THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM FOUNDATION, INC. BOARD OF MANAGERS
Dr. Earl Moore, President of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association, speaks at the dedication on May 12, 2011, of the Berlin Airlift Memorial.
Berlin Airlift Veterans Association Dedicates First Memorial in New Section
O
n May 12, 2011, the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association dedicated its memorial in the new section of the Memorial Park adjacent to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. One hundred and seven attended the dedication and of those, there were 30 American and one British veteran of the Berlin Airlift. The memorial is similar in design to the Airlift Memorial located at the site of Templehof Air Base in Berlin Germany. The inscription on the base of the memorial tells the story of the greatest humanitarian airlift in history and an event that is considered by some to be the first battle of the Cold War. The inscription reads: Hoping to force the Allies to abandon West Berlin, the Soviet Union instituted a land and water blockade of the city. This was their effort to take control of Germany and the rest of Europe. President Harry Truman and General Lucius Clay deemed it vital that the Allies remained in Berlin. England, France, and the USA responded with the airlift to supply over 2½ million Berliners with food, fuel, medicine, and the hope of remaining a free society. The Army, Navy, and Air Force united to make the first mission of the fledgling Air Force a success. The result of this massive airlift was stopping the spread of communism in Europe, Berlin remained free, NATO was spawned, and US foreign policy was set for years to come. Thirty-one Americans lost their lives during the Berlin Airlift in aircraft related accidents. The Berlin Airlift started on June 26, 1948 and ended September 30, 1949. During the Airlift aircraft flew 277,569 missions and delivered 2,325,509.6 tons of supplies. The names of the thirty one Americans who lost their lives during the Airlift are inscribed on the memorial.
Mr. Charles J. Faruki - Chairman Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Richard V. Reynolds - President Mr. Patrick L. McGohan - Vice President Maj. Gen. (Ret.) C. S. Cooper III - Secretary Mr. Jon G. Hazelton - Treasurer The Hon. Claude M. Bolton, Jr. Gen. (Ret.) William J. Begert Col. (Ret.) Mark N. Brown Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Charles H. Coolidge Jr. Ms. Frances A. Duntz Mr. David C. Evans Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Lawrence P. Farrell Jr. Col. (Ret.) Michael B. Goetz Maj. Gen. (Ret.) E. Ann Harrell Col. (Ret.) William S. Harrell Mr. Charles F. Kettering III Mr. Gregory G. Lockhart Col. (Ret.) Pamela A. Melroy Gen. (Ret.) T. Michael Moseley Gen. (Ret.) Charles T. Robertson Jr. Mr. R. Daniel Sadlier Mr. C. Kevin Scarborough Col. (Ret.) James B. Schepley Mr. Scott J. Seymour Mr. Gary G. Stephenson Mr. Harry W. (Wes) Stowers Jr. Mr. Robert J. Suttman II, CFA Col. (Ret.) R. A. Johnson - Executive Secretary Mrs. Lin Erickson - Chief Development Officer
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE Lt. Gen. (Ret.) J. H. Hudson, Director Terrill Aitken, Senior Curator
FRIENDS JOURNAL Editor - Maj. (Ret.) John B. King Art Director - Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard Brice Editorial Assistants - Bill Hughes, Robert Pinizzotto, Tom Thacker, Dave Menard, Herman Engle Development Coordinator - Charlene Wells Membership Coordinator - Michele Giefer Editorial Office: (937) 656-9622 Membership Office: 1-877- 258-3910 On the Cover: NMUSAF RF-4C Phantom II © 2011 Richard Brice The Friends Journal is published quarterly by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the expansion and improvement of the National Museum of the United States Air Force and to the preservation of the history of the United States Air Force. Authors retain all rights to further publication or use. Author’s views expressed in the Friends Journal do not necessarily represent those of the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc. or those of the United States Air Force. Printed in the USA. USPS Standard ”A” rate postage paid at Dayton, OH. Subscription to the Friends Journal is included in the annual membership of the Friends of the Air Force Museum. All materials are Copyright 2010 and may not be reproduced without permission from the Air Force Museum Foundation. Submission of material for publication and correspondence concerning contents should be addressed to The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1903, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-1903, and marked in the corner of the envelope “ATTN: Editor.”