Produced by an
American pilot serving
in the Berlin airlift
Sergeant Jake Schuffert
Cartoon was featured in
the Task Force times
Produced by the
US government
especially for the
Berlin airlift and
blockade
Date- the year given at the
top is 1948, right in the middle
of the airlift.
Audience
Readers of the
Task Force
Times
Set up to promote
competition between
the airforce units.
contained the aircraft
unit's statistics
Therefore, not
available to the
general public
represents the
views of those in the
airforce units.
Implied meaning
Those involved saw
no possible end to
the airlift.
The coal and flour
'medals' devalue the
operation, suggesting
it was not as worthy
as their previous
tasks.
Taken literally, the coal and
flour were being dropped in to
Berlin
Source context
Many military operations
involved sitting around for long
periods of time while important
preparations were made. The
Berlin Airlift was no exception.
This was not a relaxing time.
Aircrews had to sit around
waiting tensely for their flight to
begin.
•Several American cartoonists commented on this
problem. One anonymous cartoonist produced the
famous Fassberg diary. This was a joke diary of the
Berlin Blockade, and ended with the fliers still
transporting goods into Berlin in the year 3200!