Raisin Bombers

The name came from the fact that some pilots started voluntarily to throw sweets and candy (and, presumably, also raisins) on little tinkered parachutes out of the window to children lined up on the edges of the West Berlin airfields watching the planes.

These actions were first attributed to American pilot Gail Halvorsen, nicknamed "Uncle Wiggly Wings", who began to drop chocolate bars he had attached handkerchiefs to while approaching Tempelhof Airport.

Upon comprehensive coverage in the media, drops were ordered expanded by Lt. General William H. Tunner as "Operation Little Vittles".

Halvorsen and his comrades received large support in form of more and more donations of candy from the confectionery industry while civilian volunteers made the parachutes for the delivery.

These actions contributed to the development of post war German-American relations.