Kraków 2019-09-17
Military parade - Katowice. 2019 year.
On August 15, 2019 (Thursday), a great military parade was held in Katowice under the slogan "Faithful to Poland".
August 15 is the holiday of the Polish Army, which is reminiscent of the great victory of Poland over the Bolshevik army. The battle is called the "Battle of Warsaw", and by a large part of the Polish nation the "Miracle on the Vistula". All historians recognize the Battle of Warsaw as the 18th battle in the history of mankind. This year was the 99th anniversary of the "Miracle on the Vistula", but also the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First Silesian Uprising. The uprising broke out on the night of August 16-17, 1919. It was for this reason that it was decided to hold the parade in Katowice. Also the slogan of the celebrations - "Faithful to Poland" refers to the struggle of Silesians to join Silesia to the Republic of Poland.
The military parade on the occasion of the Polish Army Day organized this year in Katowice is a tribute to the Silesians who decided in the uprisings that they wanted Silesia to be part of Poland - said Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak in Katowice. The head of the Ministry of National Defense also invited miners to participate in the parade. - I would like to invite the miners, i.e. those people who show courage on a daily basis, who are very hardworking, who shape the face of Silesia and Poland on a daily basis. - said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.
On its Twitter profile, the Ministry of National Defense also published a video encouraging people to participate in the Katowice parade.
The parade was organized on a grand scale. It was attended by over 2,600 soldiers of the Polish Army, including 27 subdivisions of representative companies and 60 flagship posts. There were also pro-defense formations, uniformed classes and units of military universities. Foot units exercised at the Muchowiec Airport in Katowice. The helicopters participating in the parade were also based there. The ride of the wheeled equipment was practiced at night (August 8/9), before the parade.
Poland's allies also took part in the parade: soldiers from the United States, Great Britain, Romania and Croatia.
60 aircraft presented themselves in the air.
The interest in the parade and the military picnic among the inhabitants of Upper Silesia and visitors was very high. It is estimated that the event was attended by over 200,000 spectators.
The honorary tribune was placed in the center of Katowice, near the monument commemorating the three Silesian Uprisings, opposite the Silesian Museum and not far from the so-called Spodek, the sports and entertainment hall, at the National Road No. 79.
The military marched along ul. Bagienna, al. Walenty Roździeńskiego to the Ziętka roundabout, and then along Aleja Korfantego to the Pętla Słoneczna roundabout.
The parade began at 2:00 p.m. with President Andrzej Duda, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, passing along the column of vehicles, sub-units and banner posts. Then the national anthem was sung and the flags were hoisted on the mast. At that moment, a formation of seven PZL TS-11 Iskra planes - "Biało-Czerwony Iskry" - flew over the heads of the gathered people, leaving white and red streaks in the sky. They made their speeches; Mariusz Błaszczak (head of the Ministry of National Defense), Mateusz Morawiecki (Prime Minister), Andrzej Duda (President of Poland).
The parade was started by a group carrying the Polish Flag. He was followed by foot and banner subunits as well as miners. For the first time, a WOT (Territorial Defense Forces) sub-unit participated in the parade. Former units of armored forces, soldiers of special forces, paratroopers, sailors, soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces, pro-defense formations, students of uniform classes, as well as subunits of military universities: Military University of Technology, Naval Academy, Land Forces Academy, Aviation Military Academy.
After their march, helicopters and airplanes appeared in the sky.
Air show:
Flyover of the White and Red Sparks formation with white and red streaks.
4 PZL Mi-2 helicopters.
4 PZL W-3W Sokół helicopters.
1 Mil Mi-8 helicopter, assisted by 2 PZL W-3 Sokół helicopters.
1 Mil Mi-14 helicopter, assisted by 2 PZL W-3 Anakonda helicopters.
3 Mil Mi-17/8 helicopters.
1 Diamont DA-42 aircraft assisted by 3 Diamont DA-40 aircraft.
4 PZL-130 Orlik (Radom) planes.
Two formations of 3 M-28 Bryza planes each (from Balice and from Powidz).
1 C-130 Hercules (Powidz) plane.
3 CASA C-295 M (Balice) planes.
1 Gulfstream G-550 with 2 F-16 Jastrząb.
1 Boeing B.737-800 BBJ aircraft with the assistance of 2 F-16 Jastrząb airplanes.
4 Leonardo M-346 Bielik (Dęblin) planes.
3 Su-22 planes (Świdwin).
6 F-16 Jastrząb aircraft.
2 American F-15 planes led by F-16 Jastrząb.
Many people were counting on participation in the parade of the Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft, but this aircraft was not there. There were also no Mikojan and Guriewicz MiG-29 planes, which have not been approved for flights since spring 2019.
After the flight of the last formation, a column of military vehicles was launched, covering over 3 km of the road. There were 185 vehicles. As the vehicles traveled on the road with only two lanes, they were positioned in two alternating rows to increase the distances between them, to facilitate observation and to keep spectators safe.
Former Leopard 2 tanks, Rosomak wheeled APCs, HMMWV trucks and passenger cars, WR-40 Langusta rocket launchers, Krab and Dana self-propelled howitzers, Rak self-propelled mortars, Hunter's automated command vehicles, Popola sapper vehicles, self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system Ford 550 assault ramp vehicles and M-ATV MRAP armored vehicles. Among them, many Polish-made vehicles; Krab and Dana cannon-howitzers, Rak self-propelled mortars, Rosomak armored personnel carriers and others.
In total, 2,600 soldiers took part in the parade.
The parade in Katowice was a great holiday in Silesia and Poland. Very well organized and perfectly conducted. The weather was good and the participants. The parade was broadcast by TVP-1, TVP-3 and TV Trwam.
Immediately after the parade, at 3:00 p.m., the Military Picnic began.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman