Air Force ‘superstar’ speaks to USU’s ROTC
Col. (Ret.) Gail S. Halvorsen, also known as the Berlin Candy Bomber, spoke to USU’s Air Force Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC), Thursday afternoon about his experiences in the Air Force. He also spoke about the importance of a good attitude, compassion and respect.
While delivering food, medication and coal to the people of Berlin during the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949, Halvorsen earned his nickname as the Candy Bomber by delivering candy to children.
“I will never forget that first flight to Berlin. We had freedom, we had food and they needed both,” he said. “With that first flight, we were on the same page for the first time.”
One day while Halvorsen was waiting for a flight at the Tempelhof Airport in Germany, he walked to the end of the runway to take photographs of aircraft. Near the perimeter of the airport, he saw a group of 30 German schoolchildren waiting to speak with him.
He said the children spoke to him about rations, saying they only wanted and needed a little to eat. Halvorsen had two pieces of gum in his pocket, not nearly enough for 30 children.
“If I gave them two sticks of gum, I thought there might be bloody noses or a fight and I should get out of there. But I thought, ‘Give them what you got. They’ve got a right to fight and if they want to fight, they can fight,'” Halvorsen said.
When he gave the kids the gum, he said they carefully ripped the wrappers into strips and then smelled the wrapper. Halvorsen said he was dumbfounded.
“So they got a gum wrapper and a piece of gum to boot,” Halvorsen said.
In the following weeks, more and more children would gather for candy.
He gathered candy rations and began making handkerchief parachutes and dropping those as he flew over the surrounding areas. To signal the falling of candy, Halvorsen would wiggle his wings, thus earning another nickname, Uncle Wiggly Wings.
Years later during a trip to Europe, Halvorsen met the recipients of his deeds. One man said it took him an entire week to eat the candy bar he had received from him. Halvorsen said the man said, “It took one week for me to eat that candy bar. It wasn’t the candy bar that was important, it was that someone in America knew I was in trouble. I could live without their rations but not without hope.”
Halvorsen stressed the importance of using agency wisely and having hope, compassion and a positive attitude in order to lead a successful and happy life.
“If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters. Be true to yourself,” he said. “Little steps can put you on the path. Little decisions define the rest of your life. Here I am today for two sticks of gum in 1948.” Cadet Commander Mike Vilven said, “Col. Halvorsen is a huge aviation superstar, an icon that goes all over the world to speak about what he has done.”
Michael Swift, commander of the ROTC, said he has been working more than a year to get Halvorsen to speak at Utah State. He said the university is very fortunate to have such a man visit the ROTC.
Swift said he hopes this helps his cadets to understand and appreciate their history.
“He has a very interesting story in that chapter of history. Instead of cadets just reading, here is a chance to ask questions and to speak with a man part of the Berlin Airlift and is the real Candy Bomber.”
Halvorsen was born in Salt Lake City and attended his first year of college and training in the Air Force at USU.
“I have a fond place in my heart for this place and I am grateful to be here,” Halvorsen said. “But at 86 years old, I am glad to be anywhere.”
-ariek@cc.usu.edu