of a quick action, so the major burden was on infantry, sustaining the heaviest losses.
Against all odds, during the battle which lasted a week, with infantry battalions decimated, the Poles beat the Germans into submission, and in the morning of May 18th. Polish flag was finally hoisted over the ruins of the monastery -
One of the greatest confrontation with the enemy during WW II was ended, the road to Rome opened and Americans and Anzio bridgehead relieved- With this dainge breakthrough victory in Italy was assured
The Poles paid their share of victory at Monte Cassino: over on thousand killed, and three thousand wounded.
Gen. Anders, commander of the 2nd Corps, before he died in London in 1972, expressed his wish to be laid to rest with his fallen soldiers near the monastery. After the war a cemetery was built at the foot of the Abbey by surviving soldiers of the 2nd Corps.
At its entrance, the engraved epitaph depicts their bravery and dedication to Poland.
In four languages it reads:
"We, Polish soldiers
For our freedom and yours
Have given our souls to God
Our bodies to the soil of Italy
And our hearts — to Poland"
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