Operation Halyard: Commemorating the rescue of 500 Allied airmen in Serbia

Commemorations are being held in Pranjani to mark the anniversary of Operation Halyard, a major World War II rescue mission that saved more than 500 Allied airmen from occupied Serbia.

Conducted between August and December 1944, the operation involved the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the forces of General Dragoljub Draža Mihailović. Local Serbian villagers played a critical role by hiding, treating, and protecting downed pilots from German forces. To facilitate the rescue, residents constructed a secret makeshift landing strip at Galovića polje using manual tools and horse-drawn carts, guiding C-47 transport planes to the site using petroleum lamps at night to avoid detection.

John Capello, president of the Halyard Mission Foundation, noted that the mission serves as a foundation for the friendship between Serbia and the United States. The operation remains a significant historical testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the Serbian people during the conflict.