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Son of Berlin Airlift recipient promoted to master sergeant

Air Force Master Sgt. Anthony M. Uebel (center) is congratulated by his peers following his promotion from tech sergeant.

Air Force Master Sgt. Anthony M. Uebel (center) is congratulated by his peers following his promotion from tech sergeant.

Tech Sgt. Anthony M. Uebel, deployed as a maintenance scheduler with the 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron at Taji Air Base, was promoted to the rank of master sergeant recently.

Uebel shared a story about why he enlisted in the Air Force more than 22 years ago.

"My father, Reiner Uebel, was born in Berlin, Germany," he said. "During the Berlin Airlift, he was one of the children starving until Col. (retired) Gail Haverson, who was a first lieutenant at the time, decided to attach some candy at the end of some small parachutes and throw it from his airplane to the children below. My father was one of those children.

"When then Lt. Haverson's commander found out what he did, he'd gotten into trouble, but the Air Force eventually incorporated the gesture into what is known as Operation Little Vittles," Uebel said. "My father doesn't speak much about those days, but he is thankful for what the Air Force did for him and the chance it gave him to have a better life."

Uebel had a chance to personally thank the Berlin Candy Bomber at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas in 2002.

"I was at Sheppard Air Force Base taking a class when he was on the base. I met Col. Haverson, shared my story, and was able to thank him for his simple act of kindness so many years ago. He hadn't realized such a simple gesture has such an enormous impact in someone's life," he continued. "I joined the Air Force because I owed them something. I have stayed because I am proud to be a part of the Air Force family."

The Williams native is the son of Reiner and Doris Uebel. His wife and four children reside at Kirkland Air Force Base, N.M. Uebel is deployed from the 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron.

"I was notified of this deployment just days after my son was born," Uebel said. "While it's very hard to be separated from my family, my wife Nicole is very supportive and understanding. The CAFTT, 370th ETS' mission is very similar to the Berlin Airlift and I am happy to do my part."

The mission of the 370th ETS is to build a sustainable accession and training pipeline in order to develop a competent corps of Iraqi Air Force Airmen who will manage a fully functioning, self-sustaining schoolhouse fully operated by the Iraqi Air Force and the Ministry of Defense.

(Editor's note: Maj. Edwina Walton, CAFTT, 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron PAO, contributed to this article.)


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