Michael D. Leister, one-time C-5 Galaxy crew chief, had a dream whose realization blossomed into one of the First State's leading tourist attractions. His idea: Restore the most historically significant World War II B-17 in existence and display it at a major museum.
The senior master sergeant and a band of volunteers at Dover Air Force Base spent the next 10 years, mostly on their own time, restoring "Shoo Shoo Baby" in exacting detail, and in 1988 they flew her to Dayton, Ohio, where she commands a prominent spot in the Air Force Museum.
Impressed by Mike's leadership, the base wing commander asked him to establish a museum on the premises. He made Mike full-time director. Mike solicited funds to renovate a historic hangar to house a growing number of vintage aircraft and artifacts; he organized an army of volunteers to staff it and perform restoration work; he established a membership program.
Today the facility features some 24 meticulously restored airlift veterans, including a C-47 that carried paratroopers on D-Day. Dover's first strategic airlifter is represented by the only remaining C-54M which was specially modified during the Berlin Airlift for hauling coal.
The facility features the first C-141A Starlifter ever built, one of only four still in existence. Also the first C-9 Nightingale, the Air Force's first "medvac" transport, and a C-133 Cargomaster. The facility is now recognized by the Air Force as the official Command Museum of the Air Mobility Command.
Mike had separated from active duty in 1974 and become an Air Reserve technician in the 512th Airlift Wing at DAFB.
His work is widely recognized. He has been named the Military Airlift Command Civilian of the Year and Air Force Reserve Crew Chief of the Year. Community recognitions include Kent County Tourism Person of the Year and Southern Delaware Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Individual of the year. Mike was a founding trustee of the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame, formed in 1999.
He and his wife Claudia reside in Magnolia. His daughter Christine lives in Newark and attends the University of Delaware. Megan, an occupational therapist, and her husband David live near Felton.
