How an American pilot dropped candy from the sky for Berlin's children
In 1948, Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen met hungry children near Tempelhof airport and began dropping candy attached to handkerchief parachutes from his plane.
In 1948, American Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen encountered a group of children gathered near Tempelhof airport in Berlin. The children were hungry, living in a city still recovering from the devastation of World War II.
Gail wanted to help these children in whatever way he could. He made them a promise: he would bring candy on his next flight over the area.
The signal from above
True to his word, Gail devised a way to deliver on his promise. As he flew his plane over the area, he wiggled his wings as a signal. The children on the ground looked up, recognizing the distinctive movement.
Then Gail dropped candy from his aircraft. He attached the sweets to tiny handkerchief parachutes so they would float safely down to the waiting children below.
A plane the children recognized
Word spread quickly among Berlin's young residents. Soon, children throughout the area knew which plane brought Gail Halvorsen's candy. They would watch the skies, waiting for the telltale wing wiggle that meant treats were about to rain down on their war-torn city.
What began as one pilot's simple gesture of kindness became a symbol of hope during one of the darkest periods in Berlin's history.
