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World War II Vet Honored for Saving 512 Airmen (95 Years Old)
CBS News ^ | 10/17/2010

Posted on 10/17/2010 4:23:28 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Architect of Mission to Save Allied Airmen Trapped Behind Enemy Lines Awarded Bronze Star

A New York City man was honored Sunday for his role in a little-known chapter of World War II. The U.S. government awarded George Vujnovich the bronze star for orchestrating the daring rescue of hundreds of trapped American airmen.

"I feel we should have helped those men," says Vujnovich.

For a half-century he lived a humble life as salesman in blue collar Queens, New York. During World War II he was a 29-year-old officer for the Office of Strategic Services - the CIA of its day - training men for a top-secret rescue behind enemy lines.

"I feel great that I helped save them," says Vujnovich.

Called Operation Halyard, it was a massive airlift of more than 500 Allied pilots and crew.

"I was the operations officer, knew the circumstances over there, knew the country," says Vujnovich.

It was the summer of 1944, reports CBS News correspondent Sean Hennessey. Hundreds of Allied airmen, mostly Americans, were shot down in the hills of Yugoslavia. They were surrounded by Nazi troops. Vujnovich's wife, who worked for the Yugoslavian embassy, tipped her husband off about the secret location of the downed men.

"My wife wrote me a letter. 'See what you can do,'" says Vujnovich.

And so a bold mission was born. "We trained them in espionage as much as we could," says Vujnovich.

To get them out, he had to build a makeshift airfield for C-47s to make quick, daring rescue drops, an operation that went on for four months without being detected by the Germans.

He trained Serbian-speaking agents in Bari, Italy, who learned how to blend in with Yugoslav rebels hiding the Allied soldiers in farms.

"They nourished us. They hid us from the Germans. And some of them lost their lives," says Tony Orsini, a navigator during World War II.

Orsini spent five weeks protected by Serbian villagers before being airlifted home. In total, it took more than 40 flights to rescue 512 airmen. Orsini credits Vujnovich with saving his life.

Orsini still keeps the missing-in-action telegram given to his parents and the Serbian dagger given to him for protection.

Of Vujnovich, Orsini says, "He is the architect of the greatest rescue mission in World War II."

A 95-year old architect who's story is no longer a secret, but his award bittersweet.

"I'm sad because some of these men that we sent in are not here so they can share in this honor," says Vujnovich.

An honor, along with the thanks of grateful nation.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bronzestar; halyard; oss; serbia; serbian; serbians; vujnovich; worldwarii; yugoslavia
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To: Honorary Serb
Of course, the media made it easy to pick DioGuardi, with their “Serbs are the villains and Albanians are the victims” lies. But Americans should know by now what were are facing from islam, both within our country and from without. And incidents such as this (see link below) show the true savage face of Kosovo Albanians, even to the present day:

Remember Democrat Tom Lantos? The guy who said about Kosovo, "Just a reminder to the predominantly Muslim-led government[s] in this world that here is yet another example that the United States leads the way for the creation of a predominantly Muslim country in the very heart of Europe. This should be noted by both responsible leaders of Islamic governments, such as Indonesia, and also for jihadists of all color and hue. The United States' principles are universal, and in this instance, the United States stands foursquare for the creation of an overwhelmingly Muslim country in the very heart of Europe."?

Well watch Democrat Lantos in 1990 fawn all over Republican Joe DioGuardi -- AND watch Helen Delich Bentley put the SOB in his place, to applause in the US House!

The video ends with Slobodan Milosevic testimony at the Hague about DioGuardi's role in demonizing Serbs -- and in this case, he was right.

21 posted on 10/17/2010 10:47:28 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe; joan; Smartass; zagor-te-nej; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ...
As usual, your anti-Albanian remarks are causing problems!

Heroin sales are way off. We can hardly sell stolen car parts at their normal price. And worst of all, because of the bad publicity you are giving us, Amerika's quaintest and most colorful Balkan Allies, it is getting tougher to fool young Eastern European women into becoming prostitutes!

If our kidnapping and extortion rackets begin to suffer, we may be forced to take action, against you, Babe!

BTW, your hometown has been found to be a part of The Greater Albania!

22 posted on 10/17/2010 11:20:20 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk (Revive The Poll Tax and Literacy Requirement for voter registration.)
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To: nickcarraway

God bless you sir!


23 posted on 10/18/2010 5:24:11 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: Bokababe

BTTT!


24 posted on 10/18/2010 9:03:02 AM PDT by bayouranger (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices the lie.)
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To: max americana
The Great Raid in Cabanutuan, Philippines (also made into a movie) was also considered the greatest rescue mission in WW2. Rescuing then carrying sick American POW’s using water buffaloes back from enemy lines wasn’t simple as it sounds.

492 Americans were rescued at Cabanatuan, plus Allied soldiers/Sailors and assorted civilians. George Vujnovich managed a little better than that, with a bit less noise and fuss.

World War II Vet Honored for Saving 512 Airmen

25 posted on 10/18/2010 9:10:36 AM PDT by archy (I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous!)
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To: bayouranger

http://www.serbianna.com/

Great video of how the jihadis educated in madrassas controlled by “our friends” the saudis are employed in their global jihad against the West & how those koranimals decorate the walls of the suadi funded clinics of hate.

Oh those...saudis.


26 posted on 10/18/2010 9:23:33 AM PDT by bayouranger (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices the lie.)
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To: Kenny Bunk
If our kidnapping and extortion rackets begin to suffer, we may be forced to take action, against you, Babe!

Wouldn't be the first threat I'd gotten from the Albanians and probably won't be the last, Kenny!

Seriously, all of us have gotten threats that range from "Talking about Kosovo can be dangerous to you and your family's health" to long diatribes in Serbian (which I don't understand, but later had translated -- Kosovo Albanians do speak Serbian and I don't) that were the product of truly sick minds.

On one hand, I thank God that I live in a country that allows us to arm ourselves -- on the other it PO's me that I as an American can be threatened for freedom of speech in my own country by these foreign beasts and they get a pass. In my version of America, they (as foreign elements) are the ones who should be worried, not me -- but I am sad to say that my America doesn't exist anymore.

27 posted on 10/18/2010 11:22:03 AM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe
Marines Never Forget (Halyard Mission)
28 posted on 10/18/2010 12:17:53 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe
>>>>>Back in the 1970's and early 1980's, the US State Dept quashed every attempt to make The Halyard Mission public "for fear of offending Tito".<<<<<<

BB, nothing wouuld change. please condsider this chronological analysis.

Harry Truman awarded Legion of Merit to Mihailovich in May 1948. Tito became renegade from Stalin's block not in June 1948 but later, in 1949.

The question here is - why would U.S. care about upsetting Tito when Tito at that time (May 1948) was still Stalin's lapdog and the US-Tito relations were at it's lowest. At least according to official historical records.

I see it somewhat differently: Tito was a triple agent before WWII and after WWII U.S. offered him substantial aid if he turns away from Stalin. Ruskies figuered it out and attacked Tito accusing him of treason. Tito was thrown from the Stalin lap, he did not run away on its own. To improve his bargaining position with the Americans, and to safeguard iron grip at home at first Tito publicly pretended to be bent on mending the ties with Stalin. After one year, he suddenly reinvented himself as Great renegade from the Communist block.

I believe this is the background that can explain U.S. behavior regarding Legion of Honour to Mihailovich.

The answers are in the archives, many still being classified. In Serbia, U.S. continued the foreign policy of The Third Reich. I understand why it was suppressed that Serbs were trusted allies - it would be counterproductive to such policy.

The Serbs are living proof that Dr. Kissinger was right - being America's enemy is sometimes inconvenient, being America's friend is invariably fatal.

Maj. Felman and others at least saved their soul for doing what is rigt. That is the true historical lesson of this sad story.

29 posted on 10/18/2010 12:36:33 PM PDT by DTA
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To: Bokababe

.....DioGuardi’s resume can best be summed up in this video....

YouTube (i.e., Google) removed the video for “violating terms of service”. I guess they couldn’t take the “disturbing images”, even though every American needs to know what muslims—especially the favored muslims of the Balkans—do all the time.

The motto of Google is “don’t be evil”. Don’t believe that one! Google IS evil!!!! And I know other ways in which it is evil, too!!!!


30 posted on 10/18/2010 2:59:01 PM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: Honorary Serb
YouTube (i.e., Google) removed the video for “violating terms of service”. I guess they couldn’t take the “disturbing images”, even though every American needs to know what muslims—especially the favored muslims of the Balkans—do all the time.

Yes they did! Not surprised, because it was so dead-on about what a corrupt piece of garbage his is.

But apparently DioGuardi can't fool the Feds, because they have linked him to a Ponzi scheme!

Feds link GOP Senate hopeful Joe DioGuardi to Ponzi firm

31 posted on 10/18/2010 4:41:39 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe

DioGuradi is a cheap crook, on top of the downright evil things he has been involved in in the Balkans.

It’s too bad that his opponent Gillbrand is a stand-in for Hillary clinton, the notorious muslim shill and Serbophobe. And she voted for DeathCare, too!!!!

That’s what happens when people go out and vote unknowingly—they get choices like this.


32 posted on 10/18/2010 5:24:13 PM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: DTA

You appear to have studied those dates closely, and found a solution.

I always thought that Tito’s break with Stalin was because Tito fancied himself, “The Stalin of the Balkans”, given that Tito had plans for Albania and was supplying the communist side of the Greek Civil War.


33 posted on 10/18/2010 5:25:42 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Honorary Serb
I am afraid you just don't understand politics.

The Republicans really wanted Satan, but he ran for POTUS a while back, and won. DioGuardi was the best they could do on short notice. BTW, most nooyawkuz probably think the guy is Italian.

Albania just isn't on the American geographical radar, along with everything else on the planet.

34 posted on 10/18/2010 7:12:02 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk (Revive The Poll Tax and Literacy Requirement for voter registration.)
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To: Honorary Serb
YouTube (i.e., Google) removed the video for “violating terms of service”. I guess they couldn’t take the “disturbing images”, even though every American needs to know what muslims—especially the favored muslims of the Balkans—do all the time.

The DiGuardi Video is back up on another site. It has a German as up front, but the video starts in a few seconds

35 posted on 10/19/2010 9:24:57 AM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe; eleni121

Thanks!

Google/YouTube even removed Geert Wilder’s “Fitna” for “violating terms of service”. Now it’s up on another site, however.

DioGuardi may well be sunk by his being caught in that Ponzi scheme. But there are NO good choices in that Senate race!!!!


36 posted on 10/19/2010 10:37:43 AM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: Honorary Serb
DioGuardi may well be sunk by his being caught in that Ponzi scheme. But there are NO good choices in that Senate race!!!!Absolutely agree!
37 posted on 10/19/2010 1:23:41 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: nickcarraway; All
More on Vojnovich and Halyard Mission Story, including videos, at the Serbian Unity Congress website. George Vojnovich was one of the founding members of the Serb Unity Congress.

Interestingly, Dana Maksimovich, co-producer of the film Crash and owner of the film rights to The Forgotten 500, was also in attendance when the award was granted.

38 posted on 10/19/2010 2:49:00 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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