The Candy Bomber

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Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"

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Just after World War II, U.S. Air Force flyer Gail Halverson dropped candy to sugar-starved children in West Berlin, Germany, using small parachutes. This occurred during the massive converyance of food and supplies into war-torn West Berlin, known as the Berlin Airlift.

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candy bomber

Lt. Halverson visits with West Berlin children at the end of the runway at Templehof Airport in 1948.

8mm movie footage taken by the Candy Bomber himself, Gail Halvorsen, along with some explanation about the Berlin Airlift.

West Berlin children perch atop the rubble of war, hoping for candy-laden parachutes to appear in the wake of the cargo planes.

Some of the drawings West Berlin children sent to Lt. Halverson in thanks.

Halverson stands in front of a C-54

cargo plane and holds some of the

larger parachutes used to drop candy

to the children.