The Bombing of Rexburg!

Recreation of the Berlin Airlift

Story by: Hannah Liddiard and Sam Goff

Burton Elementary students had a blast from the past this morning as they witnessed the recreation of the Candy Bombings in the Berlin Airlift.

Mr Ingram’s AP History class was lucky enough to experience the historical reenactment along with the elementary kids.

Mr Ingram wanted his students to have fun and see the event for themselves. “Well, I hope that they have fun, first of all…. I hope, I wanted them to see it, because I think it’s a good recreation with the kids themselves, and mostly just to have fun. It’s getting really stressful this time of year with the AP Test and I thought it’d be a fun little break for them,” he said.

The Berlin Airlift was after World War II when the soviet union cut off our access to West Berlin. The United States decided to help citizens by dropping the supplies that they needed to survive. Eventually a pilot named Gail Halvorson decided to drop candy from the plan for the children. The pilot would wiggle his wings of the plane to signal to the children that he was dropping candy.

The Berlin Airlift still has an impact on American culture.

“It’s the most remembered thing about the Berlin Airlift. It’s amazing that one guy, deciding to do something fun, you know, makes the history books. He never thought it would, but it took off and become the biggest deal…. Everybody forgets that they were bringing in coal and food and fuel and food for millions of people, everyone just remembers the Candy Bombings,” Ingram said.

Junior Hernandez, who is a Junior here at Madison High, said “I think it’s very significant because it’s just a fun little activity… that shows how we were helping people.”