Veteran AF pilot recounts Berlin Airlift to NCOA, ALS students

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. M. Davis
  • Kisling NCO Academy
KAPAUN AIR STATION, Germany --  Some people may know him as a professor. Others may know him as an author. The U.S. Air Force and the citizens of West Berlin know Maj. Edwin Gere as a hero for his role in delivering several tons of much needed supplies during the Berlin Airlift 60 years ago. 

Mr. Gere related his accounts of the airlift to more than 200 students at the Kisling NCO Academy and Airman Leadership School recently. 

"I'm so happy to be here," said the 85-year-old Air Force veteran. "It's good to see leadership [concepts] taught at the flag level and where it counts most - at the [Airman and NCO] levels." 

More than 60 years ago the Soviets occupied West Berlin and severed all supply ties with the outside world, leaving more than 2 million Germans without food, coal and other essential supplies. The United States saw the potential for disaster and tasked the fledgling U.S. Air Force with flying in much needed provisions to the people of West Berlin. 

Mr. Gere resigned his military commission after serving as a World War II pilot, but was recalled to active duty when the Berlin Airlift kicked off. 

"In 1948, a makeshift operation was assembled," he recounted. "The Germans called it a 'cowboy operation.' We were a raw, crude bunch of hopefuls that came for training. We had good coaches to hone us into a team." 

The American forces teamed up with other military services from Great Britain, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. The slowly emerging operation worked through the fall and winter of 1948 before it began working together seamlessly, he recounted. 

Before long, the operations would be run by a new leader, Gen. William "Tonnage" Tunner, who became the commander of the Combined Airlift Task Force. 

"General Tunner established a constant conveyor belt, bringing supplies to Berlin as quickly as possible," said Mr. Gere, a professor of international relations. "By January 1949, it was all running smoothly." 

By April 1949, General Tunner wanted to make a huge effort by airlifting several thousand tons to West Berlin, he said. 

"This maximum effort is known as the Easter Parade. On April 16, 1949, more than 1,390 flights took place to provide three times the daily requirements to the area. We delivered the equivalent of 22 freight trains pulling 50 box cars each," he explained. "In all, 2.3 million tons of supplies were delivered. That operation broke the back of the Soviet blockade." 

Although the times and the missions were serious, there were some light moments that occurred now and then, Mr. Gere said. One of those times included a South African pilot, who was flying a delivery of coal and missed his approach. The aircraft was heavily loaded, so he ordered his crew chief to dump sacks of coal to lighten the load. One of those sacks of coal went through the roof of Sir Brian Robertson, who served as a British member and commander-in-chief of the Allied Control Council at the High Commission in Berlin. 

"Sir Robertson made light of the incident saying, 'I think that was the only direct delivery of coal during the entire airlift,'" Mr. Gere said. 

Looking back, the Berlin Airlift not only brought food, medicine and supplies to 2.5 million people - it brought hope. 

"We were asked to stand firm in Berlin, and we did," Mr. Gere said. "What would have happened if the Berlin Airlift hadn't succeeded? The face of Europe would be different today."