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Gayle Halvorsen has left us.

Posted by (Frankfurt, Germany) on

If you have been to Berlin or Frankfurt, you may know who Gayle Halvorsen is, as he was one of the pilots during the Berlin Airlift. With flights leaving Frankfurt every 3 min. the Berlin airlift was a massive, humanitarian effort. Gayle added an extra touch when he came up with the idea of dropping candy to the children of Berlin through the flare chutes on his plane. Initially, all the pilots and aircrews put their ration cards together to buy candy, until the AP got wind of it and the Candy Association of America sent him trainloads of it, and kids all across the US got in on it, by making small parachutes, sending Hershey candy bars, etc.

I was lucky enough to meet him in 2008 when he visited the Frankfurt Consulate to commemorate the anniversary of the Airlift beginning. Shaking his hand and getting his autograph meant so much to me. His actions of kindness changed the entire outlook of Germans and Americans. Enemies became friends through his actions. May his memory live on.

RIP Colonel Gail Halvorsen. Berlin's 'Candy Bomber' has passed away at 101 years old. Halvorsen gave hope to millions of Germans. When food supplies were short during the Berlin Airlift, he dropped candy from his plane for the children of the city, replacing the fear of a military aircraft with dreams of a brighter future. When supplies and spirits were low, “the Candy Bomber” made them soar!
According to a release this morning, Halvorsen, "passed away with his family at his side at the Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, Utah, following a short illness."
German President Steinmeier once wrote that Colonel Halvorsen, "built a bridge of humanity and compassion" between Americans and Berliners. Ambassador Haber, who hosted Halvorsen at her Residence in 2019, added her condolences this morning: "I celebrate your 101 years of life and friendship. Rest in peace, Colonel Halvorsen."
It was an honor to have Colonel Halvorsen and his charming smile at the Embassy a couple of years ago. Colonel, thank you for the hope you brought the children of Berlin, our team - all Germans!
German-American friendship is more profound due to your kindness.

Posted by
2333 posts

Thank you for sharing this message and thank you for your moving post.

Posted by
3855 posts

Nicest man I ever met.

And that is not post-passing sentimentality or hyperbole.

Posted by
13946 posts

Oh, thank you Jo. What a wonderful story! I'm so glad you got to meet him and make a personal connection.

Posted by
6788 posts

The news is bittersweet, like the best chocolate. A tip 'o the hat and a salute, wishing blue skies and tailwinds to the good Colonel.

Posted by
6329 posts

What a wonderful tribute to what sounds like a wonderful man. Thank you for posting this, Ms Jo.

Posted by
111 posts

He was a great man.

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael O. Tunnell is a FANTASTIC book about Halvorsen and "Operation Little Vittles." I bought copies for my kids and for their cousins. I wish every library had copies of it. It's a very worthile read for adults too. Uplifting and inspiring.

https://www.amazon.com/Candy-Bomber-Berlin-Airlifts-Chocolate/dp/1580893376/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Posted by
2187 posts

Thank you for sharing. I knew about the importance of the airlift, but not about this particular piece of history. I will be looking for more information on this story.

Posted by
3855 posts

The last several years I have participated in an annual candy drop re-enactment in Manteo, NC, and had the opportunity to spend a few weekends with the Colonel. Even at 100 years old, he would spend hours talking with adults and children who had interest in the Berlin Airlift and the candy drops. He always had time for another child or another adult asking for an autograph. I happened to talk to one of the children who caught candy in Berlin in 1948 tonight for about an hour. It was nice to hear her reminisce about her experiences with the good Colonel over the years.

How the Candy Drops Began

The candy drops began because Colonel Halvorsen saw a group of about 30 kids age 8 to 15 standing behind a fence at Tempelhof Airport watching the planes come and go. Of all the things to which the kind-hearted pilot could have directed his attention at that moment, he chose to go talk to a ragged rabble of kids. After some talk about the planes, the kids told him that when winter came, it would be difficult to get the planes in and out of Berlin, but they wanted the planes to keep coming because that meant freedom to them. As he walked away, he realized this group of kids had asked for nothing more than freedom. There were no requests for candy like the kids everywhere else in the world where he had been stationed. He felt in his pockets and had only two pieces of gum. He walked back to the kids and told them that he wanted to give them something, but all he had was 2 pieces of gum. The kids split the gum as best they could -- some getting a small piece of gum, some getting just a piece of foil to sniff. He promised to drop chocolate to them the next day. They asked how they would know which plane since the planes all looked the same. He told them he would "wiggle the wings" of the plane. When they saw the plane that did that, they would know that was "the one with the goods." He flew back to his base, rounded up as many Hershey bars as he could, made makeshift parachutes for them, and dropped them on his next run. He brought joy and hope. I've seen multiple interviews with adults who caught candy in Berlin who said that while the treat was nice, the bigger gift was the feeling that someone cared about them.

My Reflection

As mentioned above, Colonel Halvorsen is certainly the kindest man I ever met, but he is more than that. He is my favorite historical figure. And he is my hero. RIP Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen.

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