The Forgotten 500 Summary

What would you risk to save hundreds of lives during war? The Forgotten 500 tells the hidden story of extraordinary courage, loyalty, and sacrifice during World War II.

1. The Silent Miracle of Yugoslavia

In the chaos of World War II, a little-known rescue operation unfolded in Yugoslavia. In 1944, Allied airmen shot down during bombing missions over Romania found safe haven, thanks to the efforts of local Serbians. They landed in occupied territory, expecting hostility, but instead found compassion and protection among the villagers.

The airmen were guided to the remote village of Pranjani, where a network of Chetniks, led by Draža Mihailović, shielded them from Nazi forces. Despite warnings that the Chetniks were Nazi collaborators, they acted with bravery, guiding hundreds of soldiers to safety. They hid airmen in barns and shared their limited food supplies, treating them as family while risking their own lives.

This remarkable rescue effort went unnoticed for decades. Cold War politics and prevailing suspicions against Mihailović’s Chetniks left their heroism in the shadows. Surviving airmen’s testimonies and declassified documents have since shed light on this forgotten chapter of the war.

Examples

• Lieutenant Robert Wilson described how villagers welcomed him despite Nazi threats.
• Hundreds of airmen survived for months in Serbian households, hidden from German patrols.
• Mihailović defied Allied orders against him, focusing on saving American soldiers.

2. Risking Lives to Protect Strangers

The villagers and the Chetniks offered selfless assistance to the Allied airmen. They fed, clothed, and defended foreigners while enduring immense hardships from food shortages, constant German patrols, and wartime violence.

The Chetniks carefully transported airmen to safer territories, often marching them miles through rugged terrain to avoid detection. They even created a clandestine refuge in Pranjani, gathering over 500 airmen in one secluded area. This act of defiance placed the entire village at risk, as the Germans loathed such organized resistance.

Mihailović and his men’s sacrifices demonstrated an uncommon bond with their cause. Most of them didn’t speak the same language as the Americans, but shared food, labor, and hopes of eventual rescue. Their acts inspired the cultural bond between Serbians and Americans after the war.

Examples

• Villagers rationing scarce resources to feed the stranded airmen.
• Chetniks dismantling Nazi blockades to secure safer routes.
• Handing their own personal possessions, including clothes and medical supplies, to foreign soldiers.

3. The Role of George Vujnovich

George Vujnovich, a Yugoslav-American working for the OSS (precursor to the CIA), played an essential role in masterminding Operation Halyard. His determination to save the airmen was sparked by letters from his wife, who had learned of the soldiers’ ordeal.

Vujnovich coordinated intelligence reports and devised a plan to parachute a team into Yugoslavia. His work was difficult; initial reports about the stranded soldiers were dismissed as false or even potential traps. However, his persistence paid off after confirming the presence of the airmen.

Vujnovich’s strategic brilliance laid the groundwork for an impressive rescue mission. His ability to leverage personal and professional connections ensured swift action when many believed a rescue was impossible.

Examples

• Vujnovich trusting information from his Yugoslav wife over initial intelligence doubts.
• Assembling a skilled OSS team to parachute into Yugoslavia despite logistical challenges.
• Radio communications arranged by Vujnovich established evacuation schedules.

4. Building a Runway by Hand

Faced with limited resources, Mihailović’s Chetniks and the airmen themselves began constructing a makeshift runway in the mountains. They used primitive tools like pitchforks and hoes, clearing rocks and leveling the ground by hand.

Working at night, they labored under the constant threat of discovery by German patrol planes. The effort required both precision and secrecy—any smallest imperfection could make the runway unusable, jeopardizing lives. Every villager, including women and children, contributed to tasks such as hauling rocks with oxcarts.

Within six days, the bare-bones runway was finished. This act of perseverance symbolized the unity between stranded airmen and their Yugoslav rescuers—a testament to their shared resolve.

Examples

• Villagers working in complete silence to maintain secrecy.
• Lack of machinery meant improvising manual labor methods.
• German military planes narrowly missed flying over the construction site.

5. Operation Halyard Takes Flight

The evacuation began on August 9, 1944. American C-47 cargo planes conducted night landings on the makeshift strip to rescue soldiers, a feat considered nearly impossible under wartime conditions.

The first rescue of 272 airmen took two days. Subsequent missions collected others scattered around Yugoslavia. Precision navigation and skillful piloting made these daring nighttime evacuations successful, proving the ingenuity of the operation.

The airmen tossed belongings, like flight jackets, to the villagers as gestures of gratitude before boarding planes to Italy. The triumphant sound of the engines symbolized freedom and hope amidst the chaos of war.

Examples

• Pilots landing in complete darkness without lights.
• Musulin nearly postponing the operation after spotting Nazi patrol planes.
• Airmen celebrating after hearing the hum of rescuing aircraft.

6. Forgotten Heroes

Despite saving over 500 Allied lives, Draža Mihailović paid the ultimate price. In 1946, Tito’s communist government accused him of collaborating with Nazis, ignoring his critical role in Operation Halyard.

American airmen, outraged by these false charges, petitioned to defend Mihailović. Unfortunately, they weren’t allowed to testify. He was executed after a swift trial labeled unjust even by Western standards.

Mihailović’s efforts finally gained recognition when President Truman awarded him the Legion of Merit posthumously, albeit in secrecy to avoid straining relations with Yugoslavia.

Examples

• Airmen’s lobbying efforts in the United States to vindicate Mihailović.
• The trial’s lack of evidence against Mihailović as a collaborator.
• 512 rescued servicemen remembering Mihailović decades later.

7. The Power of Loyalty

Mihailović’s actions reflected unwavering loyalty to the Allied cause. He hoped that assisting the airmen would secure postwar diplomatic support for Yugoslavia’s prewar monarchy, but received little recognition in his lifetime.

His resolve inspired trust among his men amidst conflicting political allegiances. By saving American airmen, he sparked alliances that reshaped historical narratives over time.

His story teaches the enduring value of standing by one’s principles even in unpredictable situations—a legacy his rescuers have paid tribute to ever since.

Examples

• Mihailović refusing bribes for Nazi cooperation despite hardships.
• His soldiers matching his determination by sheltering airmen en masse.
• Allied airmen’s recognition decades later helped shed light on Mihailović’s sacrifices.

8. Unsung Villagers

The ordinary people who hosted and hid Allied airmen were perhaps the true heroes of the operation. Under the shadow of German-occupied territory, they jeopardized their lives to protect soldiers from opposing countries.

They showed resilience by carrying out everyday acts of resistance—providing food, disguises, and safe transport. Their courage provided invaluable support to Operation Halyard's success.

These villagers embodied the spirit of survival and solidarity during turbulent times, emphasizing the power of collective effort.

Examples

• Families sheltering soldiers despite limited resources.
• Mothers stitching new uniforms for airmen to avoid drawing attention.
• Local farmers volunteering to assist runway construction under threat of capture.

9. The Legacy of Operation Halyard

The largest successful air evacuation reminds us of the collaboration and determination that defines wartime bravery. Even against the odds, Operation Halyard’s success rescued lives and preserved human dignity at great personal risk.

The Chetniks have since become emblematic of unsung courage across historical narratives. Their story once buried by politics is now celebrated as evidence of enduring human compassion under the worst conditions imaginable.

Today, the operation serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of resistance and mutual cooperation between nations.

Examples

• 512 lives saved, arguably altering war history for many families.
• The declassification of Operation Halyard keeping its memory alive.
• Mihailović’s story published decades later to preserve his legacy.

Takeaways

1. Evidence matters—don’t dismiss people or groups based on rumors without verifying firsthand accounts.
2. Small, collective acts of courage can accomplish extraordinary results, even in dire circumstances.
3. Protect and remember the stories of those who sacrifice for others, so their lessons endure.