FReeper Canteen ~ The Berlin Airlift ~ Part 1: The Beginning ~ 02 December 2019

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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The Berlin Airlift
Part 1:  The Beginning
All info and photos from this website.

           

For the next four weeks, on Mondays, the Hall of the Heroes threads will be about the Berlin Airlift and its heroes.  I hope the story inspires you like it does me!  Thank you to ConorMacNessa for the thread topic tip!

The Berlin Airlift

PRELUDE TO CONFLICT
At the end of WWII, a defeated Germany was divided amongst the victors, the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. The Soviet Union took control of the Eastern half of Germany, the Western half was divided amongst the US, Great Britain, and France. Like the rest of the country, the capital city of Berlin, sitting dead in the middle of the Soviet-controlled Eastern half, was also divided into four parts, one half being Soviet controlled, and the rest divided amongst the others. A four-power provisional government, called the Allied Control Council, was installed in Berlin.  This union of governments was to control and rebuild the city of Berlin.

 

By 1948, it became apparent that the Western Powers (Great Britain, France, and US) plan to rebuild Germany differed from the Soviet Union's plan. Currency, German Unification, Soviet War reparations, and mere ideology were among the many differences the two sides had. There would be no compromise. As a result, Stalin wanted them out of Berlin.  In early 1948, tensions between the once former Allies climaxed.  On April 9, 1948, Stalin ordered all American Military personnel maintaining communications equipment out of the Eastern Zone (Soviet controlled Berlin).  Trains were halted on June 1and June10.  On June 21, the Soviets halted a US Military Supply Train and refused it passage to Berlin.  On the 22nd, they placed armed guards aboard, attached a Soviet engine and hauled it back to Western Germany.  In a final move to spurn the Americans, British, and French out, on June 24, 1948, all land and water access to West Berlin was cut off by the Soviets.  There were to be no more supplies from the West.  What was going to happen?  Where were the necessary supplies going to come from for the Occupation Forces?  For that matter, where were the supplies for the 2,008,943 Berliners going to come from?  It was a grave situation.

General Lucius Clay                          Sir Brian Robertson                             General Curt LeMay                       Brig. General Joseph Smith

The Allies were certainly not going to stand for this. Diplomacy failed, Ground invasions were planned, and World War 3 was on the brink of existence.  US Military Commander Lucius Clay had developed a plan by which an armed convoy through Soviet Controlled Germany would break the blockade.  This action would certainly create a war.

A Douglas C-47, the military version of the DC-3.  It is capable of hauling 3.5 tons of cargo.

 

MEAGER BEGINNINGS 
 

However, British Commander Sir Brian Robertson offered an alternative: supply the city by air.  A daunting task.  Supplying the Occupation forces of 2,2679 was easy, but the entire population?  The only aircraft the Americans had available for the task were 5 year old Douglas C-47 Skytrains, which would only hold 3.5 tons each.  After some consultation, the decision was made: it was worth a try.  Earlier in April, US Forces airlifted in supplies to replace the ones being delayed by the Soviets.  This was what became known as the "Little Lift".  West Berlin had two airports, Tempelhof, which was Berlin's main airport and located in the American Sector, and Gatow, in the British Sector.  Supplies could be airlifted in by C-47 and there was nothing the Soviet Union could do about because, in 1945, someone had foresight.  On November 30, 1945, it was agreed, in writing, that there would be three 20-mile wide air corridors providing access to the city. These were unarguable. 

When the blockade began, the Soviets rejoiced, because they believed the Western powers had only one option, to leave Berlin.  But they underestimated the West airlift supplies.  Gen. Clay called upon General Curtis E. LeMay, commander of USAFE and asked him if he could haul supplies to Berlin.  LeMay responded, "We can haul anything".  Two days later Gen. LeMay called upon Brig. Gen. Joseph Smith, Commander of the Wiesbaden Military Post, and appointed him Task Force Commander of an airlift operation estimated to last a few weeks.  The only US aircraft initially available were 102 C-47's and 2 C-54 Skymasters.  On June 26, the first C-47's landed at Tempelhof Airfield, foreshadowing the great operation that was to come.  Smith dubbed the mission "Operation Vittles", because he said "We're haulin' grub."  The British called their part "Operation Plane Fare". 

It was determined that the city's daily food ration would be 646 tons of flour and wheat; 125 tons of cereal; 64 tons of fat; 109 tons of meat and fish; 180 tons of dehydrated potatoes; 180 tons of sugar; 11 tons of coffee; 19 tons of powdered milk; 5 tons of whole milk for children; 3 tons of fresh yeast for baking; 144 tons of dehydrated vegetables; 38 tons of salt; and 10 tons of cheese.  In total, 1,534 tons were needed daily to keep the over 2 million people alive.  That's not including other necessities, like coal and fuel.  In fact, the largest quantity of anything required was coal.  It wasn't needed to heat homes as much as it was necessary for industry.  In addition, there was limited electricity, because the city's power plant was located in the Soviet sector, so that was cut off, too.  It was determined that in total supplies, 3,475 tons would be needed daily.  A C-47 can haul 3.5 tons.  In order to supply the people of Berliners, C-47's would have to make 1000 flights each day.  Impossible. 

Initially, Gen. Clay determined that, with the limited number of airplanes available to him, he could haul about 300 tons of supplies a day, the British effort, was estimated to be capable of 750 tons a day.  This leaves a 2,425-ton deficit daily.  Realizing that this kind of tonnage could not be achieved using C-47's, Gen. Clay and Gen. LeMay made requests for more C-54's, for they could carry over three times more cargo than C-47's.  On June 27, an additional 52 Skymasters were ordered to Berlin.
 

A Douglas C-54 Skymaster.  It was capable of hauling 10 tons, almost
3 times as much cargo as its predecessor, the C-47.

 This particular C-54 called "Spirit of Freedom" ^TM, is currently operated
by the Foundation as a flying museum about the Airlift.

 

On June 28, President Truman made a statement that abandoning Berlin was out of the question.  He then ordered US B-29 Superfortresses to be stationed at British airfields to show the Soviets that the Western powers were not taking this lightly.  We would not abandon these people!

By July 1, C-54's were slowly taking over airlift flights, and they were operating 24 hours a day.  Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfort was made exclusive C-54 base, and Wiesbaden was a mix of C-54's and C-47's.  To accommodate these two different aircraft, General smith established a block system, giving the bigger, faster C-54's priority.  They were also given radio codes to identify each type and the direction it was going.  C-47's going East to Berlin were called "Easy", returning C-47's traveling West, were called "Willie".  C-54's had the names 'Big Easy' and "Big Willie".  Aircraft were also given a spacing of three minutes apart. 

The size of the operation had to be increased in order to sufficiently supply this city and keep these people going.  It needed to be commanded by someone who had expertise in air transport.  That man came in the form of Maj. General William H. Tunner.  He was revered as "The transportation expert to end all transportation experts" by LeMay.  Tunner had previously established the Ferrying Command in WWII, and successfully organized and commanded the "Hump" operation into China near the end of the war.  His reputation was not falsely earned.  Tunner hated to see airplanes parked on the ramp not being utilized. This was a waste to him.  He longed for efficiency and was about to set the standard for all that followed.

....Continued next week.....
 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, TMN78247...keep watching as there are 3 more parts, including the candy-bombers, to our Berlin Airlift “story” over the next few weeks.

Our thanks to your Uncle Jimmy for his part in the airlift.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, oldplayer...not surprised at all. d:o) Thanks for the added information.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Jim Noble...a better description? If so, I can change it for next year.

The red area of Germany is Soviet controlled East Germany. German territory east of the Oder-Neisse line (light beige) was ceded to Poland, while a portion of the easternmost section of Germany East Prussia, Königsberg, was annexed by the USSR, as the Kaliningrad Oblast.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

Were you able to stay out with Gizmo longer yesterday than the day before? No wind to make you nervous under the trees?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Equine, for more tidbits about the planes.

[TMN78247]

ODDLY, my Uncle Jimmy was a USA paratrooper, rather than a servicemember with the USAAAC or the USAF & he was VERY proud to have made all of the WWII jumps that the 82d made.
(After his “Promotion to Glory” from infirmities of old age in 2010, my 1st cousin found a memo from a “flag” that credited him with > 80 jumps in WWII, Korea & the Relief Expedition to the Congo.)

Somehow or other, he was assigned on Army TDY to the Airlift & that’s how he got involved with the CANDY-bombing.

Like most combat soldiers he, when questioned, said something like: I didn’t do anything at all special. I was just a regular GI.

Yours, TMN78247

[MoochPooch]

Hi Kathy!

I always find the Airlift story inspiring.

[Kathy in Alaska]

To: Pro....From: radu…I thought this fit just right. LOL!!

[E.G.C.]

We had much nicer weather yesterday. Got to do some activity in the tall grass. I had to untangle the leash a few times as Giz was zig zagging around the tall grass. We also hung out at the boat pier in the parking lot. We had fun out there today.

[radu]

ROTFLMBO!! It fits just right, indeed!

I imagine we’re both mighty glad we don’t have your weather in our yards. I’m looking at Lake Hood right now and it’s frozen over. BRRRRRRRRR!!!

[radu]

Great that you had nicer weather for your outing yesterday. It sounds like you two had a lot of fun out there.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, ladyjane. Thanks for the added info.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Luv...great picture!

The “can do” of our military!

[21twelve]

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1634294/candy-bomber-delivered-chocolate-hope-to-berlin/

Above is the link, and below is an excerpt about the “candy bomber” that would drop candy to the kids in West Berlin:

******************

However, some Airmen had mixed emotions about aiding the former enemy that had been shooting at American pilots just three years before. Halvorsen admitting that he had issues at first with the mission, but it quickly changed when he talked with a fellow crewmember.

“He told me that it is a hell of a lot better to feed them (rather) than kill them and that he was glad to be back. That is service before self. That is what causes your enemy to become your friend,” Halvorsen said.

On one of his first missions, the American pilot learned in a conversation with German youth through the perimeter fence at Templehof, that West Berliners may have needed food, but they were even more hungry for hope and freedom....

He greeted them with practically all the German he knew, but surprisingly, one of the group spoke English....

He talked with the children for an hour before he realized not one had asked him for anything. Instead, they gave him something he didn’t expect: the best lesson on freedom he’d ever heard.

“I got five steps away from them, and then it hit me,” said Halvorsen, commonly known as the Berlin Candy Bomber. “I’d been dead-stopped for an hour, and not one kid had put out their hand. Not one.”

The contrast was so stark because during World War II, and dating all the way back to George Washington, if you were in an American uniform walking down the street, kids would chase you and ask for chocolate and gum.

“The reason they didn’t was they were so grateful to our fliers to be free. They wouldn’t be a beggar for more than freedom,” said Halvorsen. “Hitler’s past and Stalin’s future was their nightmare. American-style freedom was their dream. They knew what freedom was about. They said, ‘Someday we’ll have enough to eat, but if we lose our freedom, we’ll never get it back.’ These were kids, and they were teaching me about freedom. That’s what just blew me away… That was the trigger. I reached into my pocket, but all I had were two sticks of gum. Right then, the smallest decision I made changed the rest of my life.”

When he reached into his pocket for the two sticks of Wrigley’s Doublemint gum, Halvorsen debated the wisdom of giving it to them. Perhaps they’d fight over it. Yet, he broke each in half and passed four halves through the barbed wire, then braced for the rush of children to the fence.

It never came.

The children who didn’t get any of the gum only asked for a piece of the wrapper so they could smell the aroma. Their reaction, along with the surprise the pilot felt when they didn’t beg for anything, led to his decision to do more for them.

************************************

[21twelve]

See my post 56 with a link and excerpt about the candy bombers. I seem to recall some famous aviator was a child in West Berlin during the airlift. He would look as the planes went over, and vowed that some day he would live in America and be a pilot.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, ThomasPaine2000...we thank both you and your Dad for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Run to WalMart in the daytime? Bet you had fun with that. d:o)

Knees finally doing better, but not ready for vacuuming, etc.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...hope it’s warm enough for you and Gizmo to go out and explore.

You boys have a great Monday.