Show Us Your Custom Made Berlin Airlift Ribbons

[theetatkuldiloke]

Here's something I recently acquired, a ribbon bar of an unnamed Air Force Master Sergeant.

The ribbon bar consists of the following:
1. Air Force Commendation Ribbon
2. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Oak Leaf Clusters
3. Army Good Conduct Ribbon with 5 Bronze Knots
4. American Defense Service Ribbon
5. American Campaign Ribbon
6. World War II Victory Ribbon
7. Army Occupation Ribbon with Berlin Airlift Device
8. Medal for Humane Action Ribbon
9. National Defense Service Ribbon
10. Air Force Longevity Ribbon with 1 Oak Leaf Clusters

This means that this person had been in service since before the attack on Pearl Harbor, served in possibly an Army Air Force Units throughout the war, participated in the 1948-49 Berlin Blockade for more than 120 consecutive days (to get the Berlin Airlift Device, you must performed 92 consecutive days lf military duty during the Berlin Airlift, and another 120 days of performing duty that supports Berlin Airlift within the geograpical boundaries of Berlin), then transferred to the Air Force!

It really is a shame that the jacket which the ribbon bar is attached with didn't have any names written on it!

[vernon]

From June 1948 to May 1949 the Soviet Military Forces blockaded land access  to the Western Sector of Berlin, Germany under Allied ( United States, British, France) control.  The Western Allies responded to this by organizing the Berlin Airlift.  To ensure that Western Berlin continued to receive sufficient resources supplies were airlifted into the area.  At the peak of the airlift over 12,000 tons of supplies were arriving daily into  Berlin.  Over 30,000 American Military personnel were involved in the Airlift.

The Medal for Human Action ( MHA ) was established in 1949 to recognize US Service members involved in this operation.  No devices were authorized for wear with the medal or ribbon.  However, at times collectors may come upon the Berlin Airlift device ( a gold C-54 transport plane ) attached to the MHA medal ribbon or ribbon bar. The Berlin  Airlift device was only authorized for wear on the WW2 Occupation Service Medal or Ribbon. 

We would enjoy seeing your Berlin Airlift ribbons.  I have begun the thread with a few examples.  These examples include:  an improvised removable from clothing multi- bar complex made from slide on ribbon bars attached to a rigid piece of plastic; ribbons and insignia off the uniform of a Colonel; and plastic/acrylic made ribbon bars with painted on ribbons.  Note the variation in the Berlin Airlift devices and the differences in the position of the device on the ribbon ( Slant 10 to 80 degrees).