Fox interviewed Jibby for six hours, a few years back for Oliver North's War Stories. But then Fox hired Weasley Clark as a commentator and never aired the episode on the Halyard Mission.
Prayers up for a good & brave man, Art Jibilian!
Posted on 08/15/2008 7:29:39 PM PDT by Bokababe
World War II Navy vet Arthur Jibilian, whom I have profiled somewhat and who spent the greater part of his life trying to clear the good name of Draza Mihailovic and extract gratitude rather than war-making from our nation for the Serbian nation, is dying of Leukemia. His doctor has given him a maximum of six months, which he will be spending with his family, seemingly confident that his beloved America will one day get back on the right foot with the nation it has so wronged, Serbia. Below are his two most recent letters to me:
Dear Julia,
If you do not know, there is no easy way to tell you, so here it is: I have been diagnosed with acute leukemia. The doctor has given me a maximum of 6 months. That is why you have not heard from me.
You have done an awesome job presenting my, and the 513 rescued airmen’s, feelings about Mihailovich and the Serbs. We owe them! Now, we have it in black and white (THE FORGOTTEN 500); we have it on video, we have it in papers throughout this great land of ours; we have made people aware.
I am certain that a movie will come out shortly — it is just too good a story to remain hidden. Rumor has it that there is already one in process.
For all that you have done for the Serbs, and for me, I thank you.
Take care and God bless,
Arthur “Jibby” Jibilian
Halyard Mission
Thank you for your very nice letter, Julia. I have no problem with sharing my illness with anyone….no one gets out of this world alive. I have been blessed as I am in my beloved country, with friends and family who are taking loving care of me.
Acute leukemia (mine) is a disease where I have no platelets, and red and white blood cells are extremely low and the body can not reproduce them as it normally does. As a result, the patient becomes weaker and weaker, bones get frailer and frailer, joints hurt, appetite fails etc.
I won’t inflict the details of what I went through, but we have decided that I have lived 85 wonderful years and are not going to subject my body to chemo, radiation and other “heroic measures” just to live a few extra weeks, months, or years. Hospice and my family will make me comfortable and as pain-free as possible for whatever time I have left.
As of the moment, I am relatively pain-free and hope to remain so with the medication provided. I will keep you updated on my condition and, if I am unable, will instruct my daughter, Debi, to do so…I treasure our relationship and if you have any questions, please let me know.
Big hug,
Arthur
Fox interviewed Jibby for six hours, a few years back for Oliver North's War Stories. But then Fox hired Weasley Clark as a commentator and never aired the episode on the Halyard Mission.
Prayers up for a good & brave man, Art Jibilian!
Prayers for the gentleman’s suffering to be eased.
Would you like to ping the prayer list for this gentleman, please ?
That would be a great sned off for Jibby. I'm sure nothing would please him more!
LET'S DO IT!!!!!!
“Operation Halyard” took place over a week in June 1944 from a crudely constructed airfield in Serbia. Over 500 Allied airmen had been shot down during numerous bombing runs, most of which were on their way from Italy to bomb German occupied oil fields in Romania. The OSS planned an elaborate rescue involving C-47 cargo planes landing in enemy territory. The rescue was a complete success, but received little to no publicity. Part of this was due to the timing, and the world being focused on the D-Day operations in France.
God Bless you Sir...may God wrap his arms of comfort around you. You are a great soul.
Please pray for this wonderful, heroic veteran.
Thanks for posting this. I will keep this Awesome American in prayer. I hope that his family and friends get to spend a lot of time with him.
Lots of prayers and healing wishes for this incredible hero. Thank you for everything.
When I went to Stop & Shop two days ago, I saw a guy sitting down on a bench reading a newspaper. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt so his arms were exposed. I look a look at his left forearm and I saw a tattoo; I recognized the outline. It was a worn ink of the Navy SEAL Trident. Before I left, I asked the gentleman if the tattoo was what I thought it was; he confirmed it. He said he was in Honolulu either 1960 or 1962. I said God bless him and to have a nice day.
I just saw one of the very first Navy SEALs from either Team 1 or Team 2, and a Vietnam veteran. I felted honored that day to be in his presense.
My Prayers are with this Hero and his family. My brother spent many months in a German POW camp and was liberated by Patton himself near the end of the war...
I lived next door to a family whose only son was one of the first Navy Seals sent to Vietnam. He later went on to a high position in the VA. I saw his cousin a couple of weeks ago and asked about him but I don’t remember what state he lived in but it was in the North East.
His dad was at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7 1941 and had two buddies killed beside him...
used to work with a guy who was there 18 mo.s.
Prayers going up!
Men don't come braver--or better--than this.
Sir, God will go with you when the your anchor aweighs for the last time.
I’m in Stamford, CT if it might ring a bell.
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