Gil Ferrey’s Berlin Wall Story, 1961

Before he ever flew gunships in Vietnam or logged 900 combat hours over the Central Highlands, Gil Ferrey had already taken a remarkable detour into the frontlines of the Cold War. In the fall of 1961—just three weeks after construction began on the Berlin Wall—Gil, then a 20-year-old American student studying in East Berlin, attempted to help a young woman escape to the West. He and a friend, Victor Pankey, hid her in the trunk of their car and made a run for the border. They didn’t make it. East German border guards arrested them at the crossing. What followed was four months in a state security prison, weeks of solitary confinement, a trial with a predetermined outcome, and an unexpected release reportedly granted as a personal “act of mercy” by Walter Ulbricht. The New York Times covered the case closely in 1962: two young Californians imprisoned for an act they considered morally right, even if East German law judged otherwise. When they emerged, shaggy-haired but unbroken, both said they’d been treated well. But the experience left its mark. Gil will tell the story of how a semester abroad in a sealed-off city became a collision with Communist state power and a firsthand look at the making of the Cold War’s most visible boundary. But Ferrey’s story doesn’t end at Checkpoint Charlie. After returning home, finishing his studies at Claremont Men’s College, and earning his commission, he went on to serve as an Army aviator. He trained at Fort Wolters and Fort Rucker, earned his wings in December 1964, and served first in Korea with the 7th Aviation Battalion, then stateside with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. In Vietnam, Gill flew Hueys and Hiller 23G “Raven” scout helicopters, logging 900 combat hours. This is one of those rare veteran stories that opens a window not just onto a war, but onto an entire era. We’re grateful to UPMC for Life  for sponsoring this event!