Five Berlin Airlift veterans will be honored at halftime at the Camping World Independence Bowl held in Shreveport, La., on Saturday.
They will be receiving the Spirit of Independence Award on behalf of all Berlin Airlift participants who were able to keep the City of West Berlin alive by flying everything except water to the 2.4 million people when the city was land blockaded by the Soviets in 1948 and 1949.
This will be the 40th time recognition has been presented to groups or individuals that symbolize the Spirit of Freedom and independence on which our country was founded. The Berlin Airlift recognition will join previous winners including; General Omar N. Bradley, Tuskegee Airmen, WWII Veterans and the Doolittle Raiders.
Support lifelines stretched across the United States with over 150,000 military and civilians working to support the flying operation in Germany where aircraft were landing every three minutes in Berlin. These five veterans, who average 89 years, are all members of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association. 32 Americans were killed in airlift operations.
The football game between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and Virginia Tech Hokies will be broadcast on ESPN beginning at 4:30 pm.
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