John Freeman, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Journalism associate professor, was one of 33 graduates of Berlin American High School invited by the city’s mayor to attend an exclusive ceremony recognizing the 70^th anniversary of the end of the Berlin blockade on May 12.

Freeman, coordinator of the annual CJC Berlin study abroad trip, is currently in Berlin with 17 students who are exploring the city to capture stories for print, video and online.

The event included a remembrance of the end of World War II when U.S. and British forces kept West Berlin citizens alive by flying in and dropping coal and food because the Soviets had cut access to roads from West Germany into Berlin. The most famous pilot, Colonel Gail Halvorsen, now 98, was in attendance for the anniversary and was photographed by Freeman. He became known as “The Candy Bomber” because he dropped chocolates using small parachutes to the children.

Posted: May 13, 2019
Category: College News
Tagged as: Berlin Study Abroad, John Freeman