Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.
The Majesty of America's Capital: Congratulations to the Berlin Airlift Diamond Jubilee committee on the occassion of the 60th year anniversary of the Berlin Air Lift. http://berlinairlift-diamondjubilee.org/
Did you know that after WWII we determined not to decimate Germany as took place after the end of WWI setting the stage for its vengeful comeback. Instead we sought to protect and build it up in Alliance after routing out the Nazis. We did this in concert with our Allies. Berlin, the capital city was divided with Great Britain, the US and France protecting the East and Russia protecting the West. Russia, however under Stalin had other expansionist imperialist designs on Germany and blockaded Berlin immediately after the war. They blockaded land and water to prevent the other Allies from making incursion into the city which was lodged in Russia protected Western territory.
So what did we do? The Allies Allied- in a combined show of force that set the stage for the incarnation of NATO. In an 11 month effort starting June 24, 1948 we used our Sortis and Air Lifted with Great Britian essential supplies and everything a war ravaged bombed out people needed to live. The "Berlin Air Lift" resulted in 500-700 tons of raw materials, food, fuel industrial good and essential supplies to be delivered a day via our combined Allied Air Forces dropped in June of 1948 to 12,940 tons by April, 1949. And at midnight May 12, 1949 the Soviets caved and reopened land and water routes into Berlin ending the 322 day blockage. The Airlift missions ended in September 1949. We kept over 2 Million Germans alive. They are now one of our strongest allies economically and committed partners in strengthening democracies.
We lost 31 American soldiers and 39 British and Commonwealth troops defending Berlin against Soviet aggression. The World would be a very different place had Berlin fallen.
2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. It also marks the end of the 60th year of the Berlin Air Lift.
There are octogenarian gentle souls still alive who flew these missions. They were seated today for Veterans Day tributes in Saint Matthews Cathedral in Washington, DC. You could shake their hands and thank them right here in Washington, DC. today.
They hope to make one last trip to Germany in 2009 to celebrate with the German people their mission. A foundation formed with the assistance and sponsorship of Daimler (previously Daimler Benz) called "Friends Always" They came to remember their fallen and especially the German children suffering for the sins of an evil leadership who reached out to grab Hershey bars falling from the sky floating from hand made hankerchiefs one soldier put together from old donated white hankies falling like fresh snow over the blitzed rubble.
You can help these American heros go back for the last horrah to Germany. Some of these aging Veterans are partially disabled, some on fixed incomes, some tolled by age. They all need to go back in style- every last live one of them who wants to visit Berlin in 2009.
Perhaps OBAMA will take a delegation and make a historic speech congratulating the American Spirit that still lives and thank Germany for its friendship on the occassion of the 20th year since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The ceremony this evening featured a gentleman who is the North American Executive Director for External Affairs and Public Policy- the public face of Daimler. He is an African American named Jake Jones. He stated that were it not for the sacrifices of people like these Berlin Air Lift Air Force vets fighting for freedom against the Nazi Aryan idolotry and saving the German people with kindness after the war people like him might not be the public relations face of a prominent German founded company called Daimler. He promised a Benz to the President of the Berlin Air Lift Veterans Association.
A dark skinned grey haired staff General Radhi Dahham Al-Assal, Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Iraq, a country he noted of a plurality of religions and ethnicities, proclaimed loudly: "From this House of God, Let it Be Heard That We Stand With You."
Music from an orchestra so brilliant yet so humble it didn't have a name in the program and no member or even the conductor was named gave beatiful rendition and tribute to pieces from Mendelssohn, a German (born Jewish), Samuel Barber, an American ( Protestant) ,and Gustav Holst, a German British citizen among other rousing numbers. This nameless orchestra, it was revealed was comprised entirely of gifted talented men and women in our military. Such is the selflessness of the people serving you and me trying to bring Freedom to the world under the banner of our flag.
You can find out more information on the German-American friendship at http://www.germany.info/ or email info@germany.info. Thank you to the speakers at this event, particularly The Honorable karsten D.Voight, Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, German Federal Foreign Office, and Brigadeer General Margaret H. Woodward, US AF, Commander ,89th Airlift Wing, Vice Commander-designate, 18th United Air Force for her brilliant historic survey of our actions in post-WWII Germany.
Today also marks to the day the 60th anniversary that Kate Smith belted on a radio show what is now her signature classic that the Cathedral closed with. It goes like this-I think you know it:
While the storm clouds gather
far across the sea
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free
Let us all be greateful for a land so fair
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
God Bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountain, to the prairies
To the Oceans, white with foam,
GOD BLESS AMERICA
My Home Sweet Home.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
My Home Sweet Home.
AMEN, AMEIN, AMEN.
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