[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4994-H4996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        COL. GAIL S. HALVORSEN ``CANDY BOMBER'' VETERANS CENTER

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 2514) to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the 
``Col. Gail S. Halvorsen `Candy Bomber' Veterans Center''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 2514

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF THE COL. GAIL S. HALVORSEN ``CANDY 
                   BOMBER'' VETERANS CENTER.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Gail Halvorsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 
     October 10, 1920, and spent his youth with his family on 
     small farms in Utah and Idaho.
       (2) After a brief stint at Utah State University, Gail 
     Halvorsen joined the Civilian Pilot Training Program where he 
     earned his pilot's license in 1941. During that same year, 
     Halvorsen joined the Civil Air Patrol as a pilot.
       (3) Gail Halvorsen joined the United States Army Air Corps 
     in 1942 and trained flying fighter jets with the Royal Air 
     Force. Upon his return from training, he was assigned to fly 
     transport missions in the South Atlantic Theater.
       (4) After World War II and the division of Berlin into 
     occupation zones, disputes broke out between the Western 
     Allies and the Soviet Union over the future of Europe.
       (5) Negotiations deteriorated, and in June of 1948 Soviet 
     forces locked down all land routes connecting Western Germany 
     with the allied portions of Berlin. Approximately 2,000,000 
     people in West Berlin were left completely isolated. 
     Starvation, poverty, and desperate want ensued.
       (6) In an effort to alleviate the immense human suffering, 
     the allies decided to drop supplies to people of West Berlin 
     from the air until a diplomatic solution to the blockade 
     could be reached. Termed by United States forces ``Operation 
     Vittles'', the Berlin Airlift began on June 26, 1948.
       (7) Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948 to work 
     as an airlift pilot where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes 
     as part of Operation Vittles.
       (8) While on mission at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, 
     Halvorsen noticed a group of German children standing just 
     outside the barb wire fence.
       (9) The children were destitute and clearly had very little 
     to eat. Halvorsen gave the children two sticks of gum he had 
     in his pocket, which they split into little pieces to share 
     among themselves.
       (10) Colonel Halvorsen was deeply affected by the 
     experience and wanted to do more to help. He promised the 
     children he would drop more candy to them from his plane as 
     he flew his regular airlift missions.
       (11) Halvorsen told the children they would recognize his 
     plane by a back-and-forth waggle of his wings as he flew 
     over.
       (12) Colonel Halvorsen enlisted his copilot and engineer in 
     the project and began attaching their candy rations to 
     miniature parachutes which they dropped from their plane to 
     the starving children below.
       (13) The children of Berlin gave Halvorsen many nicknames 
     including ``Uncle Wiggly Wings'', ``The Chocolate Flier'', 
     ``The Gum Drop Kid'', and ``The Chocolate Uncle''. He 
     eventually became known around the world as ``The Candy 
     Bomber''.
       (14) Lieutenant General William H. Turner, who directed the 
     Berlin Airlift, learned about Halvorsen's efforts and 
     officially expanded the idea into a full-blown operation 
     known as ``Little Vittles'' as a play on the broader 
     operation's name.
       (15) As the candy drops continued, word of Operation Little 
     Vittles reached the United States. Families, schoolchildren, 
     and candymakers in the United States began contributing candy 
     and homemade parachutes that Halvorsen and other pilots could 
     drop.
       (16) When the Berlin Airlift ended, an estimated 250,000 
     parachutes containing approximately 21 tons of candy had been 
     dropped by Halvorsen and his fellow airmen as a part of 
     Operation Little Vittles.
       (17) Halvorsen retired from the military in 1974 after 31 
     years of service and more than 8,000 hours of flying time.
       (18) Since his retirement, Halvorson has continued his 
     humanitarian service. He has voluntarily represented the 
     United States Air Force and the United States abroad and has 
     re-enacted his famous candy drops several times in Berlin and 
     around the world.
       (19) Halvorsen has also been a tremendous boon to his 
     community through church service and other local 
     contributions.
       (20) Gail Halvorsen turned 100 years old on October 10, 
     2020.
       (b) Designation.--The Provo Veterans Center of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs located at 360 State Street, 
     Orem, Utah, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act 
     be known and designated as the ``Col. Gail S. Halvorsen 
     `Candy Bomber' Veterans Center''.
       (c) Reference.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     veterans center referred to in subsection (b) shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Col. Gail S. Halvorsen 
     ``Candy Bomber'' Veterans Center.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Trone) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on S. 2514.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my support for S. 2514, a bill to 
recognize and remember the life of Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen, who 
passed away on February 16, 2022, at 101 years old.
  I thank Senator Lee and my colleagues from Utah's congressional 
delegation for their work to pay tribute to Colonel Halvorsen. Colonel 
Halvorsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in 1942 he joined the 
Army Air Corps and trained as a fighter pilot. While stationed in 
Germany, where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as part of Operation 
Vittles; Halvorsen noticed dozens of hunger-starved German children 
outside of the barbed wire fence. Having two pieces of gum, Halvorsen 
broke it into strips and gave it to the children to share amongst them. 
Inspired by the children's glee, Halvorsen committed to more frequently 
distributing candy from his plane to them.
  Earning his nickname ``The Candy Bomber,'' Halvorsen dropped 
miniature parachutes of candy rations in the street of Berlin to feed 
the children. By the end of the Berlin Airlift, Halvorsen and his 
fellow airmen distributed an estimated 250,000 parachutes with over 20 
tons of candy throughout Operation Little Vittles.
  The Provo Vet Center plays a vital role in the community and provides 
important services such as counseling for veterans with PTSD and 
confidential counseling sessions to those who have experienced military 
sexual trauma--all free to the veterans, reservists, and members of 
National Guard--regardless of service connection or VA health 
enrollment status.
  To rename this important vet center after Colonel Halvorsen would be 
a fitting honor for one of the Beehive State's most selfless members of 
the U.S. Armed Forces.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the American 
Legion, and a letter dated July 28, 2021, from the U.S. Senate.

                                         Veterans of Foreign Wars,


                                           Department of Utah,

                                                 November 1, 2021.
     Chairman Jon Tester,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Chairman Mark Takano,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Jerry Moran,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Mike Bost,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, Chairman 
     Takano, Ranking Member Bost: We, the members of the Utah 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars, write to support that the

[[Page H4995]]

     Provo Veterans Center located at 360 South State Street 
     Building C 103 in Orem, Utah be renamed after Colonel Gail S. 
     Halvorsen, affectionately known as the ``Candy Bomber'', who 
     performed military service of an extraordinarily 
     distinguished character during the Berlin Airlift in 1948.
       Halvorsen's creativity and compassion helped to heal the 
     wounds of the Second World War and softened the relationship 
     between an occupied Germany and the United States. Col. 
     Halvorsen exemplifies the best of our brave veterans who have 
     each demonstrated service before self.
       Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948 to work as 
     an airlift pilot where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as 
     part of Operation ``Vittles''. While on mission at Tempelhof 
     Airport in Berlin, Halvorsen noticed a group of German 
     children standing just outside the barbed wire fence. The 
     children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat. 
     Halvorsen gave the children two sticks of gum he had in his 
     pocket, which they split into little pieces to share among 
     themselves. The looks of joy on their faces left an indelible 
     impression. Colonel Halvorsen was deeply affected by the 
     experience and wanted to do more to help. He promised the 
     children he would drop more candy to them from his plane as 
     he flew his regular airlift missions.
       After enlisting his copilot in the project, Halvorsen began 
     attaching their candy rations to miniature parachutes which 
     he dropped from their plane to the starving children below. 
     The children gave Halvorsen many nicknames including ``Uncle 
     Wiggly Wings,'' ``The Chocolate Flyer,'' ``The Gum Drop 
     Kid,'' and ``The Chocolate Uncle.'' He eventually became 
     known around the world as ``The Candy Bomber''.
       As the candy drops continued, word of ``Operation Little 
     Vittles'' reached the United States. American families, 
     schoolchildren, and candymakers began contributing candy and 
     homemade parachutes that Halvorsen and other pilots could 
     drop.
       When the Berlin airlift ended, an estimated 250,000 
     parachutes with 21 tons of candy had been dropped by 
     Halvorsen and his fellow airmen as part of Operation Little 
     Vittles. Halvorsen's candy drops had a significant impact on 
     Berliners' public perception of America. He retired from the 
     military in 1974 after 31 years of service and more than 
     8,000 hours of flying time. Since his retirement, Halvorsen 
     has continued his humanitarian and community service. He has 
     voluntarily represented the U.S. Air Force and the United 
     States abroad and has re-enacted his famous candy drops 
     several times in Berlin, the Middle East, and around the 
     world in an effort to bring peace and relief. He was awarded 
     the Congressional Gold Medal, a German Order of Merit, an Air 
     Force Commendation Medal, and a Medal for Humane Action. 
     Halvorsen has also been a tremendous boon to his community 
     through his church service.
       His non-profit organization, the Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation 
     Education Foundation, advances aviation education, promotes 
     youth leadership development, enhances community capacity for 
     emergency response, and encourages humanitarian on macro- and 
     micro-levels. The Foundation also provides education by 
     giving free lectures and multimedia presentations on 
     aviation, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
     (STEM) topics at local schools, community groups, and at its 
     own facility at the Spanish Fork Airport in Spanish Fork, 
     Utah.
       Renaming the Provo Vet Center in Orem, Utah after Colonel 
     Halvorsen is a fitting and deserved recognition for such an 
     exemplary U.S. Air Force veteran and American hero. Thank you 
     for your consideration of this important matter.
           Sincerely,
     David Johnson,
       Commander.
     Terral Curtis,
       Sr. Vice Commander.
     Heath Silcox,
       Jr. Vice Commander.
     Dennis Parizek,
       Adjutant/Quartermaster.
                                  ____



                                   Disabled American Veterans,

                                                 November 2, 2021.
     Chairman Jon Tester,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Chairman Mark Takano,
     Committee of Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Jerry Moran,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Mike Bost,
     Committee of Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, Chairman 
     Takano, and Ranking Member Bost: We ask you to accept this 
     letter on behalf of Utah Department of Disabled American 
     Veterans, in supporting the recommendation to change the name 
     of the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah to be renamed to 
     honor Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen, exemplifying his compassion 
     for humanity in a time of War.
       Colonel Halverson is one of the focal points to our 
     Americanism program here in Utah. In our program, we 
     highlight local military heroes and their impact in service 
     militarily and civically. He makes such an impact on our 
     youth when they hear of his compassion for the children of a 
     war-torn country. The simple act of caring became more than 
     an isolated incident. His action locally started an action 
     that was heard throughout the world. The exposure was so 
     great that American candy companies, children and families 
     got involved in supplying candies and homemade parachutes.
       I have met Col. Halvorson on several occasions. He is a 
     very caring and humble man, and not only a local treasure but 
     a National Treasure as well. Gail had never thought that one 
     simple act could make such an impact on a nation or the world 
     stage.
       Please help us here in Utah and the Nation by giving back a 
     little to an American Icon and National Treasure in the 
     renaming of the Provo Veterans Center to the ``Colonel Gail 
     Halverson Veteran Center''.
           Sincerely,

                                                  Jerry Estes,

                                                        Commander,
                                       Disabled American Veterans,
     Department of Utah.
                                  ____

                                                 November 3, 2021.
     Chairman Jon Tester,
     Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Jerry Moran,
     Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Chairman Mark Takano,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Mike Bost,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear leaders of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs 
     Committees: On behalf of the Utah American Legion I write to 
     express our unconditional support for renaming the Provo Utah 
     Vet Center after Col. Gail Halvorsen. His service to our 
     nation is well documented in the background information. Col. 
     Halvorsen is a beloved figure here in Utah and has been named 
     in the Hill Air Force Base aviation Hall of Fame.
       We urge the Senate & House to pass this measure honoring 
     this great American.
       Sincerely,
     Terry Schow/for the Commander Gary McKay,
       National Executive Committee, The American Legion Utah.
                                  ____



                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                    Washington, DC, July 28, 2021.
     Chairman Jon Tester,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Chairman Mark Takano,
     Chairman on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Jerry Moran,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Mike Bost,
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, Chairman 
     Takano, and Ranking Member Bost: We, the members of the Utah 
     delegation, write to recommend that the Provo Veterans Center 
     located at 360 South State Street Building C Suite 103 in 
     Orem, Utah be renamed after Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen, 
     affectionately known as the ``Candy Bomber,'' who performed 
     military service of an extraordinarily distinguished 
     character during the Berlin Airlift in 1948.
       Halvorsen's creativity and compassion helped to heal the 
     wounds of the Second World War and softened the relationship 
     between an occupied Germany and the United States. Col. 
     Halvorsen exemplifies the best of our brave veterans who have 
     each demonstrated service before self.
       Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948 to work as 
     an airlift pilot where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as 
     part of Operation ``Vittles.'' While on mission at Tempelhof 
     Airport in Berlin, Halvorsen noticed a group of German 
     children standing just outside the barb wire fence. The 
     children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat. 
     Halvorsen gave the children two sticks of gum he had in his 
     pocket, which they split into little pieces to share among 
     themselves. The looks of joy on their faces left an indelible 
     impression. Colonel Halvorsen was deeply affected by the 
     experience and wanted to do more to help. He promised the 
     children he would drop more candy to them from his plane as 
     he flew his regular airlift missions.
       After enlisting his copilot in the project, Halvorsen began 
     attaching their candy rations to miniature parachutes which 
     he dropped from their plane to the starving children below. 
     The children of Berlin gave Halvorsen many nicknames 
     including ``Uncle Wiggly Wings,'' ``The Chocolate Flier,'' 
     ``The Gum Drop Kid,'' and ``The Chocolate Uncle.'' He 
     eventually became known around the world as ``The Candy 
     Bomber.''
       As the candy drops continued, word of ``Operation Little 
     Vittles'' reached the United States. American families, 
     schoolchildren, and candymakers began contributing candy and 
     homemade parachutes that Halvorsen and other pilots could 
     drop.
       When the Berlin Airlift ended, an estimated 250,000 
     parachutes with 21 tons of candy had been dropped by 
     Halvorsen and his fellow airmen as a part of Operation Little 
     Vittles. Halvorsen's candy drops had a significant impact on 
     Berliners' public perception of America. He retired from the 
     military in 1974 after 31 years of service and more than 
     8,000 hours of flying time. Since

[[Page H4996]]

     his retirement, Halvorsen has continued his humanitarian and 
     community service. He has voluntarily represented the U.S. 
     Airforce and the United States abroad and has re-enacted his 
     famous candy drops several times in Berlin, the Middle East, 
     and around the world in an effort to bring peace and relief. 
     He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, a German Order 
     of Merit, an Air Force Commendation Medal, and a Medal for 
     Humane Action. Halvorsen has also been a tremendous boon to 
     his community through church service.
       His non-profit organization, the Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation 
     Education Foundation, advances aviation education, promotes 
     youth leadership development, enhances community capacity for 
     emergency response, and encourages humanitarian service on 
     macro- and micro-levels. The Foundation also provides 
     education by giving free lectures and multimedia 
     presentations on aviation, science, technology, engineering, 
     and mathematics (STEM) topics at local schools, community 
     groups, and at its own facility at the Spanish Fork Airport 
     in Spanish Fork, Utah.
       Renaming the Provo Vet Center in Orem, Utah after Colonel 
     Halvorsen is a fitting and deserved recognition for such an 
     exemplary U.S. Air Force veteran and American hero. Thank you 
     for your consideration of this important matter.
           Sincerely,
     Michael S. Lee,
       United States Senator.
     John Curtis,
       Member of Congress.
     Burgess Owens,
       Member of Congress.
     Mitt Romney,
       United States Senator.
     Blake Moore,
       Member of Congress.
     Chris Stewart,
       Member of Congress.

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
S. 2514, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2514, a bill to rename the 
Provo Veterans Center in Utah after Colonel Gail Halvorsen.
  Colonel Halvorsen is a Salt Lake City native who joined the Army Air 
Corps in 1942, in the midst of World War II. He served as a transport 
pilot and participated in the Berlin Airlift.
  It was in Berlin where he earned the nickname ``The Candy Bomber'' 
for handing out pieces of candy to local children and, later, dropping 
candy from his aircraft while flying missions over the city.
  Colonel Halvorsen retired from the military in 1974 after 31 years in 
uniform. He spent his civilian life as an active volunteer in his 
church and community. He passed away in February of this last year at 
age 101.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with the deepest respect for Colonel Halvorsen's 
long life of service that we support the bill to allow the Provo Vet 
Center to bear his name.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to 
close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing S. 2514, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 2514.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  May 16, 2022, on page H4996, in the second column the following 
appeared: The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, 
two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. MURPHY 
of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro 
tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the 
affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. 
Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________