Riverside in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Berlin Airlift
26 June 1948 30 September 1949
| | C-47 277,569 Flights Delivered 2,325,509.6 Tons C-54 | |
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2021
1. The Berlin Airlift Monument (front)
The Greatest Humanitarian Airlift in History
First Battle of the Cold War
Hoping to force the Allies to abandon Berlin, the Soviet Union instituted a land and water blockade of the city. This was their effort to take control of Germany and the rest of Europe. President Harry Truman and General Lucius Clay deemed it vital the Allies remain in Berlin. England, France and the U.S.A. responded with the airlift to supply over 2 1/2 million Berlin citizens with food, fuel, medicine and the hope of remaining a free society. The Army, Navy and Air Force united to make this first mission of the fledgling U.S. Air Force a success. The result of this massive airlift was stopping the spread of Communism in Europe. Berlin remained free, N.A.T.O. was spawned, and U.S. foreign policy was set for years to come. Thirty-one Americans lost their lives in aircraft related accidents.
They Will Never Be Forgotten
Ralph H. Boyd · Harry Crites, Jr · Joel M. DeVolentine · Edwin C. Diltz
Eugene Erickson · Karl von Hagen · Willis F. Hargis · Herbert F. Heinig
William R. Howard · Charles H. King · Craig B. Ladd · Donald J. Leemon
William
this page online
Charles L. Putnam · William A. Rathberger · George B. Smith · Royce C. Stephens
Donald E. Stone · Robert W. Stuber · Norbert H. Theis · James A. Vaughn
Bernard J. Watkins · Robert P. Weaver · Lloyd C. Wells · Lowell A. Wheaton, Sr
Leland W. Williams · Richard Winter · Richard M. Wurgel
Erected by the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • War, Cold.
Location. 39° 46.725′ N, 84° 6.859′ W. Memorial is in Riverside, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It can be reached from Spaatz Street. Monument (Memorial #1000/1001) is in the Memorial Park of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, with museum access off Springfield Street. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 1100 Spaatz Street, Dayton OH 45431, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in Ohio’s Dayton Metro and in the Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2021
2. The Berlin Airlift Monument (back)
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Troop Carrier Tactical Airlift (a few steps from this marker); Tan Son Nhut Air Base (a few steps from this marker); Dedicated to CMSgt Bill Cannon (within shouting distance of this marker); Aircraft Loadmaster Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Red Eagles (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Ned J. Lindsley Ph.D. (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Tan Son Nhut Air Base (within shouting distance of this marker); 603d Air Control Squadron (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Riverside.
Also see . . .
1. Berlin Blockade. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on November 21, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. The Berlin Airlift (Harry S. Truman Library & Museum).
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2021
3. The Berlin Airlift Monument
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2021
4. The Berlin Airlift Monument - Honored Dead
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025
5. The Berlin Airlift Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025
6. The Berlin Airlift Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 390 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 5, 6. submitted on July 1, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio.
