The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Berlin Airlift - Jan 5th, 2003

berlin airlift historical foundation ^

[MistyCA]

Cross-sectional view of flight into Berlin as of Sep. 1948. This arrangement allowed for landing at the rate of one plane every 3 minutes. Later, two levels were used with spacing that allowed for landing at the same rate.

[knighthawk]

The Berlin situation was a major vicoty for us. We showed we were willing to stand up against the commie-aggression.

And the commies blame us for being imperialists!

[MistyCA]

To underscore Allied determination to resist Soviet pressure, three SAC bomb groups were sent to Europe, placing Soviet targets well within B-29 range.

[MistyCA]

A matter of extreme importance is having the BAHF Boeing C-97G "Deliverance" painted before being flown home. The photo at left is of a painting by Cynthia Grundler created for the Foundation which shows the Arctic paint scheme of the U.S. Air Force single C-97 used during the Berlin Airlift in May of 1949.

A total cost of $39,432.00 is needed to have "Deliverence" painted in this scheme by Hawkins and Powers Aviation of Greybull, Wyoming.

To avoid placing a burden on our C-54 operation, the Foundation is requesting loans from members and friends to pay for this important and vital step in the C-97 restoration program. Please contact the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 782, Farmingdale, New Jersey 07727 or email

[VOA]

Cross-sectional view of flight into Berlin as of Sep. 1948. This arrangement allowed
for landing at the rate of one plane every 3 minutes.

If the airlines of other countries complain about the dominance of American airline
companies...well, they can blame it on the lessons learned thanks to Adolf,
Benito M., Tojo, and the Communists during the Berlin Airlift.

Those events trained a LOT of people who readily knew how to move not only
cargo, but humans...

[SAMWolf]

Ths one of the plane flying over the memorial is a C-130.

[VOA]

So, soon German volunteers were used for unloading crews at Tempelhof. They would board
the aircraft as soon as it stopped and commence unloading.

In some re-telling of the Berlin Airlift, I heard one of the Americans say that
after a team of Berlin ladies had finised off-loading the coal shipment from the plane,
you couldn't even find a trace of coal-dust in the cargo area...
even though the plane was emptied in minutes.

[facedown]

I don't know much about planes but maybe these pic's might help sort it out. I would guess there may be different versions of the same basic airframe.

Whoa! While we were in the valley, up over the hill comes 2 C-130 Hercules aircrafts at tree top level. We were able to get a few shots off (cameras that is) to capture the moment. In light of this past week's events in New York, we knew what these guys were preparing for.

USAF Fact Sheet C-130 Hercules

[MistyCA]

PERSONAL ACCOUNT BY MR. BRUCE KATES

My greatest personal pleasure during that time was being able to escort Irving Berlin to and around Flynn's Inn and introduce him to our personnel that night. I remember that when we were all seated around a large table with Berlin, the Rockettes, and other cast members about midnight that the outer door opened and in came Bob Hope and Dolores, just arrived from the base after their hitchhike in a 6 X 6, and he was shivering and breathing hard. I told him he needed some food and to join us, but he said, "hell no...I need a drink and bed."

Mr. Bruce Kates

BKatesSr@Compuserve.com

[VOA]

And last, Gail Halverson was the guest of honor in Berlin during the 50th anniversary
of the airlift. There were several Berliners who greeted Halverson with
"Hi Uncle Wiggly Wings" for they had been the receipients of the candy drop.

This old story is why I usually restrain myself from reflexively cursing the
Germans when Schroeder or one of the German government jerks says something stupid.....
There are plenty of good Germans who remember this sort of story.

[Fiddlstix]

Good Morning Everybody.

You Know The Drill
Click the Pics J

Coffee & Donuts J

[MistyCA]

Operation Little Lift

This letter is not meant to create controversy: I have no quarrel nor am I trying to re-write history.
I just thought that I'd give Larry Sattgast some support for his position cause when the awards were passed around. Many people like Larry were passed over.

Loosely speaking. The months of April - May and June of 1948 dropped through the crack when the beginning date for the Berlin Airlift was decided for the record. No credit was given for the efforts expended or missions flown in support of the Berlin garrison during the months immediately preceding the complete cut-off of ground access to Berlin by the Soviets sometime around the end of June 1948.

It was during this period of provocation and harassment that the troops in Berlin were supplied with perishables such as mild, butter, eggs, fruits, vegetables and whatever. using the only resources available. i.e.. theater based Gooney Birds and aircrew members pulled away from their desks. On the return trip we carried personal possessions and household goods belonging to the families that were being returned to the ZI as well as the many empty milk bottles. Thusly began the tentative day-to-day, small scale, low visibility effort, now evidently known to some as the " Little Lift ". In support of the U.S. troops in West Berlin. Almost three months later, about the end of June, it became the highly publicized " Operation Vittles " or the " Berlin Airlift " with the objective of supporting the entire West Berlin population. Much later, the officially recognized start date was arbitrarily established as the 28th of June, to the best of my knowledge, in effect ignoring the almost three months of hard work by a small group of dedicated people. this also happened to be the time when MATS and the C-54's entered the picture.

It was during these early disorganized days that the flight and maintenance crews helped, more often than not, to load and unload their own aircraft, tie down the cargo and calculate the weight and balance. Also, these days were the source of numerous then serious but now humorous tales, e.g., indigenous persons loading a fixed number of PSP mats, without any regard for whether they were aluminum or steel, with almost disastrous results. They were days of uncertainty; no one knew where the next provocation would come from, or what its' consequences might be. In the air, we were occasionally hassled by Soviet fighters and subject to false radio navigation transmissions in an effort to draw us off course. On the ground, there were times when we stole forty winks in operations or in the aircraft and, more often than not, grabbed sandwiches on the run. With the arrival of the C-54's, the operation became more organized and relaxed; it became more of a routine.

I personally feel that those of us involved in the early phase actually participated in the Berlin Airlift from the time the very first support mission was launched in early April until its' final termination and/or rotation, whichever came first. There was no break in our participation on 28 June 1948; we just continued to do the same thing, using the same aircraft, until upgrading into the C-54's.

Incidentally, for Larry's information, I flew C-47 #2877 on at least four round trips during the so-called " Little Lift ", according to my personal log - on the 19th, 20th, 27th, and 28th of July.

Sincerely

WM F Shimonkevitz
Colonel USAF ( RET )

[SAMWolf]

German children waiting for American pilots to drop candy to them during the Berlin Airlift;

[southerngrit]

The rest of the 'civilized' world can spout off anything they want about imperialistic Americans.

Operation Vittles is the perfect example of why America is the most powerful nation on earth...We will fight to the death for that which is righteous, and then show compassion after victory.

Therein lies our strength.

May God continue to bless America.

[alfa6]

The magazines WINGS/AIRPOWER did a story on the 50th anniversary of the Airlift a few years back. I will have to dig out my back issues and see if I can find it. That was my source for the Halverson story. Here again pushing the old memory cells, Halverson retired as a Col. IIRC.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[MistyCA]

My uncle has always told me that Roosevelt sold out to Stalin and did whatever Stalin wanted him to do. He said that Eisenhower and Roosevelt were responsible for Operation Keelhaul and that Patton was furious! The Berlin airlift was definately standing up to the Communist agression. It's a far cry from forcing people to return to Communism by bayonet point. Seems like quite a change in attitude to me.

[MistyCA]

thanks. That would make sense. I thought the caption belonged to the other picture. Duh. :)

[SAMWolf]

The Berlin Airlift: 1948-49: A little girl carries home the family bread ration in an East German newspaper that proclaims the airlift a failure

[SAMWolf]

That's an interesting letter. Thee is always something that leads up to "big events" in history and most times those events and the people invovled do "fall through the cracks".

[SAMWolf]

That's what I figured.