7 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 ) ▁was ▁a ▁naval ▁Lieutenant ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁Y ug oslav ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁April ▁War , ▁Ma š era , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁fellow ▁Lieutenant ▁Milan ▁Sp asi ć , ▁sc utt led ▁the ▁destroy er ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Kot or ▁near ▁T iv at ▁to ▁prevent ▁its ▁capture ▁by ▁the ▁Italian ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁( Reg ia ▁Marina ▁Italiana ). ▁Both ▁lie uten ants ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁explos ion , ▁and ▁were ▁post hum ously ▁made ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Hero . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Before ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Serge j ▁Ma š era ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁to ▁a ▁Sloven e ▁family ▁in ▁Gor izia , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Aust ro - H ung arian ▁County ▁of ▁Gor izia ▁and ▁Grad is ca ▁( now ▁in ▁Italy ). ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁his ▁family ▁fled ▁from ▁the ▁Italian - admin ister ed ▁Julian ▁March ▁to ▁the ▁ ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Ser bs , ▁Cro ats ▁and ▁Sloven es ▁( Y ug oslav ia ), ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁escape ▁the ▁violent ▁policies ▁of ▁F asc ist ▁Italian ization . ▁They ▁first ▁settled ▁in ▁Sloven ian ▁Car inth ia ▁and ▁then ▁in ▁L jub lj ana . ▁In ▁L jub lj ana , ▁Mas era ▁received ▁primary ▁and ▁secondary ▁education ▁before ▁en rolling ▁in ▁the ▁Naval ▁Military ▁Academy ▁( V II ▁class ) ▁in ▁Dub rov