Public Law 117-134 passed June 7, 2022
Col. Gail S. Halvorsen ‘Candy Bomber’ Veterans Center
Congress Findings:
Gail Halvorsen born October 10, 1920 in Salt Lake City, Utah
He joined the Civilian Pilot Training Program and earned his pilot’s license in 1941. That same year he joined the Civil Air Patrol as a pilot.
Gail joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942, trained flying fighter jets with the Royal Air Force. After training he flew transport missions in the South Atlantic Theatre.
After World War II, division of Berlin disputes broke out between Western Allies and Soviet Union.
June 1948, Soviet locked down ALL land routes connecting Western Germany, approximately 2 MILLION people in West Berlin left isolated. Starvation, poverty and desperate want ensured.
The allies started dropping supplies into West Berlin in an effort to alleviate human suffering. This was termed by the United States forces “Operation Vittles”, the Berlin Airlift started June 26, 1948.
Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948, he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes for Operation Vittles.
On mission at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, Halvorsen noticed some German children.
The children were visibly malnourish so Halvorsen gave the children 2 sticks of gum which the children split to share.
Disturbed by the experience Colonel Halvorsen wanted to do more to help those children. He promised to drop more candy from his plane during his regular airlift missions.
He told this children they would recognized his plane by a back and forth waggle of his wings while he flew over.
Halvorsen enlisted his copilot to begin teaching their candy rations to miniature parachutes.
The children of Berlin gave him a nickname “Uncle Wiggly Wings”, “The Chocolate Flier”, “The Gum Drop Kid” and “The Chocolate Uncle”. Gail was eventually known world wide as “The Candy Bomber”.
Lieutenant General William H. Turner learned of Halvorsen’s efforts and expanded the operation as “Little Vittles”.
As the operation continues, word got back to the United States. Facilities, schoolchildren and candy makers began making modemed parachutes that Halvorsen could drop.
At the end of Berlin Airlift, 250,000 parachutes containing 21 TONS of candy had been dropped by Halvorsen and his fellow airmen.
Halvorsen retired in 1974 after 31 years of service and more than 8000 hours of flying time.
Since his retirement, Gail has continued his humanitarian service. He voluntarily represented the United States Air Force and United States abroad and re-enacted his fame candy drop several times in Berlin and around the world.
Gail Halvorsen turned 100 October 10, 2020.
Designation
The Provo Veterans Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 360 State St, Orem, Utah shall be known as the “Col. Gail S. Halvorsen ‘Candy Bomber’ Veterans Center”.
Reference
Any reference by law, regulation, Mao, document, paper or record of the United States shall be referenced to the Col. Gail S. Halvorsen “Candy Bomber” Veterans Center.