Base's 80th anniversary celebration integrates past and present

  • Published
  • By Kendra Vieweg
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The year was 1934. RAF Thorpe Abbotts near Diss, United Kingdom, was one of the Royal Air Force's largest bomber stations, and within only a few years it would play an important role in what would become World War II. It was from this base that the 100th Bombardment Group, one of the most famed U.S. Air Force units of World War II, would proudly fly its missions and establish a legacy now known as the Bloody Hundredth and eventually find a home at RAF Mildenhall.

Fast forward to 2014. The U.S. Air Force has become the sole operator on RAF Mildenhall. Modern-day aircraft can hardly be compared to their predecessor fleet - not only by appearance, but also by speed and sound.

On Aug. 15, 2014, military members and their families, civilians with base access, and special guests and dignitaries celebrated the 80th anniversary of RAF Mildenhall.

One attendee, who knows the base from its infancy, was Peter Beckett. He was nine years old and in elementary school nearby when the base opened.

"The base was one big grassy area, and we suddenly started to see so many aircraft flying over," Beckett said. "There wasn't a fence all around the base yet, so my friends and I played within the aircraft graveyard."

He commented on how people supported the base's efforts, especially during the war. And now, "even 80 years later, I feel so much pride in this base," he added.

The event was designed to communicate and portray not only what the base was like in the 1930s and what the squadrons were doing to help the war effort, but also how the base has changed throughout time. More than 1,500 attendees, both young and old, got an in-depth look into eight decades of the base's transformation.

Their first glimpse into the base's early days was the collection of impactful photos and videos of historical documentaries and personal stories. The education of the base legacy continued with several thought-provoking briefings and lectures by distinguished guests and base leadership on the history of RAF Mildenhall before, during and after World War II.

Martyn Ford-Jones, historian for the 15 Squadron, spoke to attendees about the early years on base that were true examples of bravery and courage - from the D-Day operations to the humanitarian efforts of bringing home the prisoners of war from Germany and Italy.

"Americans have kept this base alive. Former military members come back to base and see buildings they knew 60-70 years ago still here," he said. "Americans new to the area see it all for the first time, but they know there's a history here. That's what keeps the legacy going - hopefully for many, many years."

The presence of a group called Liberation 44, dressed in World War II-period uniforms, made the past even more real. They posed as air and ground crew in a post- World War II mission re-enactment, complete with war era tents, vehicles and equipment while interacting with event attendees.

"Our goal is to keep the memory of the men and women of World War II alive by showing artifacts from that era to modern-day families," said Scott Bradley, a Liberation 44 member wearing a World War II-period costume of his own. "Some people can't believe how basic the equipment was then. And other people are amazed at how advanced it was!"

Attendees also observed modern-day RAF Mildenhall through a myriad of activities. The base's fire department, 352nd Special Operations Group and the 100th Security Forces Squadron military working dogs were just some of the organizations that provided demonstrations. Additionally, the bird control team showed how their trained birds work to control the base's wildlife bird population.

The celebration was further complemented with live music, food vendors, souvenir booths and children's bouncy castles.

Asher Prater, 7, son of Maj. Travis Prater, 100th Communications Squadron commander, attended the event and visited the displays. He and his family are new to RAF Mildenhall and attended the event because they wanted to learn more about the base. Asher enjoys books about war and can now picture "how people dressed and what their guns looked like," he said.

Asher's mother, Lori, remarked how the event clearly puts a "face on the era."

On the flightline, guests viewed static aircraft displays of a KC-135R Stratotanker, MC-130J Commando II and CV-22B Osprey. The majority of onlookers could only imagine the rudimentary and modest state of the aircraft back in 1934 and wonder how they survived their missions across the English Channel and over the war-torn European continent.

The CV-22B provided an example of U.S. Air Force modern-day technology. Capt. Ryan Andreasen, 7th Special Operations Squadron CV-22 pilot from Brigham City, Utah, is proud that the CV-22 program has been added to the RAF Mildenhall legacy.

"This opportunity has allowed us to work with people and countries that have never seen the CV-22. Being here provides amazing training opportunities and carries on the heritage of technology development for the base," he said.

To round out the day, those in attendance had the unique opportunity to witness a combined Royal Air Force and U.S. Air Force retreat ceremony. It was a symbolic way to celebrate a remarkable transformation. All in all, attendees took in 80 years of base history in a matter of under five and a half hours. For some, 80 years may seem like forever; but for others, that time has flown by.

The integration of past and present was summed up best by 88-year-old British resident Peter Beckett, who said "RAF Mildenhall feels very much a part of the locality - there's a feeling of wanting to learn more about today's base."