Help Build the Vis WWII Memorial Center

An international group is in the process of establishing a permanent WWII Memorial Center on the island of Vis in Croatia and adjacent to the emergency airstrip that saved over 4,000 lives of Allied airmen during the war.

By the beginning of 1944, the only free territory in the middle of Nazi occupied Europe was the island of Vis in then Yugoslavia which was defended by a combined force of Partisan British and US troops. Vis airfield played a key role in saving Allied airmen whose bombers and fighters, damaged in fierce battles over occupied Europe and unable to reach their bases in southern Italy.

On July 5th of last year, a ceremony was held at the site of the future Memorial Center to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the death of the first Allied airman, 2Lt. John J. K. C. Kim, on the airstrip as well as the Partisans also killed in that crash. Wreaths were laid by the families of Kim and the Partisans, along with representatives of the U.S. and Croatian governments and the Mayor of Vis. A Black Hawk helicopter of the Croatian Air Force did a fly over and landed at the site, and aboard was the head of the Croatian Air Force, Major General Michael Krizanec and U.S. Defense Attache Colonel Scott McLean from the U.S. Embassy in what was the first landing of an American military aircraft since 1945 on Vis!

We are now proceeding with plans for the permanent Vis WWII Memorial Center and are seeking support and donations from individuals and organizations. Funding is needed for erecting suitable buildings and storing many WWII artifacts, for collecting airmen's stories and creating displays.

We hope to erect the first building in a few months.

The Center will be adjacent to the old airfield on the land of Velimir Mratinic who is the President of the Foundation for Vis which will operate the Center.