"Operation Halyard Trailer" Topic

"Is inspired by the largest single rescue operation in the history of world aviation of about 508 American and other Allied pilots behind enemy lines, which took place at an improvised airport in the village of Pranjani at the foot of Serbian mountain Suvobor with the logistical support of the Yugoslav Royal Army in 1944 known by the code name "Operation Halyard".The story, based on historical facts, has members of the Jović family as its main protagonists.

Two brothers from that family are in the conflicting armies, Mirko is in the Chetniks and Sreten is in the partisans. Their father is trying to protect his youngest son from joining any army. The story of Halyard is actually an apotheosis of heroism, friendship, charity, nobility and patriotism.

The aim of the action was the evacuation of Allied airmen shot down over the Nazi occupied kingdom of Yugoslavia. It was the largest rescue operation of American Airmen in history with grand total of 432 U.S. and 80 Allied personnel airlifted during the heroic mission during which Serbian fighters and ordinary people risked their lives for the lives of pilots in the middle of the Nazi infested land. The rescued pilots were bombing Nazi targets over South East Europe, especially oil fields and refineries. Since almost half of their aircrafts were shot down during these missions, hundreds of pilots ended up in Serbia. The Germans offered cash to the local Serbian population for the capture of Allied airmen, but Serbian peasants accepted the airmen into their homes, risking the wrath of the Nazis, and fed them for months without any Allied help. Operation Halyard had the purpose of locating and rescuing all these men. It is interesting that the US has 'thanked' Serbia by killing more than 5,000 innocent Serbian people in their bombing air strikes on Serbia which lasted for over three months day and night back in 1999."

YouTube link

Armand

Also see "The Forgotten 500" by Gregory A. Freeman

link

The last sentence of Tango's posting gives cause to consider the motivation behind this original posting. Question who sponsored this and the Serbians' record for atrocities.

Worse even than their opponents? (arguably that is, no one emerged with any credit from the Balkan Wars)

Thanks my good friend.

Armand