His anger was tempered upon meeting another American attending the small ceremony. The young man introduced himself as Clare Musgrove’s grandson and remarked that, if not for Mihailovich and Operation Halyard, he never would have been born. The sight of the young man who had traveled all the way to Serbia to honor a man from his grandfather’s past helped restore Jibilian’s faith.
Jibilian choked up and tears came to his eyes as he realized that, though good men may pass without the world’s recognition, they can live on in the hearts of young people who know the truth.
Partial List of Airmen Rescued in Operation Halyard
This is a partial list of the 345 Americans, four British, four French, seven Italians, and twelve Russians rescued in the Operation Halyard mission between August 9, 1944, and September 1, 1944. Another 167 were rescued before the mission ended on December 27, 1944.
(B) - British
(F) - French
(I) - Italian
(R) - Russian
Lloyd J. Adams
Harold M. Adee
Carl P. Anderson
P. D. Angleberger
B. Antoine (F)
C. E. Astifan
Howard Baetjer
Paul Baker
Hugh Balfont
D. Barna
Russell W. Barney
F. Barrett
J. W. Barrett
F. Bartels
N. M. Baughman
R. E. Baum
C. Baumann
Charles Beall
T. L. Beard
A. R. Berger
B. H. Berger
Bernie Berggren
Edmund Bernice
C. T. Beyer
G. F. Blackburn
Vladimir Bobrov (R)
R. S. Boren
Roy J. Bowers
Tom Bradshaw
T. R. Bradshaw (B)
Herbert S. Brinell
G. J. Broadhead
L. C. Norman Brooks
Leonard M. Brothers
Robert L. Broun
Donald P. Brown
E. J. Brown
Gus T. Brown Jr.
J. F. Brownell
W. B. Brubeck
G. T. Bryan
H. W. Brynildsen
Jack A. Buchanan
J. E. Buchler
Anthony Buckner
K. W. (Roy) Buckner
R. W. Buckner
Billy B. Burnett
Ennis Burns
John A. Burton
F. Byfield
F. J. Byrne
W. K. Callam
V. S. Callicutt
J. L. Camara
C. M. Card
J. F. Cardone
Thornton Carlough
J. P. Carlson
A. C. Carrico
J. B. Carroll
P. E. Carroll
Damon L. Carter
L. W. Carver
R. Cassity
B. C. Cator
J. W. Chambers
F. J. Chappell
A. Chesbowitz
S. T. Ciotti
D. Clark
Victor Clarke
Bruce H. Clifton
F. H. Clos
Floyd S. Cofer Jr.
Bertram Cole
R. Cole
J. V. Crandall
Frank S. Crawford Jr.
J. Cribari
Martin Cudilo
Boris Cugionski (R)
J. W. Cunningham
Willard Curtis
P. Dansercour (F)
Charles L. Davis
Richard L. Davis
Anthony Degaetawd
Donald DeLauca
John P. Devlin
A. J. Dewa
T. N. Dixon
H. L. Dodgen
C. E. Drigger
E. Dunn
Robert Eagan
Wilbur Earl
D. Edmundson
John B. Edwards
John T. Eldridge
W. Elvin
W. R. Ely
N. L. Elzeer
Robert English
Julian Entreken
Everett C. Estys
D. L. Fairbanks
W. F. Farley
Lee Farris
Richard Felman
R. B. Ferris
Sameuel Ferris
C. R. Flower
Robert T. Foley
E. W. Ford
Edward Ford
H. D. Foreman
J. Foster
J. T. Fox
Ervin Frekco
A. Friedberg
M. Friend
Kenneth C. Fulier
_ Gannaro (I)
W. Gantt
C. B. Gerrish
S. A. Gibson
V. Gibson
R. D. Gilson
G. E. Goad
R. H. Goldman
Viktor Golukokov (R)
C. F. Gracz
J. F. Granger
R. Greene
Willy Griffin
Beluga Grigorije (R)
P. C. Grinnell
Stephan Hanick
R. L. Hansen
R. R. Harper
William B. Harrell
W. R. Harris
W. J. Harter
L. L. Harvey
R. J. Hefling
G. A. Heinicke
W. M. Henley
H. D. Henton
C. B. Hickman
Richard B. Hobby
H. S. Hock
J. P. Hoffman
J. T. Holcomb
J. G. Holtz
J. E. Honsinger
R. L. Hooper
Allan H. Hoover
Lawrence H. Horne
J. R. Horner
R. I. Howard
V. Hunt
G. R. Hurd
J. Indrisek
Fred Irwin
Rudolph M. Janci
N. S. Janosky
M. W. Jarvis
D. B. Jeffers
V. E. Johnson
C. R. Johnston
E. D. Jones
F. V. Jones
Forrest N. Jones
W. E. Jones
Charles R. Kear
W. L. Keepers
Menly Kent
R. C. Kent
Glenn Kerris
William Keys
J. I. Kidd
M. L. Kiel
F. N. Kincaid
James E. King
W. J. Kirkpatrick
Clarence E. Knight
R. Knowlton
G. G. Koch
F. S. Koffel
Vladimir Komiskalov
(R)
Peter Kovacovich
Petar Krikun (R)
D. E. LaBissioniere
A. F. LaCom
John Lane
O. H. Larson
Bernard J. Larvin
A. LeBoulie (F)
Clarence R. Ledford
William Lee
R. Leger
W. T. Leslie
John Lindstrom
Donald E. Loehndorf
T. O. Looney
C. S. Lovitt
C. Luciano (I)
F. Lukas
E. D. Lynch
Al Maas
Nikolaj Mahinjko (R)
Konstantin
Mamasuk (R)
K. B. Manley
W. K. Mann
F. Mario (I)
H. Marker
Robert L. Marshall
D. Y. Martin
Frederick Martin
J. P. Martin
R. A. Martin
C. Masellis (I)
Frank Mathews
Paul F. Mato
B. V. Mazzara
Lee McAlister
Michael E. McDonnell
Dale L. McEhaney
Thomas McElroy
W. O. McGinn
G. N. McGuire
Mike P. McKool
R. P. McLaughlin
O. Menaker
G. F. Messick
S. J. Methvin
L. Meyer
G. Mitchell
Robert D. Molina
R.D. Moore
J. Morris
J. Mortimer
Simeon Moskalemko (R)
H. Muckow
J. F. Mueller
K. Munn
Irving S. Muny
L. K. Murray
Clare M. Musgrove
M. Nierman
F. Nino (I)
Lawrence T. Norton
Robert J. Norwood
O. Nouska
D. O’Connell
Michael O’Keefe
J. T. Oliver
Thomas K. Oliver
J. F. O’Grady
G. O’Neal
Anthony J. Orsini
D. B. Osborne
J. D. Owens
K. L. Owens
John W. Pace
D. Parkerson
K. Patten
D. T. Patterson
T. F. Paul
L. Pavlovich
A. L. Pearce
F. Pederson
L. W. Peller
S. N. Pensabena
A. E. Peterson
T. Pettigrew
K. A. Pfister
D. Pierino (I)
Aleksander Plahotnikov
(R)
Robert L. Powers
Leonard. E. Pritchett
D. D. Radabaugh
C. G. Rechtin
N. C. Reid (B)
Norman Reid
P. L. Reinhardt
Joe Renkowitz
D. F. Rice
T. C. Richards
H. J. Ripper
Howard Robert
Hupert Robert
Paksmur Robert
Dale F. Rodgers
A. D. Romans
Anthony Russo
W. C. Rye
George Salapa
Delbert F. Salmon
A. Saucer
J. H. Scharnitsky
Baxter C. Scott
J. E. Scroggs
Floyd F. Shanley
R. S. Sheehy
J. Sickels
Donald Siegfried
S. Sika
E. E. Simon
A. Simone (I)
D. J. Smith
L. L. Smith
Philip Smith
W. R. Smith
H. J. Snyder
R. Somers (B)
H. Souter
R. L. Spence
P. A. Stearns
C. L. Stevenson
H. R. Stillman
R. Straub
Edward E. Stringham
M. Sucharida
D. W. Sullivan
Joseph P. Sullivan
Frank Sutton
Georgij Taminsin (R)
W. Taylor (B)
M. A. Tennison
Anthony P. Thalmann
John H. Thibodeau
R. J. Thies
G. Thomas
J. Thomas
Rodger Thomas
C. H. Townsend
Kenneth M. Turnquist
Sergije Valar (R)
G. Vandervall (F)
M. Vasquez
A. P. Verdi
Joe Verecher, Jr.
F. Vernon
R. N. Vlachos
R. C. Volk
V. A. Volrath
A. P. Waldschmidt
James A. Walker
M. W. Walker
C. J. Walpusk
R. M. Walton
R. J. Weber
Robert Weiss
R. L. Wellborn
N. C. Werner
W. Whelan
Richard P. White
Glenmore R. Wickum
R. R. Wiese
R. W. Williams
Robert I. Wilson
W. Wink
Robert E. Winmill
Harvey C. Witman
Leslie Wolfe
W. E. Wright
D. Yaun
A. Zion
F. A. Zuerchet
Acknowledgments
Writers always owe a huge debt of gratitude to people who were willing to share their intensely personal stories with a stranger. I must thank the veterans involved in Operation Halyard for sharing their stories with me and allowing me to craft their memories into a singular narrative that portrays a bigger picture. George Vujnovich, in particular, was extremely helpful in walking me through the history of the OSS and Operation Halyard, not to mention the fascinating story of his own adventure in Yugoslavia with Mirjana. My thanks also go out to Arthur Jibilian, Tony Orsini, Robert Wilson, Clare Musgrove, and Nick Petrovich for taking the time to share their stories and for trusting that I would treat them with respect.
My research assistant, Drew Mosley, must be credited with much of the leg-work and background studies that help frame the stories of the men involved in Operation Halyard. Drew was a terrific asset, and I appreciate his dedication to researching this story.
Mel Berger is exactly what every writer wants in an agent. Thank you, Mel. Thank you, Mark Chait, my editor, for your thoughtful input. My appreciation also goes out to the research assistants and staff at the Library of Congress, National Archives, and the Air Force Academy. My good friend Wes Hardegree made a significant contribution with his review of an early version of the book and by suggesting the title.
Thank you, Caroline and Nicholas, for being at my side throughout this project. When I think of why stories like this matter, and why men and women throughout history have been willing to risk everything for those they love, I think of you.
—GAF
Notes
A note about the Mihailovich name: Because of the vagaries of translating Balkan names to English, the name of Draza Mihailovich is found under various spellings, sometimes varying even within the same government document or press report. The most common usage is Mihailovich, but Mihailovitch, Mich hailovic, Michailovich, Michailovitch, Mikhailovic, Mikhailovich, Mikhailo vitch, Mahailovic, Mihajlovic, and Mihajlovich also have been used. For consistency, this book uses Mihailovich regardless of how the original source document spelled the name.
Chapter 2
Page 11 “seven major refineries, storage tanks, and related structures covering nineteen square miles” “Ploesti Oil Raid: Operation Tidal Wave.”
www.ww2guide.com/oil.shtml
Page 11 “accounting for 40 percent of Romania’s total exports” Ibid.
Chapter 4
Page 46 “not just to herd the flock but also to keep the wolves away” Pesic, Miodrag D.
Operation Air Bridge
:
Serbian Chetniks and the Rescued American Airmen in World War II
[English translation from the original Serbian]. Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Serbian Masters’ Society, 2002, p. 171.
Page 48 “they had bailed out much later and farther away than the other crew” The pilot and copilot of Wilson’s B-17 were aided by a separate group of Chetniks but never joined up with the other crew. They made it out of Yugoslavia safely.
Page 48 “was a machine gunner on a B-17 when he bailed out over Yugoslavia on July 4, 1944” Pesic, p. 164. Mike McKool’s story is a summary of the account he provided in
Operation Air Bridge
, along with newspaper articles from 1946, in which he described his experience while campaigning to save Mihailovich.
Page 49 “was flying a borrowed plane” Oliver, Thomas.
Unintended
V
isit to Yugoslavia.
Unpublished manuscript donated to the United States Air Force Academy, 1990, p. 1. Thomas Oliver’s story is a summary of the account he provided in his unpublished manuscript.
Page 50 “Another pilot blamed Dinah Shore when he found himself in trouble over Yugoslavia” Pesic, p. 164. Richard Felman’s story is a summary of the account he provided in
Operation Air Bridge
, along with multiple speeches he gave about his account, and various newspaper and magazine articles in which he described his experience.
Page 53 “Felman was immediately struck by Vasić’s appearance” Ibid.
Chapter 5
Page 63 “known as Captain Milankovic, spoke English” Pesic, p. 166.
Page 65 “afternoon on horseback, accompanied by three soldiers” Oliver, p. 2.
Page 74 “joined Mihailovich’s forces in conducting sabotage against the Germans” Felman, Richard. “Mihailovich and I.” Serbian Democratic Forum, October 1972.
Chapter 6
Page 80 “Please advise the American Air Ministry that there are more than one hundred American aviators in our midst” Martin, David.
The Web of Disinformation
:
Churchill’s Yugoslav Blunder
. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990, p. 232.
Page 83 “
Are you involved in trying to get them out?
” These are not the exact words from Mirjana’s letter, which is no longer available, but George Vujnovich recounts this version as the gist of what she wrote to him.
Page 83 “One agent reported finding a half-starved B-24 tail gunner who had been shot down in the first raid on Ploesti” Ford, Corey.
Donovan of OSS
. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1970, p. 205.
Page 94 “When Hitler first heard of the coup d’état and the country’s attempt to withdraw from the Axis, he thought it was a joke.” Testimony of Her mann Goering at Nuremburg Military Tribunals,
Proceedings of the International Military Tribunals at Nuremburg,
p. 344.
Page 94 “Winston Churchill described what happened next” Winston Churchill,
The Second World War, Volume 3: The Grand Alliance.
Boston: Mariner Books, 1986, p. 175.
Chapter 7
Page 110 “ ‘It’s Mrs. Goebbels!’ ” There is no way to verify that it actually was Magda Goebbels on the plane, but George and Mirjana Vujnovich both thought it was her and said that she acted as one would expect the powerful wife of a top Nazi officer to act. George and Mirjana responded accordingly at the time and remained confident after the war that Magda Goebbels had saved them from a likely arrest.