Honorary crew member, Col. Gail Halvorsen
Highlights of His Journey
The legendary Col. Gail Halvorsen, age 98, hero of the Berlin Airlift, is an honorary crew member of Placid Lassie during the June 2019 events commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. To document Col Halvorson's role, the Tunison Foundation in cooperation with Pax Media Corporation of Germany, is producing a documentary film titled Mission Possible: Miracle over Berlin. Learn more by clicking HERE.
The Tunison Foundation flew Col. Halvorsen from Frankfurt to the U.S. Army airbase at Wiesbaden where he received a hero’s welcome from an estimated 45,000 people. Our aircraft also received a water salute upon landing.
Col. Halvorsen, hero of the Berlin airlift, flew our C-47 for 20 minutes. He was spot on.
Col. Halvorsen and Tunison Foundation board president and lead D-day Squadron pilot Eric Zipkin
Col. Gail Halvorsen was greeted by thousands of people in the town of Fassberg, Germany and was the lead story in Stars and Stripes.
Tunison Foundation Executive Director Jon Helminiak with Col. Halvorsen and Mercedes Wild, one of the Berlin children who received candy dropped by Col. Halvorsen from his aircraft during the airlift in 1948-1949.
Taken from the open cargo door of Placid Lassie C-47 during a flyby over the Berlin airlift commemorative ceremony held at the U.S. Army airbase is Wiesbaden on June 10, 2019
Our C-47 Placid Lassie carrying Col. Gail Halvorsen was escorted into Wiesbaden Army Airbase by two WWII T-6 aircraft.
Placid Lassie and the Tunison Foundation crew was given a warm and spectacular welcome by the people of Tannheim, Germany, June 19-21, 2019. Thanks to Verena Dolderer for hosting us at the beautiful Tannheim airfield!
Placid Lassie at the Red Bull Air Museum, Salzburg Austria
Placid Lassie overflies the famous Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany
Flying the Alps en route to Venice-Lido Italy