All military roles except those of Clift and Douglas were portrayed by actual military personnel stationed in Germany as themselves. The 19th Troop Carrier Squadron was an actual Air Force unit based in Hawaii and was one of the first to deploy for Operation Vittles in July 1948.
In this film, most military roles, with the exception of those performed by Clift and Douglas, were played by actual soldiers stationed in Germany who appeared as themselves. The 19th Troop Carrier Squadron, a real Air Force unit based in Hawaii, was among the first to join Operation Vittles in July 1948.