⁍ A monument shaped like a military transport plane was unveiled on a Serbian hillside on Saturday.
⁍ It commemorates the rescue of hundreds of allied pilots who were shot down by German forces during World War Two.
⁍ About 500 airmen, mostly Americans, were brought to the village of Pranjani during 1944 to be airlifted back to base in Bari, Italy.
– Some 500 US and other allied pilots were shot down by German forces during World War II and brought to the village of Pranjani in Serbia. On Saturday, a monument honoring them was unveiled in the village of Pranjani, Reuters reports. According to the AP, the “Operation Halyard” rescue mission took place in 1944, when the US, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand sent planes to bring the downed pilots back to their bases in Bari, Italy. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was in attendance at Saturday’s dedication of the monument, which is shaped like a military transport plane. “I will make sure to drink this bottle of traditional Serbian brandy with President Trump when he visits Serbia so he feels how American soldiers enjoyed it 76 years ago,” Vucic said.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/serbia-usa-monument/serbia-commemorates-daring-world-war-two-airlift-mission-with-monument-idUSL8N2GN05X