A bill to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the "Col. Gail S. Halvorsen 'Candy Bomber' Veterans Center".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2514) to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the ``Col. Gail S. Halvorsen `Candy Bomber' Veterans Center''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2514.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my support for S. 2514, a bill to recognize and remember the life of Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen, who passed away on February 16, 2022, at 101 years old.

I thank Senator Lee and my colleagues from Utah's congressional delegation for their work to pay tribute to Colonel Halvorsen. Colonel Halvorsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in 1942 he joined the Army Air Corps and trained as a fighter pilot. While stationed in Germany, where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as part of Operation Vittles; Halvorsen noticed dozens of hunger-starved German children outside of the barbed wire fence. Having two pieces of gum, Halvorsen broke it into strips and gave it to the children to share amongst them. Inspired by the children's glee, Halvorsen committed to more frequently distributing candy from his plane to them.

Earning his nickname ``The Candy Bomber,'' Halvorsen dropped miniature parachutes of candy rations in the street of Berlin to feed the children. By the end of the Berlin Airlift, Halvorsen and his fellow airmen distributed an estimated 250,000 parachutes with over 20 tons of candy throughout Operation Little Vittles.

The Provo Vet Center plays a vital role in the community and provides important services such as counseling for veterans with PTSD and confidential counseling sessions to those who have experienced military sexual trauma--all free to the veterans, reservists, and members of National Guard--regardless of service connection or VA health enrollment status.

To rename this important vet center after Colonel Halvorsen would be a fitting honor for one of the Beehive State's most selfless members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and a letter dated July 28, 2021, from the U.S. Senate.

Veterans of Foreign Wars,

Department of Utah,

November 1, 2021.

Chairman Jon Tester,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Chairman Mark Takano,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Jerry Moran,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Mike Bost,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, Chairman

Takano, Ranking Member Bost: We, the members of the Utah

Veterans of Foreign Wars, write to support that the

Provo Veterans Center located at 360 South State Street

Building C 103 in Orem, Utah be renamed after Colonel Gail S.

Halvorsen, affectionately known as the ``Candy Bomber'', who

performed military service of an extraordinarily

distinguished character during the Berlin Airlift in 1948.

Halvorsen's creativity and compassion helped to heal the

wounds of the Second World War and softened the relationship

between an occupied Germany and the United States. Col.

Halvorsen exemplifies the best of our brave veterans who have

each demonstrated service before self.

Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948 to work as

an airlift pilot where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as

part of Operation ``Vittles''. While on mission at Tempelhof

Airport in Berlin, Halvorsen noticed a group of German

children standing just outside the barbed wire fence. The

children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat.

Halvorsen gave the children two sticks of gum he had in his

pocket, which they split into little pieces to share among

themselves. The looks of joy on their faces left an indelible

impression. Colonel Halvorsen was deeply affected by the

experience and wanted to do more to help. He promised the

children he would drop more candy to them from his plane as

he flew his regular airlift missions.

After enlisting his copilot in the project, Halvorsen began

attaching their candy rations to miniature parachutes which

he dropped from their plane to the starving children below.

The children gave Halvorsen many nicknames including ``Uncle

Wiggly Wings,'' ``The Chocolate Flyer,'' ``The Gum Drop

Kid,'' and ``The Chocolate Uncle.'' He eventually became

known around the world as ``The Candy Bomber''.

As the candy drops continued, word of ``Operation Little

Vittles'' reached the United States. American families,

schoolchildren, and candymakers began contributing candy and

homemade parachutes that Halvorsen and other pilots could

drop.

When the Berlin airlift ended, an estimated 250,000

parachutes with 21 tons of candy had been dropped by

Halvorsen and his fellow airmen as part of Operation Little

Vittles. Halvorsen's candy drops had a significant impact on

Berliners' public perception of America. He retired from the

military in 1974 after 31 years of service and more than

8,000 hours of flying time. Since his retirement, Halvorsen

has continued his humanitarian and community service. He has

voluntarily represented the U.S. Air Force and the United

States abroad and has re-enacted his famous candy drops

several times in Berlin, the Middle East, and around the

world in an effort to bring peace and relief. He was awarded

the Congressional Gold Medal, a German Order of Merit, an Air

Force Commendation Medal, and a Medal for Humane Action.

Halvorsen has also been a tremendous boon to his community

through his church service.

His non-profit organization, the Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation

Education Foundation, advances aviation education, promotes

youth leadership development, enhances community capacity for

emergency response, and encourages humanitarian on macro- and

micro-levels. The Foundation also provides education by

giving free lectures and multimedia presentations on

aviation, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

(STEM) topics at local schools, community groups, and at its

own facility at the Spanish Fork Airport in Spanish Fork,

Utah.

Renaming the Provo Vet Center in Orem, Utah after Colonel

Halvorsen is a fitting and deserved recognition for such an

exemplary U.S. Air Force veteran and American hero. Thank you

for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

David Johnson,

Commander.

Terral Curtis,

Sr. Vice Commander.

Heath Silcox,

Jr. Vice Commander.

Dennis Parizek,

Adjutant/Quartermaster.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 2514, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2514, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2514, a bill to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Utah after Colonel Gail Halvorsen.

Colonel Halvorsen is a Salt Lake City native who joined the Army Air Corps in 1942, in the midst of World War II. He served as a transport pilot and participated in the Berlin Airlift.

It was in Berlin where he earned the nickname ``The Candy Bomber'' for handing out pieces of candy to local children and, later, dropping candy from his aircraft while flying missions over the city.

Colonel Halvorsen retired from the military in 1974 after 31 years in uniform. He spent his civilian life as an active volunteer in his church and community. He passed away in February of this last year at age 101.

Mr. Speaker, it is with the deepest respect for Colonel Halvorsen's long life of service that we support the bill to allow the Provo Vet Center to bear his name.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2514.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.