 For more than three decades, United States airlift forces have helped shape world history. From its beginning in World War II, Airlift has repeatedly documented its ability to rapidly deliver the weapons of conflict and the provisions for peace. This, then, is the story of military airlift working for humanity. It began in 1943. The men flying the hump not only proved people and supplies could be carried long distances by air, but that airlift was critical when time was a factor. The flyers of the hump set the stage for today's military airlift command, MAC. The Military Air Transport Service, MATS, was created in June 1948 as the heavy long-range airlift force for all U.S. military services. Just 26 days after air force and Navy long-range airlift resources were consolidated under MATS, a challenge was issued, the Berlin Airlift. Russia had been slamming the doors to the city. They cut road traffic, then rails, then barges. So America, Britain, and France decided to supply the city by air to keep freedoms door open. Some experts called it an impossible task. More than 2 million Berliners prayed it wasn't. Within a month, 159 U.S. aircraft were delivering 1,500 tons daily. It gave the people hope. Additional American and British aircraft were brought in. The first priority was coal, then food, then medical and industrial supplies. For the aircrews, it meant long hours, navigating through narrow corridors into the heart of the city, flying on instruments through the winter's worst weather, landing at three-minute intervals, and then returning for another load. The peak day in April 1949 saw 1,400 missions deliver almost 13,000 tons. Many types of aircraft were used, principally the C-47 and C-54, to fly 4,500 tons of food, coal and other supplies daily into Berlin. After 10 months of relentless flying by the heroic aircrews, the Russians gave in. The blockade was broken. The city of Berlin had been kept from starving and freezing by a quarter of a million flights, delivering two and a quarter million tons of supplies. The cost? $137 million and 70 British and American lives. But it saved a city and airlift was established as a diplomatic and humanitarian weapon. Today, 20 C-5s flying only six hours a day could duplicate these accomplishments, but the Berlin Airlift still stands as probably the greatest airlift in history. Berlin was only the beginning. Even while the famous airlift was still operating, airlift was already proving its worth elsewhere. An extremely severe winter struck the northern part of the United States. Thousands of snowbound sheep, cattle, deer and elk faced starvation. Operation Halift, conducted by tactical airlift units, dropped thousands of tons of hay. In 1951, when UN forces were committed to defend South Korea against communist invasion from the north, airlift again played a vital role. A quarter of a million personnel and 20,000 tons of cargo were airlifted to the combat area. Return flights brought back about 90% of all sick and wounded. The World War II casualty death rate of 4% was cut to under 2% because of aeromedical airlift. While war raged in Korea, U.S. military airlift on the other side of the world were performing an unusual airlift. 3700 Muslims were stranded at various points in the Middle East, unable to reach Mecca by August 28 as required by Muslim law. The massive pilgrimage had saturated commercial airlines. The U.S. airlift called Magic Carpet helped them meet their religious obligation. 1953, inundated by waters of the North Sea during a violent spring storm, pollen faced devastation. Helicopters evacuated people and transports flew in relief supplies to the flood victims for distribution by the Red Cross. Also in 1953, another unusual airlift came into operation. Kinderlift meant a five-week summer vacation for the needy children of Berlin who were unable to leave the communist encircled city. American transports carried the children from Tempelhof Airport to camps and private homes in West Germany. Begun in 1953, Operation Kinderlift continued each summer for five years and airlifted almost 10,000 needy children. Humanitarian airlift continued. Severe weather, snow, cold and winds lashed central Italy and northern Greece. Thousands of communities were isolated and in dire need of food, clothing and medicine. U.S. Air Force transports delivered 700,000 pounds of critical supplies to the stricken areas. That same year, the Hungarian revolt caused thousands to flee their homeland. During a six-month period, they were flown from Germany to the United States where, by executive order of the president, they could become American citizens. In Japan, 1960, the crisis was polio. From the United States, by military airlift, came life-saving iron lungs donated by the National Polio Foundation. Apple supplies of salt vaccine were also airlifted into Japan. An emergency in the Republic of the Congo provided the next airlift challenge. Widespread violence depleted food supplies and threatened the safety of all non-Africans. Responding to the United Nations' call for support, U.S. airlift forces in Europe flew in supplies and evacuated refugees. The airlift continued for four years, flying more than 2,000 missions. The Globemaster transports were called upon elsewhere in Africa during the 60s. Floods in the Ruji River Delta area of Tanganyika cut overland supply routes, isolating 55,000 inhabitants. The C-124's air dropped over 1,500 tons of food in the emergency airlift. In November 1970, airlift came to the aid of East Pakistan. A severe cyclone devastated large areas of the country. Assistance from the United States came on the wings of C-141 transports, which airlifted eight helicopters into the area for air dropping food to the isolated inhabitants. Medical personnel and other supplies from the United States were also airlifted into the stricken country. One of the most memorable and happy airlift operations in history occurred in the spring of 1973 when the North Vietnamese released 566 American prisoners of war. Some had been imprisoned for seven years. After evacuation from Hanoi, they were flown by C-141 star lifters to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. There they received a medical evaluation, food and a new uniform and were flown on to the USA. At various bases back home, they proudly walked off the transports and into the arms of the families from whom they had been separated for so long. MacC9 nightingales then transferred them to military hospitals near their home areas, where they received treatment for malnutrition and injuries sustained while in prison. In 1974, a severe drought in the countries of Chad, Mali and Mauritania prompted a massive airlift of food and medical supplies by C-130s. Airlift missions delivered more than 200,000 pounds of supplies to the isolated and starving inhabitants of these African countries. One of the final airlift operations in Southeast Asia was the evacuation of thousands of refugees just prior to the fall of the South Vietnamese government. Included among the refugees were hundreds of orphans who were airlifted to sponsors in the United States. Caring for them en route became everyone's business. Earthquakes, one of nature's most destructive forces, struck in widely separated areas during 1976. First in Guatemala, where almost 23,000 people died. Emergency supplies and relief workers were airlifted into the country by U.S. Air Force transports to care for the sick and homeless. Later in the year, earthquakes devastated large areas of Turkey. Relief supplies were quickly flown from the United States to bases in Europe by C-5 and C-141 transports. C-130s then trans-shipped the supplies into Van Airfield, Turkey for distribution. The following year, 1977, airlift was used to cope with an emergency in the United States. An unusually severe winter storm had blanketed the city of Buffalo, New York with snow. 10,000 tons of snow removal equipment and 500 relief workers were airlifted into the area to provide assistance. Exactly one year later, this scene was re-enacted in Ohio and New England when military airlift transports airlifted heavy snow removal equipment into the snow-choked areas. Humanitarian requirements demonstrate the dramatic aspects of airlift. Airlift has also been used to support scientific programs. Since 1955, the continuing scientific expedition in Antarctica has been resupplied by Operation Deep Freeze, which involves airlift operations from the United States via New Zealand. In 1977, an Air Force C-5 was tasked to fly a 40-ton superconducting magnet from the United States to Moscow. This was done in support of the international cooperative program between the U.S. and Russia in the field of magnetohydrodynamic power generation. The military airlift command flew at C-141 transports into Jonestown, Guyana with the necessary supplies and equipment to move more than 900 bodies of American citizens to the United States. The task was accomplished in several stages. From before Thanksgiving until several weeks later, MAC was involved in the cleanup operations in Guyana. The bodies were flown to Dover Air Force Base for the task of identification and disposition. Once again, the weather brought MAC into action as a typhoon struck Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. C-141s carried tents, blankets, food and other storm relief supplies to that 25,000 square mile island off the southeastern tip of India. There were more than 200 dead and 150,000 left homeless as a result of the storm. Another humanitarian effort was accomplished by MAC personnel in the northernmost state of Alaska. It seems that there was this little old man looking for transportation and assistance to provide joy and happiness to many of the children of the Alaskan tundra. Naturally, MAC responded, sending the needed assistance in the form of the locally assigned personnel who were available. The end result was joy and happiness of the children and families involved. Santa's visits seem to have a certain something about them that radiates the idea of sharing and spreading joy to the world. Following the Islamic Revolution and the ouster of the Shah of Iran, more than 500 U.S. military dependents were evacuated from the area. The evacuees were transported to safe havens in Europe and on to the U.S. aboard military airlift command C-5 and C-141 aircraft. A joint American-Australian effort was begun when a hurricane roared through the Fiji Islands in April of 1979, devastating many of the islands and leaving thousands homeless. MAC C-141's landed relief supplies in the stricken area. Australian commercial airlines personnel unloaded the supplies into the Australian Air Force C-130 and smaller island hopping aircraft. In Fiji, the natives continued the distribution of supplies to the smaller islands. Over 2,500 collapsible water containers and 310ths were moved into the area from Howard Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone and Anderson Air Force Base Guam. In addition, 400 cots and 600 blankets were provided. Widespread devastation following a tornado in Wichita Falls, Texas destroyed homes, wrecked automobiles and reduced residential and business areas to rubble. Air Force volunteers helped the local authorities plan and execute a massive disaster aid plan. The Red Cross and Civil Air Patrol helped set up an information center and medical aid station. Mobile satellite communications equipment was flown into the disaster area by MAC. It was needed to maintain communications between the Emergency Operations Center and police, fire and rescue vehicles. Water purification units and emergency food service were welcomed by the disaster victims. Supplies continued to arrive as volunteer Air Force personnel from nearby Shepherd Air Force Base assisted with cleanup operations and the search for survivors. April 1979 was also a time of disaster for Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Red River crested at more than 49 feet. MAC airlift flew in nearly 2 million sandbags. Base personnel, Air Force Reserves and National Guard members joined together with the civilian populace to fill the sandbags and load them onto pallets. The sandbags were hauled to critical locations. As the floodwater rose higher and higher, the city's only protection was the sandbag dykes held together by the endless labor of every available man, woman and child. All in all, a splendid team effort on behalf of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Nicaraguan Revolution of 1979 and the resignation of President Samosa created a turmoil in the lives of the Nicaraguan people. MAC airlift, on request from the International Red Cross, flew in food and medical supplies and evacuated nearly 1,500 people. They were taken to Panama City in the Republic of Panama. American citizens and their dependents were also flown to Howard Air Force Base in the canal zone. MAC's humanitarian airlift mission is possible because of the necessity to maintain an airlift fleet capable of quick response to military contingencies. In peacetime, this response is mainly to natural disasters. Yet it exercises the airlift capability and trains airlift personnel so that the military skills of air crews are refined and sharpened. In this way, the humanitarian mission continues to maintain the readiness posture of the military airlift command while extending the helping hand of friendship to all in need.