Gail's Story
Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen, known all over the world as The Berlin Candy Bomber served as a catalyst for what came to be known as “Operation Little Vittles.” His legacy has inspired generations of children to become pilots, teachers, and so much more, and has also inspired people everywhere to give back and to serve more in their communities.
Early Life
Dreaming of flight, Halvorsen applied for and was accepted into a pilot-training program in Tremonton, Utah. The attack on Pearl Harbor prompted him to join the Army Air Corps, and he trained on fighters with the Royal Air Force. In Gail's own words: “I began my life on small farms in Idaho and Utah. Things were peaceful. I received a flight scholarship for a private pilot license. I flew Civil Air Patrol missions. Then came Pearl Harbor and everything changed. I trained as a fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force then served as a transport pilot in the South Atlantic Theater of Operations.”
Berlin Airlift
“When World War II ended, the last thing I ever thought might happen was that in 1948 I would be in Europe, flying day and night to Berlin. Flights would be in thunderstorms, fog, ice and snow to feed the former enemy. On my first trip to Berlin the flattened ruins of the once proud and sophisticated capital looked like a moonscape as the wreckage passed beneath the wings of my flour laden C-54 Skymaster. Below my wings were splintered buildings, gaping to the sky with open roofs. Their once stately walls were broken into individual bricks and scattered in the streets and across lots now vacant; lots that once held architecturally classic buildings. It was a signature of war evident in countries around the world.”
Why was the Berlin Airlift so Important?
The Soviet Union's blockade of West Berlin was the opening salvo in the Cold War. America and her allies stepped up and made it a decisive victory. It was a daunting task to supply the food and other needs for so many civilians for an unknown length of time. Without firing a shot, the Soviet plan to hold West Berlin hostage was defeated. “One of my fellow Airlift pilots had bombed Berlin during the war. I asked him how he felt about flying day and night on behalf of the enemy, the very ones who did their best to kill him as he flew over Berlin in 1944. He hesitated a moment, shuffling his feet and then said, 'It feels a lot better to feed them than it does to kill 'em.'”
Operation Little Vittles
“One day in July 1948 I met 30 kids at the barbed wire fence at Tempelhof in Berlin. They were so excited. All I had was two sticks of gum. I broke them in two and passed them through the barbed wire. The result was unbelievable. Those with the gum tore off strips of the wrapper and gave them to the others. Those with the strips put them to their noses and smelled the tiny fragrance. The expression of pleasure was unmeasurable.
“I was so moved by what I saw and their incredible restraint that I promised them I would drop enough gum for each of them the next day as I came over their heads to land. They would know my plane because I would wiggle the wings as I came over the airport.
Career
Upon returning to the United States, he attended the University of Florida as part of the Air Force Institute of Technology program, where he earned both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
From 1952 to 1957, Gail Halvorsen was a project engineer for cargo aircraft R&D at Wright-Patterson and Hill AFB. In 1957, he was reassigned to Maxwell AFB and then, in 1958, to the Air Force Space Systems Division in California, where he chaired source selection for the Titan III launch vehicle. From 1962 to 1965, he served in Wiesbaden, Germany, then moved to HQ USAF at the Pentagon, working on spacecraft plans and the Manned Orbital Laboratory Project. Later, he commanded the 6596th Instrumentation Squadron at Vandenberg AFB.
In 1970, Halvorsen became Commander of the 7350th Air Base Group at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport and completed a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling. His final assignment was as Inspector General at Hill AFB, Utah, retiring in 1974 with over 8,000 flying hours and 31 years of service.
Legacy
Halvorsen's work with Operation "Little Vittles" had a profound impact on lives both in the United States and throughout the world. After his official retirement in 1974, Halvorsen continued to serve the local, national, and international community in a variety of ways.
The airlift taught Gail to look outside himself and find ways to bring hope to others. The Foundation continues that legacy by bringing his principles of gratitude and service before self to schools and community organizations throughout the valley, along with giving students opportunities in STEM and aviation education.