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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING COLONEL GAIL

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SEYMOUR HALVORSEN

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2017 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Deidre M. Henderson

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House Sponsor: Mike K. McKell

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor honors Colonel Gail
11     Seymour Halvorsen for his service to the people of Germany during the Berlin Airlift.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This resolution:
14          ▸     honors Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen for his service to the people of Germany
15     during the Berlin Airlift;
16          ▸     recognizes Colonel Halvorsen for the hope and joy he brought to children during the
17     Berlin Airlift; and
18          ▸     recognizes Colonel Halvorsen's unselfish acts that brought honor to himself, his
19     family, the United States Military, the citizens of the state of Utah, and the citizens
20     of the United States.
21     Special Clauses:
22          None
23     

24     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
25          WHEREAS, Gail Halvorsen -- also known as "Uncle Wiggly Wings," "The Chocolate
26     Flyer," and the "Candy Bomber" -- was born in Salt Lake City and grew up on small farms in
27     Utah and Idaho;

28          WHEREAS, Halvorsen earned a private pilot license under the Civilian Pilot Training
29     Program in September 1941 and joined the Civil Air Patrol as a pilot;
30          WHEREAS, during the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to 1949, Halvorsen, moved by the
31     gratitude and resilience of the children living in that devastated city, dropped tiny
32     handkerchief-sized parachutes filled with candy from his C-54 for the children of Berlin to
33     chase down and collect -- an act for which he was affectionately nicknamed the "candy
34     bomber," and, though he was nearly court-martialed for doing so, Halvorsen continued to make
35     his candy drops for several months;
36          WHEREAS, in the decades following the airlift, having achieved the rank of Colonel in
37     the United States Air Force, Halvorsen continued his service in the Civilian Air Patrol,
38     returning to Germany as a commander of the Tempelhof Central Airport in Berlin and as the
39     United States Air Force Representative to the city of Berlin; and
40          WHEREAS, almost 70 years later, Halvorsen's service to the children of Berlin stands
41     as one of the foremost examples of kindness and human compassion, bringing relief to a
42     war-torn country and joy to children in need of a little bit of hope, and his continued
43     participation in humanitarian air drops to children in Bosnia, Albania, Micronesia, and
44     elsewhere has served as an inspiring example of dedicated service:
45          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
46     Governor concurring therein, honors Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen for his service to the
47     people of Germany during the Berlin Airlift.
48          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor honor Colonel
49     Gail Seymour Halvorsen for the hope and joy he brought to the children of Germany during the
50     Berlin Airlift.
51          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor honor Colonel
52     Gail Seymour Halvorsen for his unselfish acts that have brought honor to himself, his family,
53     the United States Military, the citizens of the state of Utah, and the citizens of the United
54     States.
55          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Colonel Gail
56     Seymour Halvorsen.







Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel