Klarinet Archive - Posting 000066.txt from 2005/09

From: Nancy Buckman <eefer@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Assistance for hurricane/flooding victims
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 11:57:48 -0400

Danyel,

FYI - see below.

Nancy Buckman
Principal clarient/Orchestra AACC
eefer@-----.net

From Airbridge to Berlin, by D.M. Giangreco and Robert E. Griffin (used wit=
h permission)=20

Post war Germany was divided into three sections--the Allied part was contr=
olled by the United States, Great Britain and France and other part by the =
Soviet Union. The city of Berlin, although located in the eastern Soviet ha=
lf, was also divided into four sectors --West Berlin occupied by Allied int=
erests and East Berlin occupied by Soviets. In June 1948, the Soviet Union =
attempted to control all of Berlin by cutting surface traffic to and from t=
he city of West Berlin. Starving out the population and cutting off their b=
usiness was their method of gaining control. The Truman administration reac=
ted with a continual daily airlift which brought much needed food and suppl=
ies into the city of West Berlin. This Airbridge to Berlin lasted until the=
end of September of 1949---although on May 12, 1949, the Soviet government=
yielded and lifted the blockade.
When the airlift began, there were only two airfields in Berlin; Tempelhof =
with one runway in the US sector and Gatow with one runway in the British s=
ector. In 1945, when the Americans arrived in Berlin, Tempelhof's lone runw=
ay was sodded and had been used only for small aircraft and fighters during=
the latter stages of World War II. It was beautifully equipped with hangar=
s and a large terminal building, but it was surrounded by high apartment bu=
ildings which required a 500 foot ceiling in thick weather. Before June 194=
8, US Army engineers had built a 12 foot thick rubber base runway and cover=
ed it with steel landing mats which was adequate for US military needs befo=
re the airlift. However, under the continuous pounding of heavy, loaded air=
craft the steel landing mats started to break. Depressions in the runway be=
gan to form and soon a force of 225 men was kept busy working on the runway=
between plane landings in attempting to keep the field operational. In ear=
ly July 1948, construction on a new runway at Tempelhof began without inter=
rupting airlift traffic and during the same period the old runway was being=
constantly repaired. In late 1948, construction began on a third Tempelhof=
runway.

Nancy Buckman
Principal Clarinet/Orchestra AACC
eefer@-----.net

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