Historical Characters in "Cold War" - Frank Howley

  The Bridge to Tomorrow Series includes several historical characters. One of these is the American Commandant in Berlin, Colonel Frank Howley. In the immediate post-war era, no Western figure was more consistently or more vehemently maligned and insulted by the Soviets than Howley -- and Howley was proud of it. He earned Soviet ire and the love of the Berliners -- 'though not always his superiors -- for his words and deeds as the American Commandant of Berlin 1945-1949. Without doubt he was one of the more colorful -- and controversial -- historical figures involved in the Berlin Airlift -- and I couldn't resist including him in the Bridge to Tomorrow Series as a character.

Nothing in Howley's background ordained him for the role he was to play in Berlin's history. Born in Hampton, New Jersey in 1903, Howley attended Parson's School of Fine and Applied Arts. He spent time time studying business and art at the Sorbonne in Paris before obtaining a BS in Economics from New York University. He then worked as an advertising executive, establishing his own firm in Philadelphia the 1930s, which proved highly successful despite the depression. Somewhere along the line he taught himself five languages, but not notably not German.

In the Second World War he initially commanded an Air Corps ground school, but he was not interested in flying and transferred to the cavalry. By 1943, he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel and was serving as the Executive Officer of the Third Mechanized Cavalry, but he was  involved in a motorcycle accident in which he broke his back and pelvis. After five months in hospital, he was released but was not rated fit for active duty with a combat unit. Given the option of retiring or taking an assignment in the Civil Affairs division, which was responsible for re-establishing civil administration in occupied territory in the wake of anticipated Allied battlefield victories, Howley chose the latter. The task he had taken on was described cogently as "...to sweep into newly liberated territories and impose order on chaos, repairing shattered infrastructure and feeding starving civilians."

After training in the U.S. and the U.K. Howley landed in Normandy four days after D-Day as head of a mixed British-U.S. unit designated A1A1. Working with French liaison officers, Howley's team got the civil administration of Cherbourg working within days of its liberation. His success here lead to him being given responsibility for the same role after the liberation of Paris, and he entered the French capital on the heels of the fighting troops now in command of a unit of 350 officers and men. Here his success not only earned him the Legion of Merit, Croix de Guerre and the Legion d'Honneur, it also drew the attention of General Dwight D. Eisenhower's staff. Howley was asked to head the U.S. military government in Berlin, nominally as deputy to a figurehead who was a more senior combat officer. 

Clearly, taking control of restoring civil infrastructure in Berlin would be different from his role in the liberated French cities since the population was presumed to be hostile and Berlin was to be shared with the other Allies, including the Soviets. Decisions were to be taking jointly and unanimously.  Even before entering Berlin, Howley worked hard the establish rapport between the designated British and American teams, but dealing with the Soviets proved more difficult. From Day 1, the Soviets showed hostility to both the Americans and British troops sent to garrison their sectors of Berlin. Details can be read elsewhere, but by the end of his first day in Berlin, Howley knew who the enemy was -- and it wasn't the defeated, traumatized and starving population of Berlin. It was the Soviets. 

From that point forward, Howley never deviated from his position that the Soviets were not to be trusted and could not be won over as friends, they were adversaries and had to be treated as such. The logical corollary of such a position was to start favoring and advocating on behalf of the Berliners under constant attack from the Soviets. Howley employed every tactic he could get away with to back the democratic elements in Berlin and to expose the machinations of the Soviet Military Administration and their puppet German Communists. He consistently reported to the press Soviet attempts to bribe and coerce voters. Wisely, he established a radio stations controlled by the U.S. military government, Radio in the American Sector or RIAS. In addition, independent newspapers were encouraged and allocated paper.

Meanwhile, the Kommandatura (where the city commandants of the four occupying powers regularly met) increasingly became a battlefield of words and exchanged insults. Howley recorded in his diary the suspicion that the Soviets were seeking to provoke a crisis. On June 16, at 11:15 pm after thirteen hours of haggling that was going no where, Howley turned his seat over to his deputy and excused himself. Describing his behavior and "hooligan," the Soviet's used his departure as an excuse to break up the Kommandatura and stormed out.

But the more the Soviets insisted in describing Howley as a "hooligan," "terrorist," "black market knight," "dictator," "cowboy," or "rough-rider from Texas," the more the Berliners loved him. He appeared the only one who shared their outrage over Soviet bullying. To be sure, Howley's style had not won him friends in Washington and his relationship with the cool and restrained General Clay were also often testy and strained. "Howlin' Mad Howley" was a epitaph applied as much by his Western colleagues as his Eastern adversaries. Yet whether one liked his style or not, he was the American who reassured the Berliners that the Americans weren't going home when the crisis came on June 24. 

Such a colourful character could not be excluded from a novel about Berlin in this period! Below is an excerpt from "Cold War" in which he plays a role: 

Priestman was startled to find Colonel Howley already waiting in Herbert’s office. There had been a time when Herbert detested Howley, and although they had been getting along better recently, it was still surprising to find them together in apparent harmony. Nor did Priestman like the eagerness with which they greeted him. Instinctively, he sensed a trap.

Herbert was a blunt man in the best of circumstances and got straight to the point. “Wing Commander, we asked you to meet us today because, in view of the deteriorating situation, the Berlin City Government has made a direct appeal to the Allied Kommandatura to assist in the evacuation of particularly vulnerable Berliners. What the city officials are thinking of is malnourished children, fragile, elderly people, and people suffering from chronic illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and so on.”

“We’ve known for some time that Berlin’s hospitals are in a deplorable state and understaffed,” Priestman reminded them. “You may remember that one of the civilian charter companies and our Sunderland flying boats have been evacuating children on a small scale since early October.”

“Yes, yes,” Herbert brushed his remark aside and Priestman doubted if he had even been aware of the evacuations. Instead, he forged ahead exclaiming, “I’m sure you understand that we had no choice but to agree.”

He’d said “we” so Priestman glanced at Howley, who nodded vigorously and added, “This really must be done, Robin, and both General Herbert and I assured the mayor it would be done. What else could we say, for heaven’s sake? The Berliners are suffering enough as it is. How can we ask people with serious chronic illnesses, fragile old people, and kids to face a winter without heat, light or adequate rations? These aren’t soldiers. They’re civilians.” Howley, as always, spoke forcefully.

Alarms started ringing in Priestman’s head. He distinctly remembered Tunner saying he would not get involved in flying civilians out of Berlin. Surely, the American and British Commandants had not made promises to the Mayor of Berlin without first checking with the Combined Airlift Task Force Commander? Out loud he asked cautiously, “Did the Mayor give you any indication of how many people are in these particularly vulnerable categories that they now want to see evacuated?”

“Reuter suggested around 17,000.”

Priestman stiffened and asked at once, “Has Tunner agreed?”

“No, blast him!” Herbert answered jumping to his feet in exasperation and starting to pace with his hands behind his back.

Howley took over, explaining, “Tunner says taking passengers on board his transport aircraft will slow down his entire supply operation — ‘completely disrupt it’ is the way he worded it. He says 17,000 people are a mere drop in the bucket and their departure will reduce requirements only marginally.”

Priestman had heard all that from Tunner himself only a month before, so it didn’t surprise him, even if he personally deplored Tunner’s short-sightedness. For the others, Priestman pointed out, “Mathematically speaking, he’s right. However, saving children’s lives is the right thing to do — from a humanitarian standpoint. Furthermore, if children, old people and people with chronic illnesses start dying in droves, the Soviets will be quick to accuse us of ‘mass murder.’ I doubt our political leaders would want either people to die or the Soviets to win a propaganda victory, so you’ll have to go over Tunner’s head. Have you spoken to Generals Clay and Robertson?”

“Yes,” Howley replied looking grim. “Roberston passed the buck, saying Americans control the Airlift since the creation of the Combined Air Lift Task Force, and Clay refused to ‘interfere.’ He said he wasn’t enough of an expert on military transport to feel he could overrule General Tunner on an operational matter.”

That shook Priestman. He did not see this as a strictly ‘operational’ matter, and he had expected more understanding and compassion from Clay.

Herbert returned to the table, sat down and faced Priestman. “I’m pleased to hear you share my point of view on this because I hope you can help us out.”

Priestman felt his pulse rate increase as he reminded the other two officers, “Tunner is my superior.”

“We know,” Howley assured him, “but hear us out. What Tunner said was that his freighters weren’t going to carry one single evacuee, but he added that he had no objection to the RAF taking the passengers out.” Howley and Herbert were sitting on the edge of their respective seats as they awaited Priestman’s reaction.  

“You’re asking me if the RAF can manage this on its own?”

“Can it?” Herbert pressed him.

“Have you asked Group Captain Bagshot?”

“No, I’m asking you, Wing Commander!” Herbert admonished angrily. “I want your opinion as the professional who will have the main responsibility for implementation since all the passengers will have to depart from Gatow. Could you evacuate 17,000 passengers on RAF aircraft and if so, how long do you think it would take?”

Priestman did the maths out loud for them. “The RAF aircraft most suitable for flying passengers out are the Dakotas and the Sunderlands, but the latter are about to be taken off the Airlift because the fog clings to the water, reducing visibility even when Gatow is open, and we have no radar control on the Havel. Furthermore, there is an increasing risk of ice. In short, only the Dakotas are available for an evacuation of this kind. They can carry between 24 and 28 passengers, but let’s be conservative and say 25 passengers per flight. Weather permitting, we average a hundred Dakota departures each 24-hour period, but not all Dakotas can carry passengers and night flights are extremely hazardous. So, let’s assume passengers are evacuated on just seventy Dakota sorties per day. That would mean evacuating 1,750 people per day or all 17,000 of them in ten days — assuming good weather.”

“That’s jolly good!” Herbert exclaimed, evidently surprised, and Howley clapped Priestman on the back saying, “I knew we could count on you, Robin!”

“Slow down, please. Getting that many people out in one day, as I said, depends very much on the weather. Also, the evacuees will have to be ready to board at a moment’s notice. They will have to be organised in groups of 25 and can’t bring much luggage. I should say no more than one suitcase per person weighing one and a half stone at the most. There can be no confusion, pushing or shoving and fighting.” The other two officers nodded vigorously in understanding.

Priestman continued. “Nor do the problems end there. Where are all the evacuees to go at the other end? We can’t just dump them on the Airlift airfields and tell them to look after themselves—”

“No, no! Of course, not!” Herbert agreed. “The Berlin City government assured us they would organise onward transport to hospitals and homes. They said they were already doing this on a much smaller scale — is that what you mentioned earlier?”

“What we’ve done to date is evacuate roughly 120 passengers per day using just one civilian company and the Sunderlands flying into Hamburg. However, to remove 17,000 people we’ll need almost the entire RAF Dakota fleet, and it operates from a variety of different airfields. I would recommend that the evacuation flights end at the civil airport in Hannover so that from there the aircraft and crews can return to their home base to take on another load of inbound cargo for Berlin.”

“That sounds first-rate, Wing Commander!” Herbert’s relief added to his rare display of enthusiasm.

Howley nodded forcefully as well, adding, “Hannover has the added advantage of being centrally located, so the evacuees could readily be distributed across the West. I’m sure the City Council will agree. You’ll just need to coordinate this with them.”

“Bear in mind, furthermore, that even if everything goes like clockwork, embarking and disembarking passengers and their luggage will delay return flights. That’s why Tunner wants nothing to do with it. Realistically, it means the Dakotas won’t be able to make three roundtrips on a good day as they have been doing, but two. Which means I must revise my earlier calculations and say we’d need closer to fifteen days of good weather to clear 17,000 passengers through Gatow using the RAF’s fleet alone. If we include civilian Dakotas, we might get as many as 2,000 passengers out in a day, but don’t forget we will also reduce by one-third the tonnage of goods that our Dakotas have been delivering to Berlin so far.”

Herbert looked alarmed. “What would that mean in terms of supplies delivered?”

“Well, last month the RAF hauled 21% of the tonnage. The Dakotas were responsible for one-third of that — or 7% of overall tonnage. If they reduce their sorties by one-third, 2% less tonnage will be delivered.”

“That sounds quite acceptable to me,” Herbert declared with a glance at Howley, who nodded in agreement. Noting Priestman’s silence, Herbert asked him directly. “Don’t you agree, Wing Commander?”

“I agree, but I hope you will forgive me for noting that that’s 2% of overall capacity — whether the RAF or the USAF takes the passengers. There is no logical reason why the burden of removing malnourished children, feeble old people, and chronically ill patients from Berlin should not be shared evenly. If both the RAF and the USAF carried their share, the entire operation could be concluded in less than half the time.”

“We already have Tunner’s answer!” Herbert snapped in annoyance, while Howley held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re right! I’m not going to argue with you, Robin. But the fact is that I can’t tell General Tunner what to do and General Clay isn’t willing to do so. In other words, it’s the RAF or no one.”

Priestman had already grasped that fact and was resigned to it. He nodded. “I need to talk to whoever on the City Council is responsible for organising things at their end. I will prioritise this and try to be ready to put it into effect in three or four days’ time — weather permitting.”

“Well done!” General Herbert exclaimed, “I should have known the RAF would come through!”

“If there’s nothing else, General, I’d better get to work,” Priestman concluded.

Herbert got to his feet, thanking him. As he saw Priestman to the door, he shook his hand more energetically and warmly than ever before. Howley took his leave of Herbert at the same time and the two men walked down the corridor and stairs together. At the exit, as they prepared to go to their respective waiting cars, Priestman set his cap on his head with the peak partially covering his eyes and remarked in a low voice, “I presume you know this will be my last act as Station Commander Gatow.”

“What do you mean?” Howley asked back in astonishment.

“You and Herbert avoided asking Group Captain Bagshot about this because you knew he would say ‘no.’ Tunner’s indirect approval is a shabby and transparent excuse that won’t hold up. Bagshot will rightly view me as insubordinate, and he’ll have my skin. This may cost me more than my position, it might cost me my career.”

Howley took a second to absorb that and then asked, “But you’ll still do it?”

“I don’t see how we can maintain this Airlift for more than a few weeks, which means Berlin will most probably be in Soviet hands by Christmas. If I can save 17,000 civilians — the bulk of them children — from Stalin, then I will. It’s the moral equivalent of going down fighting.”

Howley is a character in all Three books of the "Bridge to Tomorrow" Trilogy

Berlin is under siege. More than two million civilians must be supplied by air -- or surrender to Stalin's oppression.

USAF Captain J.B. Baronowsky and RAF Flight Lieutenant Kit Moran once risked their lives to drop high explosives on Berlin. They are about to deliver milk, flour and children’s shoes instead. Meanwhile, two women pilots are flying an air ambulance that carries malnourished and abandoned children to freedom in the West. Until General Winter deploys on the side of Russia. Buy now!

 Based on historical events, award-winning and best-selling novelist Helena P. Schrader delivers an insightful, exciting and moving tale about how former enemies became friends in the face of Russian aggression — and how close the Berlin Airlift came to failing.  

 

 Watch a Video Teaser Here!

 Winning a war with milk, coal and candy!