Schuffert cartoons

All 15 of the cartoons displayed here are by John H. Schuffert (1920-1998), who drew them for the airlift newspaper, the Task Force Times. On the one hand, they were supposed to bring a smile to the reader’s face, but in the other hand, they also contained some critical references to the everyday life of those involved in the airlift.

Altogether Schuffert drew more than 200 cartoons while the airlift was ongoing. He was afforded full artistic freedom, with the supreme of the airlift commander Maj. Gen. William Tunner only censoring him a few times. Tunner realised how important the cartoons were for troop morale and, even when complaints about them came from the USAFE air force headquarters, he stood by his cartoonist. Cartoons were not only provided by Schuffert, but also by Harold Sims, Ray Towne and “Frosty” Winterbottom.

You can find more cartoons in the scans of the Task Force Times on this website.

© John H. Schuffert
The airlift bases in Fassberg and Celle competed with one another for who transported the most tonnage.
© John H. Schuffert
The three air corridors that provided access to Berlin during the airlift only had restricted airspace at their disposal. Flying in the corridors at different levels was challenging.
© John H. Schuffert
Despite speaking the same language, there were many differences between British and American soldiers and pilots engaged in the airlift.