BERLIN AIR LIFT TO END

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25870, 1 August 1949, Page 7

BERLIN AIR LIFT TO END

DECREASE FROM TODAY REDUCED FORCE TO BE HELD READY BERLIN, July 29. The British and United States authorities announced to-day that the Berlin air lift would be reduced in stages, beginning on Monday. Both air forces, however, would be prepared to resume the air lift at any time. The authorities added that the decision to end the air lift was prompted by Western. Berlin’s favourable supply position and the reopening of rail, road, and canal links between the Western sectors of Berlin and the supply bases in the Western zones. A reduced force of air lift' aeroplanes would remain at German bases.

The announcement also said: “Stocks of essential commodities are now considered to be adequate in Berlin, and they will shortly reach the maximum practicable from the point of view of storage and finance. The rail, barge, and road carriage capacity will be sufficient to meet Berlin’s needs.” The air lift started on June 28, 1948, when two Flying Fortresses carrying emergency supplies landed at Berlin. The week before, the Russians, in an attempt to force the Western Powers out of the city, had cut off the rail and canal links between Berlin and the Western zones.

Their attempt was beaten by the air lift. From the two Fortresses the air lift, fleet expanded to 380 aeroplanes which roared into Berlin day and night in clear weather and foul. Tlje lift tonnage finally reached an average of more than 8000 a day. On Good Friday this year airmen flew a record total of 12,940 tons of food and coal into the city.

The air lift has been in existence for 389 days and aeroplanes have flown more than 100.000,000 miles and carried more than 2,000,000 tons of cargo.