{"id":218829,"date":"2026-09-20T18:41:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T16:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=218829"},"modified":"2026-09-20T18:41:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T16:41:23","slug":"serbs-and-americans-mark-82-years-since-operation-halyard-remembering-draza-and-the-villagers-who-saved-the-pilots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/serbs-and-americans-mark-82-years-since-operation-halyard-remembering-draza-and-the-villagers-who-saved-the-pilots\/","title":{"rendered":"SERBS AND AMERICANS MARK 82 YEARS SINCE OPERATION HALYARD: Remembering Dra\u017ea and the villagers who saved the pilots!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the village of Pranjani, at Galovi\u0107a Polje near Gornji Milanovac, the 82nd anniversary of<\/em><\/strong> Operation Halyard<\/a>, one of the largest operations to rescue Allied airmen behind enemy lines during World War II, was commemorated.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cAir Bridge\u201d operation, also known as Operation Halyard<\/a>, 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 Dra\u017ea Mihailovi\u0107<\/a> and with significant assistance from the local population, Allied airmen shot down over occupied Yugoslavia were rescued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pranjani was the center of the operation, where local residents built an improvised runway at Galovi\u0107a Polje. Risking their own lives, they hid downed airmen, provided them with food and shelter, and helped them until their evacuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the anniversary commemoration, particular emphasis was placed on the courage of Serbian soldiers and ordinary people who helped American and other Allied airmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cappello described Operation Halyard as an example of the self-sacrifice, courage and honor of the Serbian people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cAt that time, they had very little, but they gave so much,\u201d Cappello said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith said that he came to Galovi\u0107a Polje to personally thank the Serbian people for what they did for his uncle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThis 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,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Operation Halyard in 1944, hundreds of Allied airmen were evacuated from occupied Yugoslav territory. Pranjani and Galovi\u0107a Polje have remained among the most recognizable symbols of the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MORE TOPICS:<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

WORKED AS AN EXPERT IN THE \u0110IN\u0110I\u0106 MURDER CASE, AND NOW HE IS ON THE STUDENT LIST: Professor Slobodan Savi\u0107 says it is time for experts to finally have their say! (VIDEO)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRAGIC END TO SEARCH FOR YOUNG CHESS PLAYER: Body of missing Luka pulled from the Sava River! (PHOTO)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFTER FOUR YEARS ON THE RUN: American wanted for murder of 15-year-old girl in Tennessee arrested in Ljubljana!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

RTS HOST REMOVED FROM THE AIR: Dragan Vu\u010deli\u0107: \u201cI did not want to remain silent. If that is the price, I will pay it with pride!\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source<\/strong>: Kosovo.online<\/a> Foto:<\/strong> Wikimedia Commons\/ Masina printscreen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the village of Pranjani, at Galovi\u0107a 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 \u201cAir Bridge\u201d operation, also known as Operation Halyard, has remained remembered as one of the most striking examples of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2169,"featured_media":218830,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[14351,14352,9364],"class_list":["post-218829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","tag-draza-mihailovoc","tag-drugi-svestski-rat","tag-misija-halijard","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t