I may have missed it, but I didn’t see a single mention of this story about the closure of historic Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany in any of the MSM.
RHEIN-MAIN AIR BASE, Germany As it flew overhead, the mighty metal bird wiggled its wings, a fitting final salute for a place known for lifting spirits near and far.
The U.S. ceremoniously returned Rhein-Main Air Base to Germany on Monday, an event that drew military veterans, well-heeled politicians and hundreds of other well-wishers. The Air Force still needs to pack out a few items, but by early December the keys to the base should be in German hands.
Rhein-Main served as America’s principal air base in Germany for 60 years. But its most important role in history may have come during its early years:
“It feels like a funeral,” Gail Halvorsen said after the ceremony. “We?re here to celebrate rather than be real sad about it.”
Halvorsen and thousands of others took part in the greatest airlift operation to date. From June 1948 to September 1949, tons of food, fuel and supplies were flown to West Berlin to thwart a Soviet blockade of the city. Rhein-Main was the primary launching point for the airlift.
More on the history of Rhein-Mein at The Mudville Gazette
