From April 29–May 8th, 1945, the RAF and USAAF participated in #OperationManna (RAF) and #OperationChowhound (USAAF), which were operations aimed at dropping food parcels to the still German-occupied areas of the Netherlands, where an estimated 20,000 people had died and 3 million more were starving on a diminished supply of food.
For the first time since the war began—instead of bombs being carried in the bomber drop tanks of RAF Avro Lancasters (which included British, Canadian, and Australian air forces), and USAAF Boeing B-17s—10,000 tons of food was loaded instead, hoping to be delivered to starving Netherlands residents.
But there was a problem; the war wasn’t yet over, and the bombers would need to fly so low—at 400 feet or so—that the Lancasters and B-17s would be sitting ducks for anti-aircraft artillery and flak.
The Germans agreed that any Allied aircraft flying low in the designated humanitarian corridor would not be fired upon.
More than 600 Allied aircraft took part in the drops. Messages like ‘Many Thanks,’ ‘Thanks Yanks,’ and simple ‘Thank You’s were cut into fully-bloomed tulip fields, so the aircraft crew would see them as they flew over.
The Operations were a success, and they’re estimated to have saved over 1 million people from starvation. Included in that count is then-young Audrey Hepburn—who later became one of the most iconic stars of 20th century Hollywood—who dedicated much of her life to supporting humanitarian efforts like the one that she credited with saving her life in 1945.
