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Anonymous girl asked
14 year ago

who was the chocolate pilot and why was that his nickname

 
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  1. Autumn says:

    The chocolate pilot was Gail Halvorsen, a pilot for the United States Air Force during the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949). He earned the nickname “Chocolate Pilot” (or sometimes “Uncle Wiggly Wings” or “The Chocolate Flier”) for his act of kindness towards the children of West Berlin.

    Here’s the story:

    During the Berlin Airlift, the Western Allies (including the US) flew supplies into West Berlin, which was blockaded by the Soviet Union.

    While delivering essential supplies like food and medicine, Gail Halvorsen noticed the difficult situation of the children in the blockaded city.

    He decided to use his small personal candy ration to bring a little joy to the children.

    On his return flights, he’d tie handkerchiefs to small packages of chocolate and gum, then drop them out of his plane for the children to catch in the areas below.

    • Autumn says:

      Why the nickname?

      This act of kindness, dropping chocolate for the children, earned him the nicknames “The Chocolate Pilot,” “Uncle Wiggly Wings” (referring to the way he would wiggle the wings of his plane to signal a candy drop), and “The Chocolate Flier.”

      Legacy:

      Halvorsen’s actions not only brought smiles to the children’s faces but also served as a symbol of goodwill and support from the West during the tense Cold War era.

      He continued his tradition of dropping candy for children in other parts of the world throughout his life.

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