Southern Museum of Flight honors Berlin Airlift

Some of you remember WWII like it was yesterday, while most of us remember studying it.

But, do you know about the great Berlin Airlift that began in 1948? It’s been called the greatest humanitarian action of all time.

Some of the men who took part will be honored soon here in Birmingham.

There wasn’t much left of Berlin in June of 1945…...the war in Europe ended there. The Brandenberg gate and most of Berlin was reduced to rubble, and everywhere you looked, the dark scars of war were etched in stone.

Berlin was divided into four sectors under British, French, American and Soviet control.  As the war ended, the Soviets cut off all of Berlin from the outside world. The choice for the allies was simple: fight the Soviets or reach out to the citizens of Berlin who were defeated and tired of war.

Trish Coghlan of the Alabama Germany Partnership said, “They chose the humanitarian side and in that they created, they had flights and tons of food and coal to Berlin to Templehof Airport so that 2 million men and women and children could live.“

So the Allies, fresh off victory in WWII took on a different mission, one of peace, one that did kill and destroy, but rather one that fed and clothed and provided raw materials needed by the German people. Supply deliveries grew from 500 tons a day to a high of nearly 13 tons of supplies daily.

The planes came from all over Europe and carried flour and milk and medicine.

“2009 is the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, which was the greatest humanitarian airlift of all time and in reality the beginning of the true friendship between the United States and Germany,“ Coghlan said.

Now, the Alabama Germany partnership wants the honor the Alabama veterans who took part in the Berlin Airlift.

The Alabama Germany partnership is sponsoring the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift at the Southern Museum of Flight starting Feb. 27. A special exhibit will be at the museum through March 14. If you or someone you know were involved in the airlift, they’d love to have you there.

“We have located a total of 21 now and 14 are scheduled and have said that they will attend our opening ceremony on Feb. 27 here at the Southern Museum of Flight,“ Coghlan said.

The Berlin Airlift exhibit is included in the admission price to the Southern Museum of Flight and special free admission can be arranged for school groups.

Call (205) 943-4772 or e-mail for more information.