The Secret Rescue (34 page)

Jensen (
left
) and Maness, shown here in uniform with a little girl trying on one of their flight jackets, returned to Bowman Field as instructors and sold war bonds, but like the others in their party, they never forgot their harrowing journey and ultimate rescue.
(Courtesy of the Agnes Jensen Mangerich Family)

Acknowledgments

When I started this book, I had no idea that writing about the extraordinary journey of thirty stranded Americans in World War II and those who saved them would lead to such an incredible journey of my own on which I would meet countless people willing to help me uncover this remarkable story.

I am deeply grateful to medic Harold Hayes, the one remaining survivor of the fateful flight, who spent countless hours recalling events in incredible detail and sharing stories, articles, memorabilia, and photos he’d collected over seven decades. No matter how many questions I asked, Harold always answered. A special thanks goes to Betty, Harold’s wife of sixty-eight years, who was as welcoming to me as Harold and who also shared her memories of those in the 807th whom she met after the war. I am thankful to nurse Agnes Jensen Mangerich and medic Lawrence Abbott for their memoirs of these harrowing events.

Dr. Roderick Bailey, historian and author of
The Wildest Province: SOE in the Land of the Eagle,
was incredibly generous with his time and answered numerous questions during the writing of this book. Rod’s research and expertise on the British and Americans serving in Albania during World War II and Albania’s complicated political situation proved invaluable.

I want to thank Jon Naar, who at the time of the rescue was a Royal Artillery Captain with SOE working in Cairo and Bari, and who graciously shared his recollections of the events of 1943–44.

The many children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren of those in the story, from the stranded Americans to the Albanian partisans, were generous with their time, memories, and photos, and I am truly grateful to them. I am particularly thankful for the assistance of Karen Curtis and Jon Mangerich, the children of nurse Agnes Jensen Mangerich, who not only shared in person and through e-mail memories, letters, photos, videos, and articles related to the story, they, along with their spouses, Bob and Beverly, continuously offered their support. My sincere thanks also extend to Hunter Baggs, nephew of copilot James Baggs, and James’s son, Jim Baggs; Craig Lebo and Gayle Yost, the children of radio operator Richard Lebo; Sue Lonaker, niece of nurse Wilma Lytle; Nolan McKenzie, husband of nurse Lois Watson; Phyllis McKenzie, daughter of Lois Watson; William McKnight, Jr., son of the 807th’s commanding officer, William McKnight; Bob Owen, son of medic Robert Owen; Bill Shumway, son of medic Willis Shumway; the family of partisan Kostaq Stefa, especially his wife, Eleni Stefa, daughters Elda Stefa Naraci and Vitore Stefa-Leka, and grandsons, Kostaq Stefa and Dr. Pjetër Naraci; and Lee Whitson, daughter of nurse Eugenie Rutkowski. I also thank Clint Abbott, son of medic Lawrence Abbott, who published his father’s memoirs; Leka Bezhani, grandson of Tare Shyti, who helped lead the three nurses from Berat to the coast; Vojsava Bezhani, daughter of Tare Shyti; Elva Brooks, daughter of medic Gordon MacKinnon; Denis Cranson, son of medic Robert Cranson; Jim Cruise, son of medic James Cruise; Hasan Gina’s family, including his children Akil Gina, Cesar Gina, Donika Gina, Luiza Gina, and his granddaughter Marjola Llogoni; Karl Hayes and Virginia McCall, siblings of medic Harold Hayes; Koli Karaja, nephew of Nani and Goni Karaja, who hid the three nurses in their home in Berat; Mary Ann Adams Lofland, daughter of medic Charles Adams; David Mitchell, nephew of pilot Charles Thrasher; Bette Newell, daughter of nurse Elna Schwant; Dana Ramsey, daughter of Charles Thrasher; Hal Smith and Karen Smith, children of OSS officer Lloyd Smith; Rudy Stakeman, brother of the 807th’s head nurse Grace Stakeman; Joe Turnage, son of nurse Ann Markowitz; Paul Voigt, son of flight surgeon Philip Voigt; and Kristin Zeiber-Pawlewicz, granddaughter of medic Charles Zeiber. I am also grateful to the many distant relatives of those in the story who helped me locate these family members.

For their invaluable expertise and assistance, I thank Col. Nancy Cantrell, Chief Nurse of the 94th Combat Support Hospital and former Army Nurse Corps Historian; Dr. Dixie Dysart, Historian, Air Force Historical Research Agency; Dr. Robert Elsie, Specialist, Albanian Studies; Britta Granrud, Curator of Collections, Women’s Memorial Foundation; Ajet Nallbani, Historian, Berat Enthographic Museum; Art Reinhardt, OSS Veteran (China) and OSS Society Treasurer; and Judith Taylor, Senior Historian, Air Force Medical Service.

I am also grateful to Albana Droboniku and Blerin Rada for their generous assistance as guides and interpreters during my trip to Albania and their continued help once I returned to the States, as well as to Zeqine Droboniku and Valmira Frasheri for their hospitality in Tiranë.

Aleksander Sallabanda, former ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the United States, arranged for my meeting with Albanian president Bamir Topi, my meeting with Kostaq Stefa’s family and mayor of Berat Fadil Nasufi, and my meeting with Elbasan prefect Shefqet Deliallisi. I am sincerely grateful to him, to President Topi, and to the others for their time and efforts on my behalf. My thanks also go to Albanian journalist and researcher Dr. Monika Stafa, who put me in touch with the family of partisan Hasan Gina and who shared a document from the Albanian archives on partisan Kostaq Stefa’s arrest.

Many of the villagers I met, particularly Foto Prifti in Dhoksat, and Vesel Ibrahimi and Xhevit Elezi who live near the crash site, proved to me that Albania’s time-honored tradition of hospitality remains alive and well. When I showed up at their doorsteps unannounced, they welcomed me into their homes, offered me raki, and shared their stories. My thanks also extend to Klevis Haxhiaj, the grandson of Foto Prifti, who made a separate trip to Dhoksat on my behalf to ask follow-up questions.

For helping me search various archives in the United States and around the world, I thank Dr. Roderick Bailey, Dr. Gregory Geddes, Marisa Larson, Kevin Morrow, Dominik Naab, and Sim Smiley. Thanks also to author and Brig. Gen. Philip D. Caine, USAF (Ret.), and researcher Steven Kippax for sending me files. I am grateful to several people who found related newspaper articles and information on my behalf, including Betty Menges at the New Albany–Floyd County Public Library, Julia Muller at
Savannah News,
Maureen Nelson at the Mecosta County Genealogical Society, and Holly Peery at the Bolles School. For fact-checking sections of this book, I thank Michelle Harris. My thanks also go to the sons of the late John Graham, an SOE officer in Greece and a friend of Lt. Gavan Duffy after the war, who generously shared research materials on the story gathered by their father in the 1990s, to Jim Graham of the 1st Fighter Group who shared copies of mission reports, and to Robert Vrilakas of the 1st Fighter Group who shared his experiences as a P-38 pilot assigned to rescue the Americans.

I am very fortunate to have the support and guidance of my agent, Ellen Geiger, partner at Frances Goldin Literary Agency, who found the perfect home for my book at Little, Brown. I am extremely grateful for the talent, support, and wisdom of my Little, Brown editor, John Parsley. I would also like to thank my former editor at Little, Brown, Christina Rodriguez, who believed in this story from the very beginning, and publisher Michael Pietsch. My gratitude extends to Morgan Moroney and Miriam Parker as well as Malin von Euler-Hogan, Peggy Freudenthal (and freelance copyeditors Carolyn Haley and Alice Cheyer), and the rest of Little, Brown’s consummate team.

I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from an extraordinary group of people, including those at
National Geographic
magazine,
Smithsonian
magazine,
AARP The Magazine,
and the
New York Times
as well as my teachers and fellow students at Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am especially grateful for the continued support of Don Belt, Ken Budd, Molly Crosby, Whitney Dangerfield, Allan Fallow, Nancy Perry Graham, Gary Krist, Jess Ludwig, Candice Millard, Austin O’Connor, Leslie Pietrzyk, Bob Poole, Clay Risen, Tim Wendel, and Frank Yuvancic.

I am deeply grateful to my wonderful family, especially my parents, who encouraged me to pursue my passion for writing and whose love and support inspired me to write this book. A special thanks goes to my three brothers and my sisters-in-law, who’ve always cheered me on, and to the nurses in my family, including my mother, aunt, and great-grandmother, who helped so many people. I hope in some small way this book inspires the youngest members of my family, including Caleb, Katelyn, Alyssa, Taylor, Jenelle, Aaron, Kyle, Evan, Adrian, Owen, Banks, Ben, and Madelyn, to discover and follow their own dreams.

My husband and best friend, Tim Wiersma, has supported me through every step of writing this book, including traveling with me to Albania as my photographer. He continues to amaze me each and every day with his love, kindness, and sense of humor, for which I will be thankful for the rest of my life.

Praise for Cate Lineberry’s
THE SECRET RESCUE

“
The Secret Rescue
combines all of the elements that draw us to WW II stories: the daring of
The Guns of Navarone,
the suspense of
The Great Escape,
and the bravery reminiscent of
Ill Met by Moonlight.
It’s the inclusion of so many women, though, that makes this story unique. It’s always good to be reminded that by no means did men have a monopoly on grace under fire during the world’s greatest conflagration.”

—Nicholas Mancusi,
Daily Beast

“Cate Lineberry has written a touching, thrilling, completely engrossing story of great courage under harrowing circumstances. This is a World War II story that few people have ever heard but, after reading this book, no one will forget.”

—Candice Millard, author of
The River of Doubt
and
Destiny of the Republic

“American nurses and medics, trapped behind enemy lines, hungry and haggard, dodging Nazis, hope dimming as winter gains strength. In Cate Lineberry’s gifted hands, the true story of
The Secret Rescue
is a gripping and suspenseful tale, alive with rich details that carry readers along every step of this remarkable journey.”

—Mitchell Zuckoff, author of
Lost in Shangri-La
and
Frozen in Time

“Cate Lineberry has unearthed a little-known episode of World War II that has all the elements of a classic escape adventure. Carefully researched and compellingly told,
The Secret Rescue
is a suspenseful story of courage, audacity, and endurance behind enemy lines. I couldn’t stop reading it.”

—Gary Krist, author of
City of Scoundrels

“Riveting.… Lineberry has made the hitherto unpublished experiences of the nurses and medics of the 807th MAETS—and the four crew members who piloted their plane—a part of World War II written history.… She offers glimpses into the lives of people who were generally unknown in World War II.”

—Nancy Barclay Graves,
Army Magazine

“Drawing on recent interviews with the sole surviving member of the group, previously classified information, archives, and published and unpublished memoirs, Lineberry deftly describes the Americans’ struggles yet doesn’t stoop to unnecessary drama or emotion. She shows the group’s bravery but also their frustrations, despair, and debilitating lack of understanding of Albanian culture.”

—
Library Journal

“
The Secret Rescue
is narrative history at its best. Cate Lineberry uncovers a fascinating, long-forgotten drama that captured the world’s attention during the darkest days of World War II and transforms it into a gripping story of courage under fire.”

—Daniel Stashower, author of
The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War