SALT LAKE CITY, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- C.R. England
has added six additional drivers to its Honored Veterans Fleet and
recognized World War II-era veteran Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen USAF
(Ret) "The Berlin Candy Bomber" as the first recipient of the first
C.R. England Honored Veteran Award. The recognitions took place on
Friday, June 17 at the C.R. England
corporate offices in Salt Lake
City.
C.R. England has been recognizing superior drivers with military
service backgrounds in their Honored Veterans Fleet since 2014. The
newest members of the Honored Veterans Fleet include:
- Mark Evans, 23-year Air Force Veteran
- Leland Boyles, ten-year Army
Veteran
- Bryan Walk, eight-year Navy
Veteran
- Dennis Hallowell, seven-year
Marine Corps and Army Veteran
- Timothy Williams, four-year Navy
Veteran
- Robert St. John, four-year
Marine Corps Veteran
Following the recognition of the new members of the Honored
Veterans Fleet, C. R England
Chairman Dan England presented
Colonel Halvorsen with the first C.R. England Honored Veteran
Award. England noted that this award would be presented at future
current or past members of the United States Military recognizing
extraordinary service to the country.
After WWII, Halvorsen flew in the Berlin Airlift. During the
15-month airlift (Operation Vittles), American and British pilots
delivered more than two million tons of supplies to the city. But
it was Halvorsen's decision to airdrop candy to children (Operation
Little Vittles) that clinched an ideological battle and earned him
the lasting affection of a free West Berlin. Today, Halvorsen is
affectionately known by Berliners and many around the world as the
Candy Bomber ("Rosinenbomber"), Uncle Wiggly Wings ("Onkel
Wackelflugel") and the Chocolate Pilot. Much of the candy dropped
was provided by The Hershey Company. The blockade of Berlin began in June
1948 and ended in May 1949.
Flights continued until September 30,
1949 to build up reserves.
Katie Freisen, Senior Director,
Global Distribution & Transportation represented The Hersey
Company and presented Colonel Halvorsen, the new Honored Veterans
Drivers and those in attendance with Hershey candy bars. Hershey
was a significant contributor of candy airdropped by the Candy
Bomber.
About Colonel Halvorsen
Gail Halvorsen was born in
Salt Lake City, Utah on
October 10, 1920 and grew up on small
farms in Utah and Idaho. He
earned a private pilot license under the non-college Civilian Pilot
Training Program in September 1941. Almost concurrently
Halvorsen joined the Civil Air Patrol as a pilot. He joined
the United States Army Air Corps in June 1942. Halvorsen's
fighter pilot training was with the Royal Air Force after which he
was returned to the Army Air Corps and was assigned flight duty in
foreign transport operations in the South Atlantic Theater.
Visit http://wigglywings.weebly.com
About C.R. England
Founded in 1920, C.R. England, Inc. corporate headquarters are
located in Salt Lake City, Utah
and is one of North America's
largest refrigerated transportation companies. C.R. England
services include National, Mexico
and Regional Truckload service in addition to Dedicated and
Intermodal services. Visit
www.crengland.com.
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SOURCE C.R. England, Inc.