Free Republic

Architect of Mission to Save Allied Airmen Trapped Behind Enemy Lines Awarded Bronze StarA 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 -...

<p>George Vujnovich at home in Jackson Heights, Queens. On Sunday, he is to receive a Bronze Star for his role in a daring rescue of more than 500 Allied forces airmen during World War II.</p> <p>For more than 50 years, George Vujnovich was a mild-mannered salesman working away at his small business in Queens and living a quiet life on a quiet block in Jackson Heights. He never spoke, even to his closest friends, about his secret role organizing one of the greatest rescue missions of World War II.</p>

Major George Vujnovich of the 1944 Halyard Mission revisits Pranjane, Serbia in September of 2004 Photo courtesy of OSS Radioman Arthur "Jibby" Jibilian FROM MR. NENAD MILINKOVIC: Dear Friends, Attached is the actual entry into the Congressional Record of the U.S. Congress submitted by Rep. Dan Burton (IN) this week on behalf of the award of THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL to Maj. George Vujnovich. Please feel free to share this wonderful news. Please also note that the formal medal award ceremony for George Vujnovich will take place at the parish hall of Saint Sava's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in New...

Aleksandra's Note: I first met Major George Vujnovich, OSS Chief of the Halyard Mission, in Chicago in May of 1994, when the 50th Anniversary of Operation Halyard was being celebrated as part of the worldwide D-Day Commemorations. I remember being struck by what a lovely person he was. Such an important figure in Allied relations during a very critical time in 1944, yet such a humble and gentle soul he was. Thank you to those who began this initiative to officially recognize Major George Vujnovich with such a prestigious and well deserved award and kept it going for two years....

SPEECH OF HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY OF NEW YORK IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009 Mr. CROWLEY: Madam Speaker, I am joined by the co-chairs of the Congressional Serbian Caucus, Representatives Melissa Bean of Illinois and Dan Burton of Indiana, in honoring a treasured constituent of mine and one of the unsung heroes of World War II, retired Major George Vujnovich. Major Vujnovich, a proud Serbian-American, was instrumental in 'Operation Halyard' and one of the last surviving members of that successful wartime mission. In the summer of 1944, Americans and Allied airmen flew hundreds of sorties over Europe with...