Ambassador Munter Visits Karadjordjevo

On November 19, Ambassador Cameron Munter visited Karadjordjevo to lay a wreath at the memorial to Serb-Americans who fought with Serbia during World War II and meet with community leaders.

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The story of Karadjorjevo:

Just before WWI, in July 1914, Serbs in America formed the Serbian National Defense Council of America (SND). Michael Pupin became the founder and the first president of this new Serbian-American organization. Based in New York, 83 local lodges soon formed in city centers throughout the United States. As World War I began, the SND Council of America began to work toward contributing to the Allied war effort.

The first contribution was humanitarian. 180 other patriotic organizations cooperated with Serbian National Defense to collect money and clothing for the soldiers and their families in Serbia. From the beginning of the war in 1914 until September of 1917, the SND collected over a half million dollars (a significant sum at the time) and hundreds of trunks full of clothing that were shipped overseas.

The Serbian National Defense Council of America also recruited Serbian volunteers among the émigré community in America to go fight the war in Europe on behalf of the Allies. Though this activity was not legal at the time because America was not yet at war, the organization was successful in its efforts. Volunteers were sent to the front via Detroit and on through Canada, who was at war by virtue of being part of the British Commonwealth. As America’s sympathies lay with the Allies of the Triple Entente, she was willing to look the other way as the Serbian volunteers were recruited and sent overseas to the Salonika Front in the Balkans. Once America entered the war in April of 1917, the recruitment and sending of Serbian volunteers to the front became legal and proceeded with vigor. Over 17,000 Serbs in America were, through the efforts of SND, recruited and sent to the Salonika Front.

The town of Karadjordjevo was founded in 1920, the youngest town in Vojvodina. The King gave land to volunteers who decided to stay after the war and live in Serbia. These volunteers are honored by the Memorial Wall in the center of Karadjordjevo.

Embassy Air Attaché John Capello also recently visited Karadjordjevo to speak to members of the community about the Halyard Mission. To learn more about the Halyard Mission, please see:
http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/archives/press/2007/b071108.html.

Ambassador Munter Visits the Community of Karadjordjevo. Photo FoNet

Embassy Air Attaché John Cappello gives a presentation on the Halyard Mission to the community of Karadjordjevo

Embassy Air Attaché John Cappello gives a presentation on the Halyard Mission to the community of Karadjordjevo

20. novembar, 2008
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

Ambasador Manter u poseti Karađorđevu

Ambasador Kameron Manter posetio je 19. novembra Karađorđevo i položio venac na spomenik Srboamerikancima koji su se borili na strani Srbije tokom drugog svetskog rata, i sastao se sa predstavnicima opštine.

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Priča o Karađorđevu:

Nešto pre prvog svetskog rata, jula 1914. Srbi u Americi osnovali su Srpski savet za nacionalnu odbranu u Americi (SND). Mihajlo Pupin postao je osnivač i prvi predsednik ove srpsko-američke organizacije. Sa sedištem u Njujorku, 83 lokalne lože bile su ubrzo formirane u gradskim centrima širom SAD. Kada je počeo prvi svetski rat, SND Savet Amerike počeo je da radi na doprinosu ratnim naporima Saveznika.

Prvi doprinosi bili su u humanitranoj pomoći. Ukupno 180 patriotskih organizacija sarađivalo je sa Srpskom nacionalnom odbranom da bi se prikupio novac i odeća za vojnike i njihove porodice u Srbiji. Od početka rata 1914. sve do septembra 1917, Savet za nacionalnu odbranu sakupio je pola milliona dolara (u to vreme bila je to poprilična suma) i stotine sanduka sa odećom koji su poslati u inostranstvo.

Srpski Savet za nacionalnu odbranu je takođe regrutovao srpske dobrovoljce u emigrantskoj zajednici u Americi da se bore u ratu u Evropi na strani Saveznika. Premda ova aktivnost nije bila legalna u to vreme, jer Amerika još nije bila u ratu, organizacija je bila uspešna u svojim naporima. Dobrovoljci su slani na front preko Detroita i Kanade koja je bila u ratu kao deo Britanskog Komonvelta. Pošto su američke simpatije bile na strani Saveznika i Trostruke Antante, vlasti su bile voljne da progledaju kroz prste srpskim regrutima koji su odlazili u Evropu na solunski front. Kada je Amerika ušla u rat aprila 1917, regrutovanje srpskih dobrovoljaca postalo je legalno i nastavilo se sa dodatnim elanom. Oko 17.000 Srba u Americi je regrutovano putem SND i poslato na solunski front.

Gradić Karađorđevo osnovan je 1920 godine kao najmlađi grad u Vojvodini. Kralj je dao zemlju dobrovoljcima koji su odlučili da ostanu i žive u Srbiji posle rata. Ovi dobrovoljci počastvovani su izgradnjom Memorijalnog zida u centru Karađorđeva.

Ataše za vazduhoplovstvo SAD Džon Kapelo posetio je Karađorđevo i razgovarao sa predstavnicima lokalne zajednice o misiji Halijard. Da biste saznali više o misiji Halijard, pogledajte sledeći link: http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/archives/press/2007/b071108.html.

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