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gave an insightful and enthusias-
tic explanation of the supercharger
and engine setup as he stood with
friends under the wing of a flying
B-17 warbird.
The 100th Air Refueling Wing,
based at RAF Mildenhall, England,
is the successor to the 100th Bomb
Group. It is also the only USAF unit
that still uses the markings of its
predecessor; its four-engine KC-135
tankers proudly wear a ‘Square D’
on their rudders, much like the
100th Bomb Group. In June 2019, the
unit named one of its components
focused on training aircraft main-
tenance specialists the ‘Dewey R.
Christopher Professional Develop-
ment Center’. Dewey himself also
attended the center’s renaming ceremony. He con-
sidered it a tremendous honor. It was also his last
visit to Mildenhall, Thorpe Abbotts, and England,
ever…
We met this crewchief many times at reunions.
During one of them, in October, 2019, in Colorado,
we spent a day at the US Air Force Academy in
Colorado Springs. Veterans were already scarce
at the Reunion that year. It was October 11th and
in the early evening word had reached us that one
of our veterans at the reunion hotel had died that
afternoon. When we got back, we learned it was
Dewey Christopher. He left unexpectedly, among
the people he loved. In his last days, he was sur-
rounded by his beloved 100th Bomb Group, veter-
ans, their children, grandchildren... He was suc-
ceeded by his no less hardworking and charismat-
ic son, Gary, who also accompanied his father to
Reunions for years. Today, Gary is one of the 100th
Bomb Group Foundation’s Board of Directors.
After Dewey died, the 100th ARW at Mildenhall
decided to name one of their KC-135s, aircraft
s/n 59-1470, ‘Skipper III’ in honor of Dewey Chris-
topher and other ground and combat crews who
flew their B-17F Skipper and B-17G Skipper II over
occupied Europe in 1943-45.
‘Dewey’s main concern was doing everything
possible to ensure his crew and airplane returned
home safely. He would diligently inspect all the
B-17s he was responsible for, doing everything
possible to keep them in top running order. That
is the very definition of professionalism. We honor
him today because it’s the proud heritage of his
generation that will help inspire RAF Mildenhall
Airmen for years to come.’
….said in 2019, at the
aircraft naming ceremony, Col. Troy Pananon,
Commander of the 100th ARW.
Variant 2
M/Sgt. Dewey Christopher with one of his later B-17Gs,
s/n 43-38852 (Humpty Dumpty II), which returned from
a mission in this condition on March 14, 1945.
Dewey Christopher and his son, Gary,
at the control tower at Thorpe Abbotts, 2017.
Dewey in his joy under the engine nacelle of a B-17, at the 100th Bomb Group Reunion in 2011.
INFO Eduard
Speciál B-17F / The Bloody Hundredth 1943
52
June 2024