Shenandoah County is blessed to have many sacrificial, loyal, and faithful citizens, many of whom live right next door but whom we’ve never met. One of those individuals all should meet is Don Hoffman.
Don is 95 years old but still busses tables at Ben’s Diner in Woodstock and enjoys visiting with the patrons. When he’s not working, you might catch him riding his yellow trike down Route 11 or piloting his plane over the valley. Although he was born and raised in Irvington, VA, he eventually found his way between the mountains to join the rest of us.
But Don has quite a story to tell. When he was only 15, Don lied about his age to enter the US Navy and serve his country in 1943. He served faithfully for the next 15 years before leaving the Navy in 1958. Although he did a little of everything during his tours of duty, he was trained as a deep sea diver and it was his unenviable responsibility to retrieve the bodies of downed fighter pilots from the ocean depths.
Don also secured his pilot’s license and helped fly supplies into West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49. He is one of the very few remaining pilots to have conducted those daring missions. Following WWII, the Soviets cut off land and water access to the western part of the city leaving the people in this sector to either surrender or starve.
The United Kingdom and the United States came to their rescue by flying in food and fuel for eleven months to support those stranded by the Soviet blockade. Hoffman’s plane was a C-47 and when I asked him what type of supplies they carried, he replied, “Food, food, and more food.” Don shared that during the airlift planes were landing and taking off in Berlin every three minutes to provide enough provision for the Berliners.
I asked Don what would have happened if they hadn’t conducted these humanitarian missions and he said, “The Russians would have easily taken all of Berlin.” Thankfully, the Soviets eventually gave in and permitted land access to the island of freedom surrounded by the sea of communism.
I had the privilege to visit both East and West Berlin in 1982 before the Wall came down and it was very sobering to see how serious the communists were about controlling that border. It was the first time I saw enemy soldiers toting machine guns and patrolling territory planted with mines. Thankfully, those tense days are past after Soviet leader Gorbachev took President Reagan’s advice to, “Tear down this wall!” Today Germany is a free united country and Berlin is a unified city again. We pray that they may always be so.
But the bravery of Hoffman and his fellow pilots reminds us of how God provides for His people in the middle of enemy territory. Faithful Christians have found themselves surrounded in our culture by those hostile toward Jesus and godly values. It is sometimes difficult and scary to see the inroads our spiritual enemy has made on the landscape. While most are able to afford food and fuel, we sometimes run low on encouragement, perseverance, faith, and hope.
Thankfully, God knows our every need and has promised to supply us according to His riches in glory. He is even more committed to us on this earth than the UK and US were to those citizens of West Berlin. And He has the means and wherewithal to deliver what we need and does so daily through His Holy Spirit.
Thanks to Don Hoffman and the other brave pilots who saved Berlin and praise to God for saving us through His Son Jesus. The next time you’re feeling a bit impoverished in mind or spirit, radio your needs to your Heavenly Father through prayer and clear the runways of your life for Him to deliver. Enjoying His provisions, George
George Bowers is the Senior Pastor of Antioch Covenant Brethren Church and has authored 23 books including Blessings Volumes 1-4 which are collections of these articles. They are available at Four Star Printing and Travelers Treasures. He can be reached through www.georgebowersministries.com or at gabowers@shentel.net.
