Richard Felman
Richard L. Felman (May 29, 1921 – November 13, 1999) was a distinguished officer in the United States Air Force who flew combat missions during World War II and the Korean War, receiving 27 awards and decorations over the course of his military career.
Felman was born in The Bronx, New York City. He was the son of American-born David and Dora, a Jewish immigrant from Poland.[1] He had one brother, Irwin, born six years earlier.
At the age of 21, Felman enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on July 24, 1942 and became a master navigator. In early 1944. he was assigned to the 415th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force stationed in Lecce, Italy, as a second lieutenant flying B-24s.[2] He was a member of a "Liberator" bomber crew whose aircraft was named "Never a Dull Moment". In July 1944, Felman's B-24 was hit by German ME-109s and 10 of the eleven-man crew bailed out from 18,000 feet over the Yugoslav hills. Felman was later awarded the Purple Heart for his service during the plane crash.
Felman was personally decorated twice by King Peter II of Yugoslavia. Felman's contacts included Constantine Fotich, Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović, Milutin Devrnja, Vojvoda Momčilo Đujić, Slobodan Jovanović, Zvonko Vučković and many other prominent men in the diaspora.
The Chetniks were denied support by the Allies by the end of 1943. Draža Mihailović was accused by the Partisans in 1946 of being a collaborator and tried in Belgrade. Felman and 21 others in April 1946 petitioned Harry S. Truman and the U.S. Government to be allowed to go, at their own expense, to Belgrade and present their testimonies to the jury on Mihailović's trial. They were denied by the State Department, because the U.S. had established relations with the communist Partisans in the latter stages of the war, and did not want to disrupt their relations with the Communist Yugoslav government that was created post-war. Despite Felman's insistence, he was not able to reach Belgrade. Mihailović was found guilty of high treason, executed and buried in an unmarked grave on July 17, 1946.
Because of his efforts, Mihailović and his organization, on the recommendation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, were posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit by President Truman for their contributions to the Allied victory and the rescue of American airmen from behind enemy lines. The Legion of Merit is the highest award the U.S. can give a foreign national. Felman continued arguing that Mihailović and his Chetniks should be honored for their rescue of US pilots. In 1970, he went on the Congressional Record, pressing for legislation for a statue on Capitol grounds honoring General Mihailović. In 1976 and in 1977, the bill was introduced in the Senate by Strom Thurmond and Barry Goldwater. However, the legislation died in the House because of the aforementioned U.S. policy towards Yugoslavia. It was reintroduced over the next decades several times, but failed each time.
Richard Felman retired from the United States Air Force in 1968.
In 1995, for the 50th anniversary of the VE Day, Major Richard Felman returned to Serbia after 50 years, accompanied by his wife Mary Anne as well as Captain Nick Lalich and Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Davis. He was met on the mountain of Ravna Gora by 50,000 Serbian people, who gave him a thunderous ovation.
Felman died at the age of 78. He was survived by his wife Mary Anne and his brother Irwin. He had no children. On November 13, 1999 he was interred at the "All Faiths Memorial Park" in Tucson, Arizona.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Felman, Richard L., Major, U.S.A.F., Retired. Mihailovich and I. Tucson, AZ: self-published by author, copyright, Richard L. Felman, 1964. Publication: Serbian Democratic Forum, October, 1972; Neven Publishing, Milwaukee, WI, 1986.
- ↑ Freeman, Gregory A. The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II. NAL, 2007.
External links[edit]
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- Felman, Richard L., Major, U.S.A.F., Retired. Mihailovich and I. Tucson, AZ: self-published by author, copyright, Richard L. Felman, 1964. Publication: Serbian Democratic Forum, October, 1972; Neven Publishing, Milwaukee, WI, 1986.
- Kurapovna, Marcia. Shadows on the Mountains. New York: Wiley, 2009.
- Freeman, Gregory. The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II. NAL, 2007.
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