Lithuanian Navy founder Vytautas Kazimieras Urbas dies

Vytautas Kazimieras Urbas, a founder of the Lithuanian Navy and its first chief of staff, died on Thursday in his 83rd year, LRT reported, citing a Facebook announcement by the Lithuanian Navy.

Urbas was born in 1944 in Daglienai village, Pasvalys district, to a farming family. In 1949, he and his entire family were deported to Siberia for nine years.

After graduating from the Petrodvorets Higher Naval Electronics School in 1970, he served in the Soviet Northern Fleet for seven years.

After leaving active service, Urbas worked at a research institute in Leningrad, where he designed warships. In 1989, he was elected deputy chairman of the Leningrad Lithuanian Association, but soon returned to Lithuania.

After the re-establishment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Urbas served from June 1991 until his retirement in April 1999, helping to establish the Lithuanian Navy.

For his services to Lithuania and the national defence system, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis, the third-degree medal of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas and the Ministry of National Defence badge of honour for merits to national defence.