An important and monumental milestone was achieved on Dec. 12 2002 as the 100th C-17 Globemaster III rolled off Boeing’s production line in Long Beach, Calif.  In ceremonies at Andrews AFB in Maryland, this particular aircraft was christened the Spirit of Strom Thurmond in honor of Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. The senator is a strong supporter of the military during his many years in Congress and he himself had just turned 100 years old on Dec. 2.