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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
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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