Air Classics - Where History Flies! - August 2022

10 AIR CLASSICS/August 2022

L

ieutenant Colonel Gail S.

Halvorsen, the famous “Candy

Bomber” of the Berlin Airlift, passed

away suddenly on 16 February 2022 but

was recently honored during a multi-

day event and a “Remember the Candy

Bomber” celebration was held at Provo

Airport on 20 May with a candy drop

reenactment held the next day at nearby

Spanish Fork Airport. Halvorsen, as a

young USAF pilot, dropped candy to

the children of a destroyed West Berlin

during the Berlin Airlift of 1948/49. His

simple act of kindness blossomed into

a movement that gave citizens of Berlin

hope during the Russian blockade when

hope was in very short supply. He is

one of three Americans most admired

by post-war Berliners with the other

two being John F. Kennedy for this

1963 “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech and

Ronald Reagan for his 1987 “Tear Down

This Wall” demand.

The USAF was full in on the event,

including an appearance by Air Mobility

Command’s Gen. Mike Minihan and a

Charleston AFB-based C-17. The Berlin

Airlift Historical Foundation’s C-54D

Spirit of Freedom flew in from the east

coast and participated in a formation

flight with the C-17 followed by a candy

drop. The City of Provo provided their

brand-new, but unopened, passenger

terminal, for Friday’s events and the

Civil Air Patrol was represented by Brig.

Gen. Regena Aye and a large contingent

of cadets who provided many important

support functions. The German

embassy sent a contingent headed by

the German Defense Attaché Brig. Gen.

Frank Gräfe.

Also on hand was 86-year-old Ingrid

Azvedo, who came from Sacramento,

California, with her son. Ingrid was a

“Berlin Kid” during the airlift and visits

schools where she talks to children

about the significance of the airlift

and how it kept the city from falling

under Soviet control. She feels this is

very important since very few schools

today teach this very important piece of

American and Free World history.

I was able to attend the celebration

courtesy of my friends at the BAHF,

who invited me to accompany them on

a four day/1750-mile flight from Atlanta

THE CANDY

BOMBER

HONORING AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN AVIATION HISTORY

BY RALPH M. PETTERSEN

Spirit of Freedom begins its run in toward the appointed formation

area prior to joining with the C-17. (Idee Montijo)

WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT • WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT • WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT • WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT • WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT • WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT

COMPILED BY DOUG FISHER

The massive C-17 slides into formation with the C-54. (RMP)