RIP Gail Halvorsen

[Dazzled]

AKA The Candy Bomber, Berlin Airlift legend. Aged 101.

[jssel]

A great legacy and life well lived.

[JohnRatzenberger]

An almost annual event here on the Outer Banks was Col Halverson and the C-54 renacting a candy drop. The organizer was a young child in Berlin adding a pertinent touch to the event.

[JohnRatzenberger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQmtvlnEpcQ

Here is a local youtube of the 2017 event, held at the Dare County Regional Airport. It started in 1999 and he made all but one or two due to health. This past December was the last, although I imagine the aircraft and event may still be back, although it won't be the same.
The video is 7 min long and the candy drop is at 5 minutes.

[Crashpilot]

Thanks for the video, John!
I remember reading about him in Berlin newspapers, he came to Berlin every year to commemorate the Lift.
He always got a big reception by the mayor, of course he was a honorary citizen of Berlin.
It´s hard to imagine, back in those days, there were hardly any trees left in Berlin, because the freezing Berliners chopped them all down, there just was not enough coal for heating. The only old trees ( I mean, older than about 80 years) that still exist in the inner city of Berlin, only survived, because they were protected by soldiers with an armed gun ready, that stood guard next to it.
How pitiful the so-called "master race" could become....
EDIT: ... but now I distract from Mr Halvorsens achievements, without him a lot of more people would have starved or freezed to their deaths, it´s simple as that!

[Gregers]

Another hero has left us. We should never forget what they did for us.

With respects.

Greg.