HALYARD MISSION FOUNDATION

Continuing the story of the remaining six aircraft that crashed on July 15th. Liberator No. 42-78323 was another victim of German Flak defenses over the Bor mines. While returning from the mission, the plane was directly hit in the wing, which fell off. The aircraft started to spin out of control and broke apart. Only three airmen that were thrown out of the plane managed to open their parachutes. Others died in the plane, unable to bail out. Ray McLaughlin David Yaun George

B-24 No. 42-64354 was flying to its target, Ploesti, when it was hit by flak. Many of the aircraft systems were damaged, but the plane could still fly in the group formation, so it proceeded. However, after dropping its bombs over the target, the pilot lost control, and the plane lost 6500 feet of altitude. After finally managing to bring the aircraft under control, the crew headed back to Italy. Due to damage, the plane continued to slowly lose altitude, and when they were n

On July 15th there was another large attack on Ploesti, with more than 600 B-17 and B-24 bombers. On this mission, ten aircraft crashed in Yugoslavia. Two were B-17s from the 483rd Bomb Group. Plane No. 42-102429 crashed near Kragujevac, in the village Adžine Livade. The entire crew perished. Victor Vlahovich Michael Bellonio Edward Gusciora Arthur Ryan Charles Navarro Leolass Stewart Bernard Fletcher Robert Watkins Stephen Barton Alfred VanDeren Jr. In a photo from the buria

After 76 years work will soon begin again on Galovića field, the site of the rescue of American airmen during WWII. With the support of the Government of Serbia and in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure planning has begun to develop a sport airfield on Galovića. Thank you Jovanka and Zoran Ilic for the close cooperation and hard work to make this possible. The airstrip is an addition to the monument site that is also planned for the field and will be part of a co

Finally, on July 9th, a third aircraft that crashed in Yugoslavia during its from to Ploesti mission was B-17 No. 42-107166 from the 483rd Bomb Group. While flying near Brasov, Romania, one engine stopped working. The aircraft fell out of formation as it could not maintain speed. The pilot still wanted to bomb the target, but when another engine failed the crew decided to drop its bomb load on a target of opportunity, after which the ship started back to base. While over Bosn

Another plane lost on this day was a B-24 from the 449 Bomb Group, No. 42-78341. While over the target of Ploesti, the aircraft was hit by flak, which incapacitated two engines and flight controls. Without enough power, the Liberator started to lose speed and altitude and was unable to keep up with the formation. When they reached the vicinity of Užice in western Serbia, the crew had to bail out. Clyde Driggers Donald Rice Wallace Brubeck Allen Carrico Wilburn Henley Robert S

Another day of big losses for the US bombers on missions to Ploesti. One B-24 and two B-17 aircraft fell in Yugoslavia. Liberator No. 42-78348 was returning from its mission to Ploesti when gunner Carl Walpusk noticed a group of ten aircraft, which he thought were P-51 escorts. But they turned out to be enemy Me-109, which soon attacked the B-24. After it was hit many times, the crew was ordered to bail out in the vicinity of Čačak. Paul Mato James Kidd Richard Felman Kenneth

We returned to Koceljeva to congratulate Zoran Živanović on the publication of his new book on the Halyard rescue mission. His research provides details of another important aspect of the rescue mission and the role of the Koceljeva region. We look forward to working with the community to develop a memorial on the runway site and to further recognize the importance of Koceljeva to the successful rescue of American airmen

On July 4th, 1944, the 450th Bomb Group was en route to attack targets in Pitesti, Romania. After crossing the Danube River, two engines on B-24 No. 42-51177 stopped working. The crew immediately turned the aircraft around to return to base but soon lost another engine. The aircraft could not remain flying with just one engine, so the crew of 10 had to bail out: Ralph Volk William Smith Bernard Berger Francis Byrne Donald Martin Courtney Cerrish Neal Janosky Hilton Dodgen Joh

On July 2, 1944, the 376 Bomb Group was en route to Budapest, when the crew of aircraft 42-73140 noticed an engine problem. They had to drop their bomb load early and turn back to base. Soon they had another engine die and the plane began to lose altitude. The crew had to bail out near Sarajevo. Five crewmen bailed out first, while the remaining crew jumped out further west where they were captured by German forces. The five rescued crewman were: Patrick Carroll John Granger