MAXWELL AFB AL- Preserving the memory and legacy of one of the greatest humanitarian and aviation efforts in history is the mission of one unique C-54 owned by the Spirit of Freedom Foundation. The Flying Museum and crew touched down at Maxwell AFB as a tribute to one of its famous pilots, Col. Gail Halvorsen- the Candy Bomber who is an Eagle this year.
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The Spirit of Freedom Foundation is a flying exhibit and museum that keeps the history of the C-54 and Berlin Airlift alive. Representative aircraft of many of the Eagles were on display at Maxwell AFB during the Gathering of Eagles event. -Alabama Aviator image.
At the end of WW II, the Soviet regime attempted to keep both east and west sectors of Berlin by cutting off all supplies and starving its two and a half million people in an effort to make the allies give up the entire city. Allied commanders realized the only way to keep the city supplied was to have necessities flown in. For 15 months 330 C-54s flew around the clock, one landing every 3 minutes delivering food and supplies to keep Berlin alive. Thirty one Americans gave their life during the mission, one from Tuscaloosa. Alabama.
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Click to view Alabama Aviator video.
Timothy A Chopp, pilot, founder and president of the Spirit of Foundation speaks on the history C-54 in the Airlift. Col Gail Halvorsen talks about the difficulties of flying during the mission.
Of the many poignant stories of the Airlift, The Candy Bomber and "Vittles" are best known. A parachute was specially made for "Vittles," a dog that flew 131 missions with his owner, 1Lt. Russ Steber, during the mission. Gen. Curtis LeMay named the dog and ordered the parachute made for him. Vittles, a boxer, accumulated around 2,000 flying hours, but never had to use the parachute. His owner, Lt. Steber, did have to bail out of a C-47 over the Soviet zone on one occasion, but Vittles was not with him on that trip. Steber was captured and returned to the West a few days later. Although a replica is onboard the C-54, Vittles' original parachute is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
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A parachute was specially made for "Vittles," a dog that flew 131 missions with his owner, 1Lt. Russ Steber, during the Berlin Airlift mission.-Alabama Aviator image
Col Gail Halvorsen flew the airlift missions in the C-47 Skytrain and C-54 Skymaster in Brazil before his assignment to Mobile, Alabama where he flew the C-74 Globemaster. On 10 July 1948, Halvorsen's squadron was called to deploy its C-54s to Germany for the Berlin Airlift, also called Operation Vittles. Halvorsen was quick to volunteer and just 36 hours after leaving Alabama, he flew his first mission into Templehof Airfield in Berlin. During the operation, aircrews typically flew two to three missions daily carrying food, coal and medicine into West Berlin.
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Col Gail Halvorsen, C-54 pilot and The Candy Bomber during the Berlin Airlift signs his portrait during the Gathering of Eagles Lithograph unveiling. -Alabama Aviator image.
Inspired by the children affected by the soviet blockade, he took the initiative to airdrop candy to them during his approach into Berlin's Tempelhof airport. After the drops were reported on the front page of European newspapers, his candy drops were officially sanctioned under the name Operation LITTLE VITTLES. The American military in Berlin and subsequently the American public rallied behind the idea. Before the Airlift ended in September 1949 they supplied over 22 tons of goodies, which Halvorsen and crews dropped by small parachutes to German children. After he returned to the States, his final assignment was as the Templehof Air Base Commander.
Col Halvorsen continues to fly occasionally in the C-54 -Spirit of Freedom, demonstrating the historic candy drops as part of youth history education. -B Meyer, FMI: Gathering of Eagles Foundation; Spirit of Freedom Foundation
The Spirit of Freedom Foundation is a flying exhibit and museum that keeps the history of the C-54 and Berlin Airlift alive. Representative aircraft of many of the Eagles were on display at Maxwell AFB during the Gathering of Eagles event. -Alabama Aviator image.
At the end of WW II, the Soviet regime attempted to keep both east and west sectors of Berlin by cutting off all supplies and starving its two and a half million people in an effort to make the allies give up the entire city. Allied commanders realized the only way to keep the city supplied was to have necessities flown in. For 15 months 330 C-54s flew around the clock, one landing every 3 minutes delivering food and supplies to keep Berlin alive. Thirty one Americans gave their life during the mission, one from Tuscaloosa. Alabama.
Click to view Alabama Aviator video.
Timothy A Chopp, pilot, founder and president of the Spirit of Foundation speaks on the history C-54 in the Airlift. Col Gail Halvorsen talks about the difficulties of flying during the mission.
Of the many poignant stories of the Airlift, The Candy Bomber and "Vittles" are best known. A parachute was specially made for "Vittles," a dog that flew 131 missions with his owner, 1Lt. Russ Steber, during the mission. Gen. Curtis LeMay named the dog and ordered the parachute made for him. Vittles, a boxer, accumulated around 2,000 flying hours, but never had to use the parachute. His owner, Lt. Steber, did have to bail out of a C-47 over the Soviet zone on one occasion, but Vittles was not with him on that trip. Steber was captured and returned to the West a few days later. Although a replica is onboard the C-54, Vittles' original parachute is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
A parachute was specially made for "Vittles," a dog that flew 131 missions with his owner, 1Lt. Russ Steber, during the Berlin Airlift mission.-Alabama Aviator image
Col Gail Halvorsen flew the airlift missions in the C-47 Skytrain and C-54 Skymaster in Brazil before his assignment to Mobile, Alabama where he flew the C-74 Globemaster. On 10 July 1948, Halvorsen's squadron was called to deploy its C-54s to Germany for the Berlin Airlift, also called Operation Vittles. Halvorsen was quick to volunteer and just 36 hours after leaving Alabama, he flew his first mission into Templehof Airfield in Berlin. During the operation, aircrews typically flew two to three missions daily carrying food, coal and medicine into West Berlin.
Col Gail Halvorsen, C-54 pilot and The Candy Bomber during the Berlin Airlift signs his portrait during the Gathering of Eagles Lithograph unveiling. -Alabama Aviator image.
Inspired by the children affected by the soviet blockade, he took the initiative to airdrop candy to them during his approach into Berlin's Tempelhof airport. After the drops were reported on the front page of European newspapers, his candy drops were officially sanctioned under the name Operation LITTLE VITTLES. The American military in Berlin and subsequently the American public rallied behind the idea. Before the Airlift ended in September 1949 they supplied over 22 tons of goodies, which Halvorsen and crews dropped by small parachutes to German children. After he returned to the States, his final assignment was as the Templehof Air Base Commander.
Col Halvorsen continues to fly occasionally in the C-54 -Spirit of Freedom, demonstrating the historic candy drops as part of youth history education. -B Meyer, FMI: Gathering of Eagles Foundation; Spirit of Freedom Foundation