Chuck Childs (Lt. Col. USAF, Ret.) of Rapid City SD is a former president of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association. He retired from Ellsworth Air Force base SD in 1961 after a long career.

During WWII he was a B-17 Pilot in the 2nd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force out of Italy and 37 combat missions. He was the Pilot for 30 of those missions. After the war he flew the Berlin airlift and then followed by flying the C-119 cargo plane supporting ground troops during the Korean War. He was the recipient of seven air medals and the Distinguished
Flying Cross (2).

During the Berlin Airlift in 1948 & 1949 he flew 196 round-trips missions as a pilot of a cargo carrying C-54 aircraft flying food, coal and supplies into the blockaded city of 2.4 million persons. He flew from Wiesbaden Air Base, near Frankfort in Western Germany, into the beleaguered city located deep in the Russian controlled zone surrounding the city.

After Korea he served in the Strategic Air Command until retirement. In his leadership role with the BAVA he draws upon his military experience and skills exercised as the District Executive of the Black Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a position he held for about 10 years after leaving the Air Force. Later he served ten years as a State Probation Officer before a full retirement in 1983. “Chuck”, as he is known in Rapid City played drums in many regional jazz and dance bands.

One of his past responsibilities was to organize and lead fellow BAVA members and families to Berlin for the official celebration of the 65th Airlift. While in the Berlin, Childs shared in accepting the thanks and gratitude expressed by the Mayor, city officials, and individual Berliners.

His group along with members of the British Berlin Airlift Veterans participated in a memorial service and other events honoring the airlifters.

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