The Pilot Who Dropped Candy From the Sky

The Pilot Who Dropped Candy From the Sky In 1948, a city was cut off from the world. So the world flew in. West Berlin was blockaded. Every bit of food came by plane. One of the pilots was Gail Halvorsen. One day he walked to the fence and met about thirty children. They didn't beg. They just thanked the pilots. He had only two sticks of gum. He broke them up and passed them through the wire. The kids who got none smelled the wrappers. So he made a promise. Tomorrow, I'll drop candy from my plane. You'll know it's me. I'll wiggle my wings. He tied candy to tiny handkerchief parachutes. And the next day, they floated down. Other pilots joined. Americans sent candy and handkerchiefs. The children called him Uncle Wiggly Wings. One girl, Mercedes, wrote to him. The planes scared her white chickens. Could he drop candy near the white chickens? He couldn't find her house. So he mailed her the candy instead, with a letter. Years later, they finally met. They stayed friends for decades. Two sticks of gum started all of it. Comment CANDY if you'd never heard this story.