WWII US Veteran Seeks Justice For General Mihailovic

A World War II U.S. veteran Milton Friend has came to Belgrade to testify before the Serbian court in the process for rehabilitation of Chetniks leader General Dragoljub Mihailovic. Friend (88) was one of more than 500 Allied and American airmen rescued by Serbs after being shot down by Germans in Nazi-occupied Serbia.

“I came to pay respect to General Mihailovic and Chetniks who saved my life. They put their lives in risk to help me and hundreds of Allies soldiers. I wish to pay gratitude to Serbian people - they fed us, they sheltered us and they saved us from the Germans”, Friend told B92.

In June 1944, his aircraft B-24 was one of those shot down in Nazi controlled Serbia (at that time Yugoslavia). Friend and his crew spent 50 days with Chetniks and locals, before they were transported to Bari, Italy. The operation known as the Halyard Mission was the largest evacuation of fallen Allied airmen during WWII.

Two years later, Friend learnt General Mihailovic was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. At that time Serbia was part of Yugoslavia, led by the communist leader Josip Broz TitoJosip Broz Tito.

“Me and 22 other airmen rescued in Serbia wanted to come to Belgrade and testify in favor of General Mihailovic, but the State Department told us the convictions against him were too strong, and our testimony wouldn’t help”, Friend said.

General Mihailovic was executed in July 1946. The location of his grave has remained unknown. The currently ongoing process for his exoneration was initiated by his grandson Vojislav Mihailovic.