Historian donates more to Postal Service Center in honor of the Berlin Airlift

Photo By Stephen Perez | Dr. John Provan, a historian with close ties to the Garrison and City of Wiesbaden, center, poses for a photo with James E. McKee, the Supervisory Postal Program Specialist at the Wiesbaden Postal Service Center, third from the left, members from McKee’s staff, and representatives from the Luftbrücke Frankfurt - Berlin association in front of the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Postal Service Center on Lucius D. Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany, Sept. 12, 2024. Provan has donated a number of historical artifacts from his private collection to the Postal Service Center over the last three years. He recently donated more items during a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Airlift. (U.S. Army photo by Stephen P. Perez)  

WIESBADEN, HESSEN, GERMANY

09.12.2024

Story by Stephen Perez 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

WIESBADEN,Germany — Garrison Wiesbaden community members will now see more historic artifacts the next time they visit the mailroom thanks to a local historian who donated additional items from his private collection during a ceremony at the Postal Service Center on Clay Kaserne Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

The event was held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, which officially ended Sept. 30, 1949.

The Berlin Airlift was the name of a round-the-clock airlifting campaign involving the U.S. and its Allies that lasted over 300 days and delivered over 2.3 millions tons of humanitarian aid to the people of West Berlin despite a Soviet blockade.

During the operation, a combined airlift task force established at Wiesbaden Army Airfield in Wiesbaden—now known as Lucious D. Clay Kaserne.

In his opening remarks, Dr. John Provan, a historian with close ties to the Garrison and City of Wiesbaden, explained the role the U.S. Army played during the Airlift providing a significant amount of logistical support to a then-newly established U.S. Air Force.

According to Provan, over 2,000 Soldiers, 1,000 trucks, and locomotives run by the Transportation Corps were all needed to move cargo and other resources to and from the aircraft, while the Quartermaster Corps provided housing and other support services the troops involved in the effort.

"And this very post office handled all the mail which was sent to and from Berlin including all the letters from those pilots to their families back home," Provan said. "In all, this APO handled possibly 120,000 pounds of mail during the airlift."

Provan said that it’s because of this fact that he decided to help establish the exhibit in the Postal Service Center, so that people can be educated on the history of the Garrison and its ties to the Airlift.

Before introducing Provan, James E. McKee, the Supervisory Postal Program Specialist at the Wiesbaden Postal Service Center, expressed how important these items are to preserving the history and legacy to of U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, and thanked his staff who have worked with Dr. Provan over the last three years to make this exhibit possible.

"A lot of people don't understand how much these things are worth in value—we do." McKee said in his opening remarks . "It's an honor for all of us, not just in the post office, but the Wiesbaden community."

The ceremony was followed by a walking tour of all the items currently on Display, which was guided by Provan.

In addition to showing some previously donated items, Provan unveiled two models he created: one showing what the installation used to look like in 1911 when it was a racetrack, and another showing what it looked like from 1936 to 1953.

At the end of the tour, the post office staff surprised Provan by showing them they refurbished a previously donated Berlin Airlift installation of three Berlin Airlift-era aircraft flying over the entrance to the Postal Service Center.

Provan also thanked McKee's staff and the Luftbrücke Frankfurt - Berlin association for all their past work, and said he excited for their continued partnership.

"We look forward to future anniversary events including the centennial anniversary of this airbase in 2028."

In recognition of role during the Airlift, USAG Wiesbaden has hosted past events celebrating major milestones of the anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. And most recently, the Garrison, together with the State of Hesse, hosted a public commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Airlift on June 15 and 16, 2024, on Clay Kaserne Airfield.

To see imagery, videos, and news about this last anniversary event , please visit our official DVIDS feature page at www.dvidshub.net/feature/berlinairlift

• Date Taken: 09.12.2024
• Date Posted: 09.13.2024 05:26
• Story ID: 480764
• Location: WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE
• Hometown: FRANKFURT AM MAIN, HESSEN, DE
• Hometown: WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US
• Hometown: FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US