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

berlin airlift historical foundation ^

[SAMWolf]

The Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949. Crews unloading flour.

[MistyCA]

My husband was saying something about the nose of the aircraft being modified in the 50's.

[MistyCA]

Thanks, Fiddlstix! I needed that! :)

[MistyCA]

What a cute little girl. :)

[MistyCA]

Great picture. Thanks.

[SAMWolf]

[MistyCA]

I was a Junior in High School, attending Berlin Hi 1947-48. I recall how the Russians tried to force us out of Berlin, by shutting off all electric power at night, as they controlled the main generators for the city. Cold showers and early meals, and walking home at night, as there was no street lighting, nor was the U-bahn working. My father was Chief of Transportation, and in charge of the Berlin operation. I helped out during my spare time by helping unload planes loaded with coal. When I returned to the U.S. to complete my Senior year, I flew out of Berlin on one of our "lift" planes. I was a bit frightened when, as we entered the Russian zone, two MIGS fell to either side of our plane, so close one could see their faces. They were there to escort us to the Western zone. I was quite relieved when we cleared the Russian Zone, and approached Wiesbaden and Rhein


Daniel Bunting

[MistyCA]

MILK RUN TO TEMPELHOF

The Skymaster – “Big Easy 3 … 9”

“Gear down”, “Flaps full,” in a falling “Flare”

Over the apartments, rounds out with some power,

The graveyard rushing by, underneath,

With a skip-Squeech, Skip-squeech on touchdown,

The P S P clitters and clatters

In a buckle-ing and rolling ruckus.

The nose gear, held high, falls with a thud.

The pilot tap-dances on the brakes.

( The hydraulics chortle, squish, and sing

To milk bottles waltzing in wire crates. )

The “Follow Me!” Welcomes the Lady.

A.E. L’dard 3 July 1988 Airlift Memories

r3lidard@email.msn.com

[MistyCA]

Oops.....picture was too big

[SevenofNine]

Good morning Freeper foxhole

Well report off Hareetz wire you probably hear about Arrow missile that Israel well it is successful I mean test run according to BBC wire this morning

Also some sad news this is breaking off BBC wire TOOOO 7 people critically wounded in two suicide bombing

So I give nightime Israel time for latest IDF smackdown

[MistyCA]

I was delighted to see the story about the Berlin Airlift in the May 1998 issue of "The Officer" magazine. It brought back vivid memories from my childhood. My father, Paul A. Shinkman, flew in the Airlift, but not as an active duty military person. He had a long and distinguished career as a foreign correspondent, covering Europe over a period of four decades, from the '20's through the '50's, for the "Chicago Tribune" and King Features Syndicate, chronicling world-changing events such as Charles Lindberg's flight and Adolph Hitler's rise to power. (Much of his experience was reported in the book "So Little Disillusion".) One of the events he reported which had a dramatic impact on this experienced newsman was the Berlin Airlift. The precision and magnitude of the operation, and the bravery, courage and skills of the military personnel with whom he flew made an indelible impression on him. We learned of it through his regular recalling of the experience during our childhood’s. It made a lasting impression on this family -- as it did on the world, showing the true determination of freedom-loving.

BERNARD F. SHINKMAN

[MistyCA]

Thank you for that update.

[MistyCA]

I landed in Berlin in Jan or Feb and was advised by the tower to
park my plane after it was unloaded , as all bases were below minimums
and expected to remain that for the next 24-48 hours. I parked
my plane and told my co pilot and eng, we would check with the
wx office, before we went to bed.
While talking to the wx officer, some one behind me asked { what
base are you from?} I replied, y 80, and the voice said, lets
go. I turned around and it was Gen. Tunner, I told him the base
was below minimums and I did not have enough fuel to go to France.
He said lets, we took off and as we approached Y 80 we were again
advised the wx was below minimums, I told them to get the first team
in the gca unit and i would make an approach, When we landed we
had about 50 ft and 3 runway lights. Gen. Tunner thanked me and told
the co pilot to get better on his reporting procedures, I told the Gen. that it was the
copilots first trip. No other planes landed at Wiesbaden for the next 24 hours.
That was my one and only contact with Gen. Tunner. I flew c-47s for 10 trips
taking in pap and supplies to build the new runway, then flew about 100 trips in
C54s, I returned to the US in May 49.


Mac Vickrey

[MistyCA]

Jeffrey G. Barlow, Ph.D.
Contemporary History Branch
Naval Historical Center

THE U.S. NAVY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE BERLIN AIRLIFT

The Soviet blockade of Berlin became complete on 24 June 1948. That same day, General Lucius Clay, Commander of U.S. Occupation Forces and Military Governor of the U.S. Zone of Germany, directed his air commander, Major General Curtis LeMay, to employ all available transport aircraft to supply the city by air. On 26 June, President Truman directed that Clay's improvised aerial resupply plan be put on a regular basis and that all available transport aircraft in the European Command be pressed into service.
On 22 July 1948, General Clay reported to the National Security Council (NSC) that he could meet the summertime needs of Berlin with an airlift of 3,500 tons a day, but that coal shipments required for winter heating would increase this figure to 4,500 tons once cold weather began. Clay told the NSC that he could meet the figure of 3,500 tons a day if he were given an additional 75 four-engined C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft to augment his existing fleet of 52 C-54s and 80 twin-engined C-47 Dakotas. Despite the concerns of Air Force Chief of Staff Hoyt Vandenberg that such an increase would disrupt worldwide Military Air Transport Service (MATS) operations, the NSC and President Truman approved assigning the additional C-54s to the airlift. Accordingly, on 23 July, General Vandenberg ordered nine MATS squadrons (81 C-54 aircraft) to Germany and directed the establishment of a special task force to direct the airlift under the Commander in Chief U.S. Air Forces in Europe. On 29 July, Major General William Tunner assumed command of Airlift Task Force (Provisional).
On 10 September, General Clay requested 116 additional C-54s--69 to be made available by 1 October and the remaining 47 by 1 December 1948--so that he could build up a stockpile of supplies for the winter months and could raise the daily tonnage total for Berlin up to an average of 4,500 tons. In response to this request, Washington decided to augment the Berlin airlift by 50 additional C-54s. On 24 September, Clay strongly restated his appeal for the full 116 aircraft. After conducting a thorough reappraisal of U.S. objectives in Berlin, the NSC finally approved the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for an immediate reenforcement of the airlift, and, on 22 October, President Truman approved the expansion of the airlift by the additional 66 C-54s that Clay wanted.
This is when the Navy became fully involved in the Berlin airlift. Although Navy tankers had been delivering huge quantities of aviation gas to Bremerhaven to furnish fuel for the airlift since the beginning of the Blockade, its planes heretofore had not been involved in the aerial supply effort. The new increase called for, however, would bring the use of C-54s in the Airlift up to approximately 52% of the total number of such aircraft in the country's operational inventory; thus seriously reducing MATS support for implementing the military's emergency war plans. Because of his concerns over this situation, Air Force Secretary Stuart Symington asked Navy Secretary John Sullivan to provide the Navy's three MATS squadrons to the Airlift Task Force as part of the latest augmentation. The Navy readily agreed to this request.
On 27 October 1948, the Commander, Military Air Transport Service, with the concurrence of Chief of Naval Operations Louis Denfeld, ordered Navy MATS units Transport Squadron Six (VR-6) and Transport Squadron Eight (VR-8) to 180 days temporary additional duty (TAD) with the Airlift Task Force for participation in Operation VITTLES (as the airlift was designated). At the time, both squadrons were assigned to MATS routes in the Pacific; VR-6 stationed at Guam and VR-8 based in Honolulu. Transport Squadron Eight got the word that same day, and on 29 October its first group of six R5D (C-54) aircraft took off for California. Transport Squadron Six on Guam received its orders on 30 October, and on 1 November its first contingent of four aircraft left for the West Coast.
The planes of both squadrons assembled at Moffett Field, California for pre-employment work-ups. At Moffett, high-engine-time R5Ds were exchanged or were reconditioned and inspected, and all planes were winterized. In addition, VR-6, which had a shortage of four aircraft, was provided with the additional planes to bring it up to its authorized strength of twelve aircraft. Once they were readied, the aircraft of the two squadrons took off for NAS Jacksonville, where APS-4 radars were installed. From Jacksonville they flew to Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts for movement to Germany. VR-8's last plane flew into Rhein-Main Air Base on 15 November, and VR-6's final aircraft arrived a week later, on 22 November.
In addition to the two Navy MATS squadrons stationed in Germany as part of the Airlift Task Force, the third Navy MATS squadron, the fifteen-plane-strong Transport Squadron Three (VR-3), provided trans-Atlantic support to VITTLES, flying from the U.S. East Coast. Also, Transport Squadron Forty-Four (VR-44), a Navy transport training squadron that was not part of MATS, provided pilot training for replacement crews destined for the Navy MATS squadrons in Germany and training for personnel needed to man the expanded overhaul facility. In the meantime, Marine Transport Squadron Three Hundred Fifty-Two (VMR-352), had been ordered by the Chief of Naval Operations to report to Commander of the Military Air Transport Service's Pacific Division to take over, within its fifteen-plane capability, the Pacific airlift duties that VR-6 and VR-8 had been handling.
The two Navy squadrons in Germany quickly made themselves known to their Air Force counterparts. The winter weather in Germany proved extremely trying for all of the squadrons engaged in the airlift, with cold fogs often blanketing Berlin. It was routine during these months for the aircraft to fly east and west through the air corridor on instruments and to make GCA approaches at both Berlin's Tempelhof Airport and Rhein-Main. Fortunately for the Navy planes, their crews had been required to make all their approaches on GCA during the years that they had been part of the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS), and so they were, on average,
more skilled in instrument flying than were their Air Force counterparts.
Although their planes had been averaging six hours a day in flying time in the Pacific, VR-6 and VR-8 arrived in Germany fully manned with skilled maintenance personnel prepared to maintain a schedule of eight hours a day per aircraft. This substantial increase in flight hours, however, was soon being regularly surpassed. During the first two weeks of flying the air route from Rhein-Main to Tempelhof, the two squadrons carried a total of 6,526 tons of cargo. By the end of December 1948, VR-8 was leading all squadrons in the airlift in every measurable phase of air transport operation, including aircraft utilization, total cargo carried, payload efficiency, and tons per plane. VR-6 was not far behind, though, being engaged for several weeks in a battle for second place with the two top Air Force squadrons. By the end of February 1949, VR-6 was equalling and frequently exceeding VR-8 in operational achievements. During April 1949, the two squadrons flew a combined total of 8,234 hours (an aircraft utilization rate of 13.1 hours per plane per day) and delivered 23,550 tons of food and coal to Berlin.
After several months of on-and-off-again negotiating, the Soviet Union finally agreed to end its blockade of Berlin if the three Western powers (Great Britain, France, and the United States) agreed to terminate their restrictions on trade with East Germany and East Berlin. On 5 May 1949, the four governments issued a
communique announcing that the blockade would end on 12 May. The Blockade was lifted on the day agreed upon.
On 30 July, an official announcement was made that the airlift would end on 31 October 1949. The two Navy squadrons were released from their duties with the Airlift Task Force in mid-August and returned to the continental United States. After having its aircraft reconditioned by the Fleet Logistic Support Wings at Moffett Field, VR-6 was stationed at Westover Air Force Base for operation with MATS between Westover and Rhein-Main, Germany. The reconditioned planes of VR-8 returned to their old base in Honolulu for duties on MATS Pacific routes.
During the months that VR-6 and VR-8 operated in Germany, their aircraft flew 45,990 hours, carrying 129,989 tons of cargo into Berlin and averaging 10.1 flight hours per plane per day for the entire period. Even though the twenty-four aircraft of the two squadrons had not been involved during the first three months of the Berlin airlift, by Operation VITTLES's end they had managed to deliver some 7.3 percent of the total tonnage flown into the besieged city by U.S. aircraft. It was a masterful achievement.
THE U.S. EFFORT DURING THE AIRLIFT*
Operational Aircraft Tonnage Delivered
(Average No.) (6/48-9/49)

225 1.783 million tons

*A total 2.325 million tons of food, fuel, and supplies were delivered during the airlift. The other 0.542 million tons
were carried by British aircraft.

[Victoria Delsoul]

They were stealing everyone's valuables, systematically stripping the industry and all of the necessary equipment and shipping it back to Moscow. In addition, German wives and daughters were being raped and abused all of the time. German scientists and engineers were forcibly sent to Moscow and forced to reveal all of the German technological secrets. Starvation was far better than that treatment.

It was a hard life, especially where children are involved. Thanks for the post, Sam.

[SAMWolf]

Good morning Victoria.

I have an Aunt who was "liberated" by the Russians. She still hates them with a passion.

[SevenofNine]

Well latest from BBC wire is that Islamic Jihad has claim responsibity and 30 people are confirmed dead sadly to report on latest from AFP wire

More to details come to today

[fatima]

MistyCA,Thanks for the bump for my Dad.

[SAMWolf]

Misty thanks of all the wonderful personal stories you've been posting.

Have to run and do some shopping, see you a little later

[MistyCA]

(C) 1988 Joseph Werner

Engines roar in the Berlin sky, from planes that aren't there,

It's the eternal echo of the Airlift that proved the free-world cared.

Roads were blocked to West Berlin and trains to there held still,

Starvation, cold and outright despair with freedom its intent to kill.

Mothers sighed, children cried, and fathers didn't know what to do,

World War 11 just ended and the blockade come out of the blue.

Would the free-world countries help them or would they fade away,

Was the thought of West Berliners, as the hours ticked away.

Their question was soon answered by Americals General Clay, He ordered the Berlin Airlift to begin without delay!

Millions of Berliners for a year and more were flown survival needs,

Planes flew tight through day and night - an 'Air Bridge' to accomplish the deed.

They were flown by daring "PEACE WARRIORS" who knew their life could end,

But the PEACE WARRIORS were willing to take the risk - to help their new found friends.

The blockade finally ended with West Berliners' freedom in tact,

Thanks to many determined Germans; English; French and Americals Mighty MAT*

*United States Military Air Transport

(c) Angelo Rivera

June of '48, all roads to Berlin Cut off with a blockade.

Two and one half million souls in need of immediate aid.

Evil Forces bent on Destruction, havoc and dismay

Silence holding rein Over barge, railroad and highway.

Rushed into the breech Great numbers of C-47's and C-54's with creature

necessities pouring fourth From gaping cargo doors.

Pallets heavy laden with Milk, flour, and coal Battling weather and fatigue

With ever increasing tonnage as it's goal.

Dedicated airmen, unrelenting and Vowing to keep up the fight.

Great wings fly around the clock with Templehoff runways coming into sight

West Berliners fearing not of labor or- Ever present aching pain-

Willing shoulder lifting, tugging, through Heat, snow, cold and drenching rain.

Thundering engines, stacks glowing with Flame,

sounds of beating throbbing power Long passing into History,

The Berlin Airlift's Finest Hour !

Lord! Yesterday was fifty years ago

Just where did the time … just where did it go?

I didn’t realize … I didn’t know.

But then, there’s the mirror. The ravages show

I remember … really remember

That rainy … muddy, wet September,

The October fog and chill December

And ... Oh Lordy! Do I remember?

There were some nights when I was terrified.

Many! Nights, when I made my Berlin ride.

Exhausted! But that certain squadron pride

Pushed! ... No, tugged me to nearly suicide.

NO! Not of self-destruction … Not for me.

It was the bird ... my bird ... my tired beastie,

And few parts to fix my flying debris,

My plane ... my comrade ... my coal-streaked Lady.

Day in … day out ... and nights, we made the trip;

Dirty and tired ... coal, flour, and straining ship;

Ice and fog ... FEAR ... oil and fuel, drip, drip, drip,

And my final SQUEECH ... SQUEECH on Fassberg strip.

Lord! Yesterday was fifty years ago

And where did the time ... just where did it go?

I didn’t realize ... I didn’t know.

But then ... there’s the mirror. The ravages show.

A.E. L’dard ? Airlift Memories