Posted on 02/18/2022 4:36:30 AM PST by devane617
Gail Halvorsen, a former U.S. airman known as the “Candy Bomber” for delivering sweets to children during the Berlin Airlift, died on Wednesday at the age of 101.
The Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation Education Foundation confirmed the veteran's death in a statement on Thursday.
The foundation said he passed away peacefully and surrounded by family at the Utah Valley Hospital following a brief illness.
Halvorsen gained his "Candy Bomber" moniker during the 15-month Berlin Airlift after World War II that saw western allies drop essential supplies into West Berlin after it was blockaded by the Soviet Union.
The airman had befriended a group of German children and promised to deliver them candy — a vow he made good on.
The Candy Bomber(s) and the whole Berlin Airlift is an amazing story and way way too little known.
I saw stories on this guy because my daughter lives near his home community. Humble, decent and sharp as a tack were three words/phrases I’d use to describe him.
that’s true American greatness
Chokes me up. A dying breed, literally. Today, any lib meeting those kids would check ‘em for their covid vaccines and harboring dangerous ideas, such as freedom, before dispensing any candy.
RIP Colonel Halvorsen.
Sounds like a feel good movie
My late Father-in-Law participated in the Berlin airlift. More satisfying than bombing stuff.
That is an amazing story. The US supplied a city with essential supplies by air for 15 months. Round the clock flights into Berlin.
The German children called him “Uncle wiggle wings” because he would wiggle his wings to let them know candy was on the way.
The Russians thought they could block truck, rail and water traffic to Berlin and end up with the whole city.
They thought wrong.
Over the 15 months of the airlift the U.S. and English pilots flew 278,223 flights covering 92,000,000 miles and delivered 2,334,374 tons of supplies to Berlin. Everything from coal to meat and potatoes was airlifted into West Berlin. At the height of the lift a plane was landing in Berlin every 30 seconds.
The airlift was such a success that it was an embarrassment to Stalin, especially with the economic situation crumbling in East Berlin.
By the time Stalin called off the blockade the combined pilots and aircrews had soundly spanked Joe’s butt.
IIRC, the C-54 was the workhorse of all that.....
Rest in Peace, Colonel Halvorsen. I was thinking “God Bless you and your family”, but, that request has long been answered!
In today’s af he would be up on charges for some violation of regulations. Generals that hack pilots because they don’t like the patches on their uniforms don’t tolerate dropping candy out of airplanes to children.
Correct!
The C-47 Skytrain played an important part in the lift but the C-54 Skymaster was the cock of the walk. Without the C-54 its doubtful the airlift would have succeeded. With the C-54 they were actually able to deliver more supplies than were strictly required.
That Douglass fella sure knew how to build airplanes.
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