Eagle Biography
Gail S. Halvorsen
Colonel Gail Halvorsen, the man known as "Uncle Wiggle Wings" and the "
Candy Bomber," began his military career as an aviation cadet in 1943. After earning
his wings, he served as a transport and ferry pilot in the south Atlantic. When the
Soviets blockaded Berlin in 1948, he was one of many transport pilots who helped sustain a
13-month airlift into Templehof Airport. He returned to the United States in 1949 to
attend the University of Florida.
After graduating with a master's degree in engineering,
he was assigned to the Wright Air Development Center as an engineer and program manager in
cargo aircraft weapons systems. He was later assigned to the Air Force Ballistic Missile
Division where he worked on the engineering development of space boosters for manned
spacecraft, including the Dyna-Soar.
He also played a key role in the
development of the Titan III launch vehicle and worked on development plans for
advanced manned and reusable spacecraft, on space policy and procedures, and on the
project for developing the manned orbital laboratory. On his final assignment, Colonel
Halvorsen returned to Berlin where he served as Commander of Templehof Air Base and Air
Force representative in Berlin.
|
| More About The Eagle: |
|
| Honored as an Eagle In: |
| 1982 |
2005
|
| See the Lithograph: |
|
| Lithograph Setting: |
|
Shown in the painting is one of the C-54 Skymasters used in the
Berlin Airlift. On one of his first flights into Templehof, Colonel Halvorsen
began rocking his wings and waving to the children near the runway. One day,
he dropped small parachutes carrying candy and chewing gum to the children and
thus began Operation "Little Vittles." He was awarded the 1948
Cheney Trophy for his humanitarian actions during the airlift.
|
|
The Air Command and Staff College Gathering of Eagles Foundation is not professionally or commercially
associated with the International Association of Eagles (IAE) or the Gathering of Eagles organization
in Washington D.C
|
