The Berlin Candy Bomber at OSH

[Bob Bement]

My friend Gail S. Halvorsen will be making an appearance at OSH this year. He will be arriving in the C-54 that the Berlin Airlift folks have fixed up to go on tour. I don't know if they will be dropping any candy or not but he told me that he would be there. He is a true gentleman and I wish that I was going so I could see him and the plane there. I had the privilege of flying him into the Idaho backcountry in 1999. It was a great experience for me.

 

[Skip Miller]

My friend Gail S. Halvorsen will be making an appearance at OSH this year. He will be arriving in the C-54 that the Berlin Airlift folks have fixed up to go on tour. I don't know if they will be dropping any candy or not but he told me that he would be there. He is a true gentleman and I wish that I was going so I could see him and the plane there. I had the privilege of flying him into the Idaho backcountry in 1999. It was a great experience for me.

The PA Announcer said he was flying right seat for the candy drop. It was a worthy honor for the man!

-Skip

 

[Steve]

Halvorsen and the entire C-54 crew were honored at the Warbird banquet Saturday night. The slide show showed him in the right seat for part of the flight and then back at a side window making the drop using a board to drop several chutes out the window simultaneously. He make a brief speech recalling a man he met years after the "Airlift" who, as a 10 year old boy, had a Hershey bar land at his feet. He waited several days before dared to eat it, wanting to savor the thought of receiving it. When asked what the "Candy Bombing" meant to him he replied "It gave me hope. Without hope the soul dies."

 

[rottydaddy]

I didn't meet Mr. H. but did stand listening to him tell someone else about his days in the airlift...he's a sport for making the rounds and meeting and greeting so many people.
And they've done quite a job turning that C-54 into a flying museum!! Wow!!

 

[Bob Bement]

I wish I could have been there this year to see him and talk to him again. I have a couple of videos of me landing in the back country of Idaho with him on the video camera. You can find them by going to youtube.com and putting skybobb videos in the search blank. Then click on Travel and Places. The videos with Halvorson are landing at Sulphurl Creek and Landing at Chamberlain Basin. He is quite a guy.

 

[njpilot911]

I had the honor of meeting Col. Halvorsen, while riding the elevator at the OshKosh Hilton during Airventure 2007. We had a pleasant conversation. What a great guy.

Also had the honor of riding jump seat on the "Spirit of Freedom" into Teterboro, NJ recently. You can see that ride on Youtube.com and search for "C54".

Jeff
M20J N1159P
1N4 Woodbine, NJ

 

[jwriteclub]

It is interesting to me, as someone with family in Germany, that while many people in Europe may moan and complain about the US, those of a certain age in Berlin still remember and wildly praise the airlift.

~ Christopher

 

[njpilot911]

Here is Col Halvorsen with my bride, Tracy, during Airventure 2007..Right place, right time, and it was an honor...sure is handy to have a phone camera!

Jeff
Mooney N1159P
1N4 Woodbine, NJ

 

[Bob Bement]

Jeff----- Didn't you think that Mr. Halvorsen was a great gentleman, and did he act like you were a long lost friend and didn't try to brush you off. I found him to be a great human being. Bob

 

[njpilot911]

Jeff----- Didn't you think that Mr. Halvorsen was a great gentleman, and did he act like you were a long lost friend and didn't try to brush you off. I found him to be a great human being. Bob

Yessir, definitely a class act.

-Jeff
N1159P
1N4 Woodbine, NJ

 

[Bob Bement]

Jeff, I had the privledge Of flying him into the back country of Idaho. I have those two landings on yourtube. If you would like to see them go to www.youtube.com/skybobb and search: Chamberlin Basin landing- Candy Bomber, and Candy Bomber Sulphur Creek landing. Gail was doing the video taping and the commentary.