Gail Halvorsen Autographed Photograph
The Berlin blockade (24 June 1948– 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' to the sectors of Berlin under Allied control. Their aim was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food, fuel, and aid, thereby giving the Soviets practical control over the entire city.
In response, the Western Allies organized the Berlin airlift (also known as “Operation Little Vittles”) to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin. Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing up to 4700 tons of daily necessities to the Berliners.
Gail Halvorsen, one of the Americans serving during the Airlift piloting C-47s and C-54s, started giving a few treats to children watching the planes from outside Tempelhof base. Wanting to give more, and to help raise the morale of the children during a time of uncertainty, he promised to drop more candy from his plane when he flew into the area. He became known as the “Berlin Candy Bomber”.
Halvorsen’s goodwill efforts were soon noticed by the press and gained widespread attention. A wave of public support led to donations which enabled Halvorsen and his crew to drop 850 pounds of candy. Other pilots and crews joined the effort, and by the end of the airlift, around 25 plane crews had dropped 23 tons of chocolate, chewing gum, and other candies over various places in Berlin. The Confectioners Association of America donated large amounts to the effort, and American school children cooperated in attaching the candies to parachutes.
In response, the Western Allies organized the Berlin airlift (also known as “Operation Little Vittles”) to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin. Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing up to 4700 tons of daily necessities to the Berliners.
Gail Halvorsen, one of the Americans serving during the Airlift piloting C-47s and C-54s, started giving a few treats to children watching the planes from outside Tempelhof base. Wanting to give more, and to help raise the morale of the children during a time of uncertainty, he promised to drop more candy from his plane when he flew into the area. He became known as the “Berlin Candy Bomber”.
Halvorsen’s goodwill efforts were soon noticed by the press and gained widespread attention. A wave of public support led to donations which enabled Halvorsen and his crew to drop 850 pounds of candy. Other pilots and crews joined the effort, and by the end of the airlift, around 25 plane crews had dropped 23 tons of chocolate, chewing gum, and other candies over various places in Berlin. The Confectioners Association of America donated large amounts to the effort, and American school children cooperated in attaching the candies to parachutes.
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Photograph in collection is signed by Gail Halvorsen and depicts him sitting on a bunk in his quarters preparing candies for dropping by parachute.
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