Did you know? - Berlin Airlift Facts

  

 During the Berlin Airlift 200 230 415 km (124 420 813 miles) were flown in a total of 277 804 flights.

The Candy Bomber of the Berlin Airlift

  

Colonel Gail Seymour "Hal"  Halvorsen is a retired officer and command pilot in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the "Berlin Candy Bomber" and gained fame for dropping candy to German children during the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to 1949.

His story directly inspired the Chapter 22 - The Candy Bomber in the historical novel "Eagles Over Berlin".

Here below Tom Brokaw's interview with Gail Halvorsen :

Today in the Life of the Berlin Airlift

January 1949 :

The first American airlift participants begin rotating back to their home bases. The British begin evacuating Berlin children in planes that have unloaded their cargo.

Today in the Life of the Berlin Airlift

December 31, 1948 :

100,000 flights have been completed since the airlift began.

Berlin Airlift - The Story Of A Great Achievement (1949)

Today in the Life of the Berlin Airlift

December 24, 1948 :

Bob Hope conducts a Christmas tour of airlift bases, performing for American soldiers in Berlin

  

Bob Hope performing for American soldiers during WWII

Today in the Life of the Berlin Airlift

December 20, 1948 :

„Operation Santa Claus” brings Christmas gifts to 10,000 Berlin children.

Road to Berlin Airlift

December 17, 1947 :

The Congress American enacts the legislation authorizing the first aid payments of the Marshall Plan

General George C. Marshall

Today in the Life of the Berlin Airlift

December 16, 1948 :

During the Berlin Airlift a third airport has been constructed in Tegel, in the French sector. However, the airport could not begin operations because two radio towers, operated by the soviet forces obstructed the landing area.

On that day, French engineers destroyed the transmitting towers of the communist-run radio station near Tegel.

This incident directly inspired the Chapter 34: „The Radio Towers” in the historical novel „Eagles Over Berlin”

Did you know? - Berlin Airlift Facts

Normal daily food requirements for Berlin was 2032 tons

Did you know? - Berlin Wall Timeline

December 11, 1957

New legislation in East Germany

Leaving East Germany without permission would result in a prison sentence of up to three years

Did you know? - Berlin Airlift Facts

39 British, 31 American and 13 German civilians lost their lives in the Berlin Airlift. They are remembered on the Berlin Airlift monument at Tempelhof in Berlin

Road to Berlin Airlift

November 25 - December 17, 1946

Another conference of foreign ministers is held in London, but again no agreement is reached on the future government of Germany.

Did you know? - Berlin Airlift Quotes

„The transport division of the Soviet military administration is compelled to halt all passenger and freight traffic to and from Berlin tomorrow at 0600 hours because of technical difficulties. West Berlin will receive electricity only between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m....”

Soviet Communique on June 24, 1948