Meet the world famous "Candy Bomber"

War typically doesn't bring back many good memories, but for one man given the nickname of "The Candy Bomber" and "Uncle Wiggly Wings," he helped change that for thousands of German children.

[@dreadpenguinlord340]

This man needs the Medal of Honor. He stands for everything the US ought to!

[@timengineman2nd714]

Actually he got chewed out by his Squadron Commanding Officer, then sent to the Airlift HQ. There it was a different story and he received permission to continue! When he got to the Base PX to get candy, the shelves were bare, sadden he went back to his barracks and found out that his cot was piled him with candy!!! The other pilots had bought every piece of candy that they could find!!

[@MegaKhangkhung]

faith in humanity restored.

[@karenturcola4524]

😊 Wonderful.

[@demef758]

Too bad the US government doesn't have a cabinet position like "Minister of Culture." Col. Halvorsen would be the perfect choice to head it! Every school kid in America has a lot to learn from him.

[@johnsnowkumar359]

it was partly racism. Some American pilots did not want to drop chocolates to people of Asian national origin or African national origin. Lots of American govt food were approved and ready to be shipped to Japan and China in the years preceding Berlin blockade for newly nuked cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Some racist American civil servants and govt officials did not want to feed people of Asian national origin in these cities. They would rather send the food to people of European national origin. Some American officials would rather send the food earmarked for Asia and Africa, and send these to Germany. The Soviets had already been feeding Berliners to 3 years. They already arranged for additional distribution of food by East German new civil servants and Soviet soldiers and East German policemen and East German soldier and others to distribute food or to report any hidden families who may be hiding in basements . President Truman had a soft corner for these two cities in Japan, and had the food ready for japan. So, govt officials decided to find a high ranking government official with the same last name as an American war time general, to spearhead the diverting of food stock of America earlier earmarked for Japan, and to send these to Germany instead. Many Germans are saying now, "Had I known that some American officials were diverting food crates and food packets from being sent to nuked Japan to send these to Berlin, we would have turned down the offer back in 1948 or so. We Germans weren't that hungry, as soviets were already feeding us. In fact, we Germans in 1948 would have arrested these racist american pilots coming to supplement the food offered to us by the Soviets. The Soviets fed us everything except chocolates."

[@hansmuller3604]

if the west-berliner would have taken food from the soviets this would have been the end of west-berlin. the soviets would have taken control of the whole city. thats exactly why they started the blockade.

[@wm565]

General McArthur did in fact feed the Japanese, and helped to not only rebuild Japan and it's economy, but helped them in forming a new constitution, which is still in force today. That is fact and history. Admiral Nimitz also helped the Japanese, and even helped them in restoring a museum ship. Need to re-read those history books.