Gaddis was recalled to active duty in February 1949. He served three years as a pilot with the 86th Fighter Wing at Neubiberg Air Base, West Germany, a suburb of Munich. The 86th Fighter Wing was engaged in flying escort missions into and from Berlin during the airlift, typically flying the P-47 Thunderbolt. During this time Gaddis was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and earned the call sign "Snapper" because of his execution of a "snap-roll" maneuver as he flew a P-47 at and 300 mph across the Fürstenfeldbruck airfield.