Halvorsen, Gail S.
Dates
- Existence: 1920-
Biographical History
Gail S. Halvorsen (1920- ) is a pilot, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a local ecclesiastical leader in Arizona and Utah.
Gail Seymour Halvorsen was born on October 10, 1920 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was raised on farms in Utah and Idaho, and at age 21 earned a private pilot license under the non-college Civilian Pilot Training program in September 1941. After joining the United States Army Air Corps in June 1942, he was assigned to the South Atlantic Theater as a pilot flying transport operations.
After World War II he flew in the Berlin Airlift, where he became known as "Uncle Wiggly Wings", the "Chocolate Flyer", and the "Berlin Candy Bomber" after dropping candy attached to parachutes to the children of blockaded Berlin. His actions sparked interest in the United States, and individuals and groups all over the country donated candy and handkerchief parachutes to be given to Berlin children. He returned to the United States in January of 1949, five months before the end of the blockade.
After his return home he married Alta Jolley, with whom he later had five children, on April 16, 1949. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in aeronautical engineering at the University of Florida, finishing in 1952. Halvorsen graduated from Air Command and Staff College in 1958. He was assigned to the Air Force Space Systems Division and then the Foreign Technology Division of Air Force Systems Command working at air force bases around America and Germany. He served at Vandenberg Tracking Station in California working on the Dyna Soar missile project and the Titan III Space Launch Vehicle until 1970, when he moved back to Berlin with his family to serve as commander of Tempelhof Central Airport from 1970-1974.
Colonel Halvorsen retired from the military in 1974, when he moved to Provo and took a position as the Dean of Student Life at Brigham Young University until 1984. He served missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with his wife, Alta Halvorsen, in the England South Mission from 1986-1987, and in the St. Petersburg Russia Mission from 1995-1997. Throughout his retirement he has traveled extensively for numerous speaking events and candy drops, largely around the United States.
Gail and Alta Halvorsen had twenty-four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Alta passed away on January 21, 1999. Gail Halvorsen is now married to Lorraine Pace, who has three children, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Citation:
UPB files, May 3, 2018 (Gail S. Halvorsen; b. Oct. 10, 1920 Salt Lake City; returned from Berlin Jan. 1949; m. Alta Jolley Apr. 16, 1949; five children; Air Command and Staff College 1958; Vandenberg Tracking Station working on Dyna Soar; commander of Tempelhof Central Airport 1970-1974; ret. from military 1974 as a Colonel; Dean of Student Life at BYU 1974-1984; England South Mission 1986-1987; St. Petersburg Russia Mission 1995-1997; speaking events and candy drops; m. Lorraine Pace)The Berlin Candy Bomber, 2006: p. 255 (towns in Utah and Idaho; pilot license Sept. 1941 from non-college Civilian Pilot Training Program; Joined Air Corps June 1942; flew transport in South Atlantic Theater; flew in Berlin Airlift; "Uncle Wiggly Wings" and "Chocolate Flyer"; candy drops in Berlin; Univ. of Florida Bachelor's and Master's degrees in aeronautical engineering received 1952; LDS ecclesiastical leader)
Deseret News, via WWW, May 3, 2018 (Alta Jolley Halvorsen d. Jan. 21, 1999)
Found in 32 Collections and/or Records:
Gail S. Halvorsen correspondence on post-military retirement, 1977-2017
Letters, emails, and cards related to Gail S. Halvorsen's life after he retired from the military. Contains letters relating to his job at Brigham Young University in Utah and letters and pictures from fans around the world. Contains letters and emails for various events and school visits that Gail participated in since his retirement from the military. Dated 1977-2017.
Gail S. Halvorsen correspondence with children, approximately 1948-2017
Letters written to Gail Halvorsen from children, including individual children, children from various schools and churches, and children from the Berlin Airlift. Letters are regarding his time as the Candy Bomber and/or his visits to schools and contains children's drawings in marker, crayon, and pencil. Materials dated 1948-2017.
Gail S. Halvorsen ephemera from events, 1974-2018
Papers from events attended by Gail S. Halvorsen in the U.S. and Europe, including military events, candy drops, autograph sessions, museum openings, guest appearances at performances, and awards ceremonies. Also includes brochures, itineraries, invitations, name tags, and other papers. Materials are dated 1974-2018.
Gail S. Halvorsen negatives, approximately 1945-2000
Gail S. Halvorsen papers, audio-visual recordings, and artifacts, 1920-2018
Papers, awards, video and audio recordings, and memorabilia collected by Gail S. Halvorsen during his lifetime. Includes materials from the Berlin Airlift, his Air Force career, and from his later retirement and missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dated 1920-2018.
Gail S. Halvorsen papers on Berlin Airlift, 1948-1950
Materials from the Berlin Airlift in Berlin, Germany, including posters, maps, military information sheets, newspaper clippings, and handkerchief parachutes used to drop candy to children. Also includes audio recordings of interviews with Gail S. Halvorsen and his own video footage of postwar Berlin. Dated 1948-1950.
Gail S. Halvorsen papers on military career, 1942-1974
Includes papers, audio-visual materials, souvenirs, art, and newspaper clippings from Gail S. Halvorsen's career in the United States Air Force, both before and after the Berlin Airlift. Portions of this series are from Vandenburg Tracking Base in California and from Gail S. Halvorsen's time as commander of Tempelhof Central Airport in Berlin, Germany. Dated 1942-1974.
Gail S. Halvorsen papers on missions, 1942-1997
Contains material from the missions served by Gail Halvorsen with his wife Alta, the England London South Mission (1986-1987) and Russia St. Petersburg Mission (1995-1997) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dated 1942-1997.
Gail S. Halvorsen papers on post-military retirement, 1948-2018
Contains papers, media, and memorabilia documenting the life of Gail S. Halvorsen after his retirement from the United States Air Force. Includes records of his continued contact with Germany, his humanitarian activities, and candy drops and visits he performed at various locations around the globe. Materials dated 1948-2017.
Gail S. Halvorsen personal and family correspondence, 1943-1948, 1970-2016
Letters, emails, and invitations relating to Gail S. Halvorsen's personal and family life while living in Utah. Dated 1943-1948, 1970-2016.
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 30
- Collection 2
- Subject
- Air pilots, Military -- United States 20
- Berlin (Germany) -- History -- Blockade, 1948-1949 20
- Retired military personnel -- United States 19
- Letters 8
- Photographs 8
- Latter Day Saint missionaries 7
- Berlin (Germany) -- History -- 20th century 6
- Amateur films 5
- Electronic mail messages 5
- Latter Day Saints -- Germany -- History 5
- Personal papers 5
- United States -- Military -- History 5
- Audio-visual materials 4
- Awards 4
- Cold War 4
- Families 4
- Military 4
- Military records 4
- Printed ephemera 4
- Slides (Photography) 4
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes) 4
- Berlin (Germany) 3
- Invitations 3
- Tempelhof Central Airport (Germany) 3
- Art 2
- Artifacts 2
- Audiocassettes 2
- Books 2
- Brochures 2
- CD-ROMs 2
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 2
- Military orders 2
- Papers (Documents) 2
- Periodicals 2
- Politics, Government, and Law 2
- Posters 2
- Scrapbooks 2
- Air forces 1
- Airforce officers 1
- Articles 1
- Autobiographies 1
- Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany 1961-1989 1
- Biographies 1
- Book design 1
- Brazil 1
- Certificates 1
- Children -- Photographs 1
- Children's drawings 1
- Children's writings 1
- Correspondence 1
- Family vacations 1
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- International Relations 1
- Latter Day Saint churches -- Missions -- England 1
- Latter Day Saint churches -- Missions -- Russia 1
- Latter Day Saint missionaries -- England 1
- Latter Day Saint missionaries -- Russia 1
- Latter Day Saints -- Military service 1
- Maps 1
- Military decorations -- Germany -- History -- Sources 1
- Negatives 1
- Newspapers 1
- Parachutes (Life-saving equipment) 1
- Photograph albums 1
- Pins (Jewelry) 1
- Plaques, plaquettes 1
- Proclamations 1
- Programs 1
- Public schools -- Students 1
- Public speaking 1
- School records 1
- Tours 1
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- Women and the military -- United States 1
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