Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 14, 2013 Page: 16 of 29
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16A • Thursday, November 14, 2014 • Hondo Anvil Herald
eterans are stars o show at Saturday s celebration
in their honor at South Texas Regional Airport
By Sonia Garza
Anvil Herald Staff
Thousands gathered at South Texas Re-
gional Airport in Hondo Saturday to honor
our veterans...and honor them they did.
This year’s celebration hit a record high as
folks young and old came to pay their re-
spects to our country’s veterans, see vin-
tage airplanes, including two C-47s, Spirit
of Hondo and Bluebonnet Belle, the B-17,
Texas Raiders and the Tex Hill Wing’s new
pride and joy, a Stinson L-5.
We were taken back to the year 1948 by
now-retired USAF Col. Gail Halvorsen, who
was then 27 year old. The Russians had
blockaded Berlin, determined to starve the
population. Halvorsen was so moved by the
sad, starving children on the streets of Berlin
that he began one simple act of kindness that
would soon be adopted by other pilots help-
ing with the Berlin Airlift and change the lives
of those Berliners and Americans forever.
Those who attended this year’s Veterans
Day Celebration were able to witness a re-
enactment of the famous candy drop by
Col. Halvorsen himself as a C-47 like the
one he used in his original candy drops flew
over and dropped hundreds of candy bars
with miniature parachutes attached. The
candy drop was only one of the surprises
offered to attending veterans.
Medina County JP Glenn Klaus kicked off
the celebration by introducing the U.S. Air
Force Band of the West, who serenaded the
crowd with memorable patriotic tunes, and
each veteran had the opportunity to stand
and be recognized for their service in each
branch as their service song was performed.
Bus loads of children who were bussed in
from the Edgewood School District stood at
attention with their hands over their hearts
at the Pledge of Allegiance.
The day held rich traditions, one right after
another. The first ceremony was the retire-
ment of flags, led by the Castroville Boy Scouts
of America Troop 831. Tradition dictates to
never fly a damaged or torn flag. Section 8k
of the Flag Code states, “The flag, when it is
in such condition that it is no longer a fitting
emblem for display, should be destroyed in a
dignified way, preferably by burning.”
Flags that day were cut into strips and
children lined up to participate in the cer-
emonial burning as Hondo’s city manager,
Jeff Litchfield played “Amazing Grace” on
his bagpipes. “Taps” were played as the flag
was laid to its final rest, and all military in
uniform snapped to attention.
Attendees filled the rows of chairs in Cor-
rigan’s hanger to hear the Texas Children’s
Choir, and addresses by former Vietnam
POW General John Borling and Candy
Bomber Col. Gail Halvorsen.
Litchfield was pressed into service again,
playing his bagpipes as the attention was
turned toward the POW/MIA table for the
solemn memorial. For those who have nev-
er been witness to this ceremony, it is one
that is rich in tradition for the military. The
small table is set for one, symbolizing the
fact that members of our armed forces are
missing. Since they are unable to be with
their loved ones, the table is set to pay trib-
ute to them, and bear witness to their con-
tinued absence.
The white tablecloth symbolizes purity of
their intentions to respond to their coun-
try’s call to arms, while the single red rose
signifies the blood many have shed in sac-
rifice to ensure the freedom of our country.
The yellow ribbon represents ribbons worn
on the lapels of the thousands who demand
the whereabouts of their loved ones. A slice
of lemon on the plate reminds us of their
bitter fate. The salt sprinkled on the plate
reminds us of the countless fallen tears of
families as they wait. The candle is reminis-
cent of the light of hope which lives in our
hearts to illuminate their way home.
Silence fell over the crowd when General
Borling, Vietnam POW in Hanoi, said “All
we really wanted was for y’all to be proud
of us.” He paused as the crowd applauded.
“It was about survival with honor,” he con-
tinued. “Taking care of your buddy. We had
to keep our mind mentally sharp and physi-
cally sharp on the restrictive rations and
tough days.” They taught each other lan-
guages through the wall. Amazingly, Gen-
eral Borling was able to compose a book,
full of poetry, published 40 years later, that
he memorized during his seven years as a
POW. “I always had a love of literature and
would write my wife poetry,” he said. The
poetry from his book, “Taps on the Walls,”
was his method of lifting the spirits of his
fellow POWs. He left the crowd laughing
when he said, “We had optimists and pes-
simists. The pessimists thought we would
die up there and they wouldn’t even send
our bodies home. The optimists were con-
vinced they’d send our bodies home.” Luck-
ily, General Borling lived to tell his story.
The main attraction was Col. Gail Halvors-
en, now 92 years young. He took the micro-
phone and told of the time when he was
confronted by two children on the streets of
Berlin. To brighten their day he gave them
pieces of gum. To his surprise, they took those
pieces and tore them in half to share with
their friends. That’s when his idea struck.
Using his own rations of candy of gum, and
then soliciting those from his friends, he
took their handkerchiefs and created a para-
chute to drop to the children below, labeling
it Operation Little Vittles. He became known
as “The Candy Bomber.” Gaining notoriety,
The American Confectioners Association
sent tons of candy and gum and later turned
an old fire station in Chicopee, Massachu-
setts, into a Little Vittles headquarters. They
assembled the parachutes with candy and
sent them to the Americans in Germany
participating in the airlift. By January of
1949, Halvorsen had air-dropped more than
250,000 parachutes loaded with candy on
the city of Berlin, bringing a little joy to the
nearly 100,000 children of Berlin.
Members of the Texas Children’s Choir
filled the air with anticipation of the candy
drop that was to follow as young and old
alike lined up to watch the candy drop. As
the plane blazed through the sky, heads
turned up to see hundreds of white para-
chutes floating to the ground. The eager
children waited impatiently to scour the
field. When the plane made its final round,
families all but ran to claim their little pieces
of heaven. The field was blanketed in beau-
tiful white cloth parachutes, each adorned
with a full size candy bar. Children held
their candy so proudly and smiled from ear
to ear. It was easy to see why Col. Halvors-
en had done this so long ago... and still
brought happiness to children even today.
For those who were unable to attend this
year’s celebration, mark your calendars for
next year’s celebration. It will surely be a day
to remember.
Scenes from Hondo's Veterans Day Celebration
V-
Clockwise from top left: Kids retrieve candy dropped by Col. Halvorsen,
the famed Candy Bomber; former POW turned author, retired General
John Borling; Hondo veteran Willie Harris stands as his service song
is played by the USAF Band of the West’s Brass Quintet; the Candy
Bomber embraces a woman during the celebration; and nose art on the
CAF’s Bluebonnet Belle.
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Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 14, 2013, newspaper, November 14, 2013; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth740943/m1/16/?q=Homecoming+queen+1966+North+Texas+State+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hondo Public Library.