FReeper Canteen ~ The Berlin Airlift Part 4 - The Legacy ~ 05 January 2026

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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The Berlin Airlift
Part 4: The Legecy

All info and photos from this website.

Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2
Link to Part 3

           

THE AIRLIFT'S LEGACY
 

The most obvious result of this confrontation was the 40-year Cold War with the Soviet Union, which ebbed with the construction of the Berlin Wall, and the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts.  The US also forged a newfound friendship with Germany, its former foe, and established the Federal Republic of Germany as a result.  In addition, the North Atlantic Treaty organization (NATO) was formed as a result of the crisis. 

Less politically, our aircraft and airway system we enjoy today was developed and perfected as a result of the Berlin Airlift.  Ground Controlled Approach or GCA was greatly improved as a necessity for the aircraft to land in Berlin, and our air traffic control system is a direct development of that technology.  Loading procedures and maintenance procedures are greatly improved as a result, too.

More importantly, the Berlin Airlift demonstrated the military need for Air Transport in addition to Bombers and Fighters.  A result is the Air Mobility Command and aircraft like the C-141 Starlifter, the C-130 Hercules, the C-5 Galaxy, and our newest transport, the C-17 Globemaster III. 

All of these political and logistical ideas came as a result of the resolve of the US, Great Britain, France, and Germany to resist totalitarian tactics and wage a battle of air transport.  This battle saved over 2.5 million people without firing a single shot.  In a matter of fifteen months in 1948-49, world history was changed by the greatest humanitarian aviation event in history, the Berlin Airlift. 

MEMORIALS: The Airlift Memorial at Rhein Main Air Base, Frankfurt, and on Luftbruckenplatz at Tempelhf  Airport in Berlin.

Each prong represents one of the 3 air corridors used during "Operation Vittles", and the names of the US and British Airmen killed in the process are inscribed on the base of each.

31 Americans lost their lives during the Berlin Airlift, paying the ultimate price for the freedom of others.  Let that not be forgotten.

1st Lt George B. Smith Tuscaloosa, Alabama	Captain James A. Vaughan New Haven, Connecticut	Cpl Norbert H. Theis Cunningham, Kansas
1st Lt Leland V. Williams Abilene, Texas	1st Lt Eugene S. Erickson Collinsville, Illinois	PFC Ronald E. Stone  Mt. Sterling, Kentucky
Mr Karl V. Hagen New York, New York	Sgt Richard Winter Seattle, Washington	1st Lt Ralph H. Boyd Fort Worth, Texas
1st Lt Charles H. King Britton, South Dakota	Captain Billy E. Phelps Long Beach, California	1st Lt Craig B. Ladd Minneapolis, Minnesota
1st Lt Robert W. Stuber Arlington, California	1st Lt Willis F. Hargis Nacogdoches, Texas	TSgt Charles L. Putnam Colorado Springs, Colorado
Major Edwin C. Diltz Fayetteville, Texas	TSgt Lloyd G. Wells San Antonio, Texas	1st Lt Robert P. Weaver Fort Wayne, Indiana
Captain Willian R. Howard Gunnison, Mississippi	AD/3 Harry R. Crites, Jr. Lafayette, Indiana	1st Lt Royce C. Stephens San Antonio, Texas
Captain Joel M. DeVolentine Miami, Florida	1st Lt Richard M. Wurgel Union City, New Jersey	1st Lt Robert C. von Luehrte Covington, Kentucky
1st Lt William T. Lucas Wilson, North Carolina	1st Lt Lowell A. Wheaton, Jr. Corpus Christi, Texas	2nd Lt Donald J. Leemon Green Bay, Wisconsin
PFC Johnny T. Orms Rhein-Main Air Base	Captain William A. Rathgeber Portland, Oregon	TSgt Herbert F. Heinig Fort Wayne, Indiana
	Sgt Bernard J. Watkins Lafayette, Indiana

 

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]

~ The Berlin Airlift Part 4 - The Legacy ~

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[PROCON]

One of the greatest stories in American military history, thanks Kathy!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

It was a job well done!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro...it is indeed a great story, and must be remembered.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...indeed “it was a job well done!”.

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

I hope you didn’t have to go anywhere today. Y’all are dealing with some vicious weather. WAY too cold. And it looks like some serious snow is about to be added to the mix. BRRRRRRR

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Did you have a nice NYE or did you sleep through it? :-)

[PROCON]

Hiya radu!

I haven't greeted the New Year at 12:01 AM in, well decades, LOL!

Since you're a night owl I'm sure you did though!

[Freedom4US]

If they wouldn’t have throttled Patton down the Third Army could have taken Berlin before the Soviets got there. It was an obvious problem (in hindsight at least) 4 powers in a city surrounded by communist East Germany.

[radu]

LOL! Ya never know when one might break tradition and stay up for a change.

Yep, I was up to greet the New Year. I was still up when Hawaii did. :-)

[luvie]

Best Christmas/Holiday story ever.
Thanks, Kathy, for telling the tale.
God bless our troops!
They are THE best!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Freedom4US...hindsight is always interesting.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie...they ARE the best.

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

Did your alarm survive? You were up a bit late last night. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...ready for the new year to get under way?

Have you and Tippy seen the huge moon?

[luvie]

Hi, Kathy! I’m so glad that we have this place where we can honor them every day! (((hugs)))

[left that other site]

We saw the moon a few days ago, but now it’s totally obscurred by clouds...SNOWY Clouds.

Grrrrrr...

It’s midnight here, hitting the sack.