European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 23, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                20th anniversary of the Airlift at its Peak the Airlift averaged 900 flights and 5,579 tons a Day. Continued from Page 11 evacuating american dependents fro the City but Clay advised against any panic  april the . Signal corps teams stationed in the soviet zone were expelled. In june the russians went All out to Stop military and civilian train traffic Between Berlin and West Ger Many and on june 24 they succeeded. As the soviets sealed off the City Clay reassured the berliners the russians cannot drive us out of Berl Nunless they want  the idea to use an Airlift to keep Berlin supplied had been expressed previously in . Ami British military an diplomatic circles. But the credit of get Ting it off the ground had to go to Clay. In his Call to Lemay he asked that the air Force commander drop All other use of his c47 transports to put themon the Berlin run. Lemay reacted quickly. On june 25the first c47s arrived with food for the stricken City. And a Day later the lift became an organized operation. The c47s could carry Only 2y2 tons and so Clay reporting to the National Security Council in Washington on july20, asked for 160 c54s which could carry 10 tons each. His request was granted by the Truman administration. Soon operation vittles As the americans called their part of the project was the Only lifeline linking the besieged City to the Western world. Two new and heavier runways we reinstalled at Tempelhof Airport and one at gatow in the British sector to accommodate the lumbering sky masters. On the Northern fringes of West Ber Lin at Tegel in the French sector a new Airport was rushed toward completion and finished in december. A daily minimum quota of 4,000 ton was soon reached. By december 1948 the average exceeded 4,500 tons and inthe next two months it climbed to 5,500. The Winter descended on the starving and free ing Berliner wit terrible Force. The lift brought in Coal Only for the meager electric generating facilities but none for Domestic heat ing or Industrial  make matters worse the soviets had Cut off All West Berlin Power and is supplies originating in the East so that lights and stoves could be turned on Only a few hours a Day. 12 american planes British planes Germany West Germany Hamburg \ Berlin Germany Wiesbaden Frankfurt virtually nonexistent supplies an Power forced Industrial plants to shut Down. Unemployment soared. The Blac Market thrived. The berliners were freezing faster than they could shiver but their native sense of humor did t desert  Hausl Raus grew accustomed to getting up in the Middle of the night when Power came on for a couple of hours to prepare the family s  thai there was much in the Way of food. The tightly rationed Staple die consisted of dehydrated potatoes and vegetables powdered egg and milk supplemented by grits and flour. The newspapers carried advertise ments of a Plant manufacturing candles and other ads offered the services of astrology its and pal mists. Meanwhile the steady drone of arriving and departing aircraft filled the skies Day and night. But the Berliner slept soundly knowing it was their insurance to  the Overall command of then maj. Gen. William h. Tunner the air lift became a monumental project solving hundreds of planes and Force of 50,000 servicemen an working around the clock. Tunner at 42, was the air  expert. In world War ii the Jersey native commanded first trying division and later was in i of the Hump the Mountain from India to China. In 1953 gen.1 Ner was named Safe comm chief on sept. 13, 1948, More tons of food and raw materials i via More than 500 flights within hour period. The next Day a recon plane landings were recorded. At Peak the lift averaged 900 flights 5,579 tons a  sept. 20 the Millionth sack of was brought in. But the split second oper times planes were Landing and i off every three Nii nutes was Noli out human sacrifice. Earlier during the lift on berliners were shocked to hear c47 had crashed Northeast of we. Coming from Berlin killing the air Force Crew and an army pm the first casualties of the  costliest crash came on 1949, when a spymaster con Berlin went Down m England i All six americans aboard the toll mounted As tons prevailed All through in All 75 persons lost then a rust including 31air Force officers six Petty officer an army american civilian. T a total the addition of More c54s to a 224-not counting the b him ution made it possible to Utu older slower c47s. Operation vittles planes is ulies had w corridors St to Minimise that created  lems. Water Proi p solved  Lum Ruecke in go events Bridge t the stars and stripes