Eighty years since Operation "Halyard," Starovic: A lasting legacy of friendship between Serbia and the U.S.

In the Memorial Center at Galovica Field in Pranjani, the 80th anniversary of Operation "Halyard," the most successful rescue mission of World War II, was marked. The state wreath-laying ceremony and honors were led by the envoy of the President of Serbia and Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans, and Social Affairs, Nemanja Starovic.

Following the anthems of Serbia and the United States, wreaths were laid at the monument by Starovic, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill, representatives of the U.S. and Serbian militaries, John Cappello, the director of the "Halyard Foundation," a delegation from five countries participating in the "Halyard Mission," as well as descendants of rescued pilots.

Minister Nemanja Starovic recalled that the largest number of U.S. aviators, in cooperation with the soldiers of the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the local population, were evacuated from the improvised airfield in Pranjani during August 1944.

"Undoubtedly, the execution of this mission was an extraordinary feat and an impressive success, considering that it was carried out deep within enemy-controlled territory. The rise to power of Tito's communists temporarily obscured this heroic act, but since Aleksandar Vucic came to power and with the overall transformation Serbia has experienced, this epic episode of U.S.-Serbian relations is gaining its rightful place in our history and culture," Starovic noted.

He emphasized that when Allied bombings of key Third Reich resources intensified, Serbs, at a crucial historical moment, saved Allied pilots, thereby creating a lasting legacy of friendship and respect between Serbia and the United States.

"Operation 'Halyard,' or as it is also known, 'Operation Air Bridge,' was one of the most successful military rescue operations during World War II. The goal was to rescue Allied airmen who had been shot down by the German army and its allies during various missions over occupied Europe, particularly in the Balkans," Starovic concluded.

Starovic added that hundreds of American airmen found refuge after their planes were shot down in areas controlled by the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the National Liberation Army, while Serbian villages sheltered and protected these American pilots.

He emphasized that the bravery of those who risked everything to help the Allied pilots will never be forgotten.

"Let this glorious chapter of history be a shared bond for the future and the future relations between the American and Serbian peoples. The Serbian people, in both the First and Second World Wars, demonstrated their commitment to the ideals of freedom and democracy. With such worldviews, while respecting and valuing our old allies, we look forward to the future with readiness and humility," said Minister Starovic.

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill stated that it was a great honor to be in Pranjani, at a place where, 80 years ago, the faith of the local people intertwined with the faith of the Allied airmen, primarily from the U.S., but also from other Allied countries such as France, Britain, Poland, and Canada.

"That faith, which brought us here, is truly something special, as the people from this region and the Allied aviators together wrote a chapter of history. The 'Halyard Mission' remains the largest air rescue operation of World War II and one of the most successful," Hill emphasized.

He added that everything said today in Pranjani is not enough to fully describe what happened there 80 years ago, but it remains with us today to inspire and guide us forward.

"We live in complex times, but people also lived in complex times back then, especially in this country. However, all the complicated circumstances should not be an obstacle to distinguishing right from wrong, good from bad. The irony of history is that those who create it often do not realize they are doing so. This was the case with the people from this area and the Allied pilots, who simply wanted to return to their normal lives," said Hill.

During the ceremony, John Cappello, President of the Halyard Foundation, recalled an event when a rescued American pilot, in a gesture of gratitude, left his boots to a young boy because he had nothing else to give. Today, the grandson of that pilot, Kenneth Walker, attended the ceremony and symbolically presented a new pair of boots to Rodoljub Jankovic, now 96 years old.

Operation "Halyard" began in March 1944, when the commander of the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland, General Dragoljub Mihailovic, ordered the construction of an airstrip for the aerial evacuation of Allied pilots. The construction was carried out with the help of the residents of Pranjani and surrounding villages.

From the improvised airfield in Pranjani, approximately 500 airmen were successfully evacuated.

Operation "Halyard," also known as "Operation Air Bridge," is considered one of the most successful rescue missions behind enemy lines in the history of warfare.