Back in June we attended a celebration honoring the 60th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift (Die Luftbrücke) at the Rhein-Main airfield in Wiesbaden Germany. I find it fascinating when you think back to what if must have been like to have been one of the pilots and wondering if they had any idea about the historical significance of what they were doing at the time. What were some of the thoughts runing through their minds? Then there are the people that were on the other end of the airlift receiving all the food and supplies. There and to be some fear and anxiety on their part since the Soviet Union was flexing its muscles and trying to take contol of part of Berlin that wasn't alredy under their control. The Soviet Union was blocking off all surface traffic to West Berlin, which was contoled by France, England, and the U.S. If the Berlin Airlift had failed, the world and history surely would have been a lot different.
Anna and Sarah ready to take off!
One of the publicized highlights of event was to be the dropping of candy bars for the kids, much like the pilots during the airlift dropping off supplies. One plane flew around dropping candy bars around the airfield. It is too bad that we weren't able to get any for the girls but it was something to see all the kids (and their parents as well) following the plane around trying to catch one of the candy bars. I didn't manage to see any real close but I did see several falling from the plane with their parachutes.
While the event wasn't a huge air show exhibiting several different models of planes, there were several on display, including a huge cargo plane. I must say that it was impressive seeing all the different planes (and a few helicopters) on the field.
One of the decorated hangers
I really like this last photo showing the German and American flags. It shows the friendship between the two countries and peoples. I've posted several more pictures in an album at Flickr.
If you'd like to read more about the Berlin Airlift you can check out some of the following sites...
- The Truman Library
- Spirit of freedom
- Airlift History What Really Happened
- U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission
- The German Way & More
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