IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 398 
Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift’s success. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 4, 2009 
Mr. FORTENBERRY (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. 
MCCOTTER, Mr. INGLIS, and Mr. BACHUS) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in 
addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift’s 
success. 
Whereas pursuant to mutual agreement among allies con-
cluded at the Potsdam Conference following the uncondi-
tional surrender of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist 
(NAZI) regime on May 8, 1945, the German capitol of 
Berlin was divided into four zones of military occupation 
controlled by the United States, the Soviet Union, Great 
Britain, and France; 
Whereas in a bid to maintain leverage over Germany by per-
petuating its economic instability, and in opposition to 
the United States’ Marshall Plan and the allies’ proposal 
for a new, more stable German currency, then Soviet Dic-
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•HRES 398 IH 
tator Joseph Stalin ordered a blockade of Berlin on June 
22, 1948; 
Whereas Stalin’s blockade prohibited all ground access to the 
city, blocking the people of Berlin; 
Whereas three 20-mile-wide free air corridors had been 
agreed on November 30, 1945, to provide unfettered ac-
cess to Berlin along accepted flight routes; 
Whereas the Soviet regime insisted that the Western Allies 
allow food and medicine to be supplied to these sectors 
only through Soviet-controlled East Germany, effectively 
allowing Soviet control over West Berlin; 
Whereas President Harry S. Truman ordered the stationing 
of U.S. B–29 Superfortresses at British airfields on June 
28, 1948; 
Whereas Britain’s Foreign Minister Ernest Brevin, at the 
suggestion of Commander Sir Brian Robertson, proposed 
employing a military airlift as an alternative to an armed 
convoy through the Soviet sector to provide humanitarian 
relief to Berlin’s traumatized and beleaguered population; 
Whereas General Lucius Clay, then United States military 
governor of Germany, and Major General Curtis LeMay, 
Commanding General of the United States Air Force in 
Europe, requested Douglas C–54 Skymasters, the largest 
transport plane available to the United States Air Force, 
to help supply the colossal strategic air mission; 
Whereas the first Skymasters arrived at Rhein-Main Air 
Base on June 28, 1948, and were immediately loaded to 
begin Operation Vittles to convey supplies to Berlin; 
Whereas the Soviet regime publically derided the airlift, an-
nouncing that it would be impossible to carry out and 
maintain such an operation, characterizing the mission in 
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•HRES 398 IH 
the East German press as, ‘‘the futile attempts of the 
Americans to save face and to maintain their untenable 
position in Berlin’’; 
Whereas Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand joined 
Great Britain and the United States in what became the 
largest humanitarian operation ever undertaken by the 
United States Air Force; 
Whereas Lt. General William Turner, honored in the Air 
Cargo Hall of Fame for his tactical brilliance as com-
mander of the Berlin Airlift, was called upon to lead the 
Berlin Airlift and worked tirelessly to ensure that the air-
craft he commanded supplied the besieged city of Berlin 
with essential supplies including coal, heating oil, medi-
cine, and food from July 28, 1948, through the official 
conclusion of the mission on September 30, 1949; 
Whereas the Berlin Airlift resulted in the total delivery of 
1,783,573 tons of supplies by the United States and 
541,937 tons of supplies totaling 2,300,000 tons deliv-
ered on 277,569 total flights to Berlin; 
Whereas the United States Air Force’s C–47s and C–54s 
alone logged 92,000,000 miles in the Berlin Airlift; 
Whereas the commitment of the United States to aid the be-
sieged people of Berlin resulted in the tragic loss of 101 
allied personnel, of which 31 were United States casual-
ties; 
Whereas the following Air Force units, aided by the United 
States Navy and Army, are known to have contributed to 
the success of the Berlin Airlift— 
(1) HHS1Air Life Task Force; 
(2) 10 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(3) 11 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
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(4) 12 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(5) 14 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(6) 15 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(7) 29 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(8) 39 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(9) 40 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(10) 41 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(11) 47 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(12) 48 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(13) 53 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(14) HHS 60 Troop Carrier Wing; 
(15) HQ 60 Troop Carrier Group; 
(16) 60 Troop Carrier Group; 
(17) HQ60 Maintenance Support Group; 
(18) 60 Maintenance Squadron; 
(19) 60 Supply Squadron; 
(20) 60 FIN DIS UT; 
(21) 60 COMM Squadron; 
(22) 60A police Squadron; 
(23) 60 Food Service Squadron; 
(24) 60 Install SQ; 
(25) 60 Motor Vehicle Squadron; 
(26) 60 Base Services Squadron; 
(27) 60 Medical Group; 
(28) HHS A B Group; 
(29) HQ61 Troop Carrier Group; 
(30) HQ313 Troop Carrier Group; 
(31) HHS61 Troop Carrier Wing; 
(32) HQ317 Troop Carrier Group; 
(33) HQ317 Maintenance Supply Group; 
(34) 317 Maintenance Squadron; 
(35) 317 Supply Squadron; 
(36) HHS 317 A B Group; 
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(37) 317 Communications Squadron; 
(38) 317A Police Squadron; 
(39) 317 Food Services Squadron; 
(40) 317 Installation Squadron; 
(41) 317 Motor Vehicle Squadron; 
(42) 317 Base Services Squadron; 
(43) 317 FIN DIS UT; 
(44) 317 Medical Group; 
(45) 330 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(46) 331 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(47) 332 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(48) 333 Troop Carrier Squadron; 
(49) HHS 513 A B Group; 
(50) HQ 513 Troop Carrier Group; 
(51) 513 Troop Carrier Group; 
(52) HQ 513 Maintenance Sup Group; 
(53) 513 Maintenance Squadron; 
(54) 513 Supply Squadron; 
(55) 513 Communications Squadron; 
(56) 513A Police Squadron; 
(57) 513 Food Service Squadron; 
(58) 513 Install Squadron; 
(59) 513 Motor Vehicle Squadron; 
(60) 513 Base Services Squadron; 
(61) 513 Finance Distribution Unit; 
(62) 513 Medical Group; 
(63) HHS 7350 A B Group; 
(64) 7351 Maintenance Supply Squadron; 
(65) 7352 AF Police Squadron; 
(66) 7353 Installation Squadron; and 
(67) HHS 7497A Lift Wing; 
Whereas Col. Gail Halvorsen, also known as the ‘‘Candy 
Bomber’’ and recipient of the 1948 Cheney Award, dis-
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tinguished himself by launching Operation Little Vittles, 
a magnanimous effort that parachuted over 3 tons of 
candy to the children of Berlin, including children in the 
Soviet sector; 
Whereas in the face of the massive allied goodwill offensive, 
the Soviets capitulated and lifted the blockade on May 
12, 1949; 
Whereas the Berlin Airlift consolidated the successful use of 
air transport in military operations and led to the cre-
ation of the Air Mobility Command; 
Whereas German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer noted that the 
Berlin Airlift ‘‘was a truly visible sign that America rec-
ognized her duty to be the leader of free nations and 
wanted to fulfill it.’’; and 
Whereas the determined actions of the Berlin Airlift sent a 
clear message to the Soviet Union that the United States 
held an unquestionable commitment and unwavering re-
solve to prevent tyranny in Europe: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Ber-
lin Airlift, and commends all of the operation’s 
United States veterans for their valor and deter-
mination to represent the noble ideals that thwarted 
the fall of the Iron Curtain over Berlin’s western 
strongholds; 
(2) honors the veterans of the Berlin Airlift 
who lost their lives to bring the means of survival 
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and sustenance to civilians under siege in the service 
to their country; 
(3) commends the spirit of collaboration which 
characterized this united allied operation involving 
both military and civilian aircraft and crews; and 
(4) honors the men and women of the United 
States military whose continued dedication to the 
ideals of integrity, compassion, and liberty upholds 
the honorable legacy of the United States Armed 
Forces, as illustrated by the Berlin Airlift, and re-
news our faith in the power of freedom and goodness 
to prevail over tyranny. 
Æ 
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