In the village of Pranjani, at Galovića Polje near Gornji Milanovac, the 82nd anniversary of Operation Halyard, one of the largest operations to rescue Allied airmen behind enemy lines during World War II, was commemorated.
The “Air Bridge” operation, also known as Operation Halyard, has remained remembered as one of the most striking examples of the courage and solidarity of the Serbian people during the occupation. In the operation carried out in 1944, with the participation of forces of the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland under the command of General Dragoljub Draža Mihailović and with significant assistance from the local population, Allied airmen shot down over occupied Yugoslavia were rescued.
Pranjani was the center of the operation, where local residents built an improvised runway at Galovića Polje. Risking their own lives, they hid downed airmen, provided them with food and shelter, and helped them until their evacuation.
During the anniversary commemoration, particular emphasis was placed on the courage of Serbian soldiers and ordinary people who helped American and other Allied airmen.
John Cappello, president of the Halyard Foundation, said that remembering the operation represents much more than history recorded in books. The foundation, he said, works with more than 20 museums and two universities in the United States to preserve the story of Halyard and bring it closer to the American public.
A particular goal is to find the families of the rescued airmen and connect them with the descendants of Serbian families who helped them during the war.
Cappello described Operation Halyard as an example of the self-sacrifice, courage and honor of the Serbian people.
“At that time, they had very little, but they gave so much,” Cappello said.
Chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade Alexander Titolo emphasized that Operation Halyard represents a powerful symbol of the longstanding ties between the two peoples and stressed the importance of preserving the memory of their shared history.
A particularly emotional moment was the presence of Steve Smith from North Carolina, whose uncle was one of the Allied airmen rescued more than eight decades ago.
Smith said that he came to Galovića Polje to personally thank the Serbian people for what they did for his uncle.
“This is an opportunity to express my gratitude and respect to all Serbs for their courage and everything they did to take care of my uncle while he was here, 82 years ago,” Smith said.
He also pointed out that very little is still known about Operation Halyard in the United States and that efforts are being made to bring the story closer to the American public.
During Operation Halyard in 1944, hundreds of Allied airmen were evacuated from occupied Yugoslav territory. Pranjani and Galovića Polje have remained among the most recognizable symbols of the operation.
More than eight decades later, Operation Halyard remains a testament to the people who, amid war and occupation, risked their own lives to save Allied airmen and enable them to return home.
MORE TOPICS:
Source: Kosovo.online Foto: Wikimedia Commons/ Masina printscreen
Add Serbian Times as your Google source