Posted on 07/16/2013 4:30:30 PM PDT by Ravnagora
Curtis Diles' yard in Ohio with 500 American flags honoring the Mihailovich Serbs of WWII. Photo courtesy of the Diles family, date unknown.
Aleksandra's Note:
American WWII Air Force veteran Curtis "Bud" Diles, one of the "Forgotten 500" of the great Halyard Mission rescue operation, turned 88 on July 15, 2013. He has lived a full, rich life, and to his great credit to this day he has never forgotten what was done for him almost 70 years ago, a lifetime ago, by strangers whose language and culture he did not share and in whose land he had become a "visitor" by circumstance.
Ironically, Curtis Diles' birthday falls on the same day, July 15th, that the Belgrade court rendered its "Guilty" verdict against General Draza Mihailovich in 1946. Among Curtis Diles' mementos of his war days is a photo montage that hangs prominently on the wall of his home featuring the Serbian General who remains a hero to this American and will remain so to the end of his days and beyond.
God Bless You, Curtis "Bud" Diles, and as the Serbs like to say when they appreciate and respect someone in their midst: Na Mnogaja Ljeta! May you live many more summers.
Happy Birthday!
Your friend,
Aleksandra Rebic
*****
(Excerpt) Read more at generalmihailovich.com ...
Ping.
The Halyard operation flew out of Yugoslavia downed American flyers who had been shot down on bombing missions to Romania and Bulgaria who had been sheltered at great risk by locals. In 1944 1,152 Americans were rescued, 356 of them by Mihailovich’s Chetniks.
Hi Colorado Tanker,
More than 356 -
At least 500. And other Allied airmen were rescued by the Mihailovich Serbs as well in 1944.
So few left now...
Yes, sadly, that generation is passing.
Thanks for posting. We need to keep the memory alive of what many brave Serbs did for American airmen.
Many Years to him!!!!
And I know about the Parastos for Gen. Draza Mihailovich tomorrow, too! Memory Eternal!!!!
http://www.generalmihailovich.com/2013/07/parastos-for-gen-mihailovich-at-st-sava.html
And in the 90s we bombed the Serbs on behalf of Muslims.
Yep.
The clintons made a fortune off those war crimes.
(Vid 6:25)
http://www.juliagorin.com/wordpress/?p=2937
More:
http://www.juliagorin.com/wordpress/index.php?s=saudi+king+thanks+bill+clinton&submit=Search
Thank you for this post, Aleksandra
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.