Allen Bert Christman was born on May 31, 1915 in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado. He graduated at the top of his class in 1936 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State College of A & M (now Colorado State University) in Fort Collins. He moved to New York where he became a well-known cartoonist drawing the popular "Scorchy Smith". He joined the US Navy and became an aviator.

Prior to the American entry into WWII, Bert was recruited from the US Navy to join the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, nicknamed "The Flying Tigers". Bert was a Flight Leader in the 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears" in January 1942 when he was machine-gunned in his parachute by a Japanese fighter pilot in the skies over Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar). He is now buried in the Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, USA. In 1943, the Colorado State College of A & M - Fort Collins Airport was renamed "Christman Field" in his honor.

He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com