8th AF Signatures

Santa Claus improved my finances slightly which allowed me to browse on 'Bookfinder'over the holiday. Powell's in the USA were having a January sale of rare books and I couldn't resist this one which arrived here this morning.

A perfect copy of Edward Jablonski's 'Double Strike' , a book never published in the UK. This one's a little different, it's been autographed by : -

Wm. Lawley 305th BG
Robert K Morgan 91st BG ( pilot of Memphis Belle )
Fred Koger 92nd BG
Clifford 'Backy' Bachman 303rd BG
Harry Crosby, Jack Kidd ( who has written ' a tough trip to Regensburg on Aug. 17 !' ), John Brady, Everett Blakely, 'Cowboy' Roane, 'Bucky' Cleven - all 100th BG

And, in the same post from The Aviator's Bookshop, a mint copy of Budd Peaslee's 'Heritage Of valor' - signed by Budd J Peaslee.

These weren't cheap, but I'm very pleased to have them on my shelves. I'm really thrilled to have Gale 'Bucky' Cleven's autograph ; one of the 100th BG's heroic, colourful and controversial characters.

OK, I'd much rather have been able to meet these men ; I still treasure more my multi-signed copy of the 100th BG history and my inscribed copy of 'B17 Sam's book - I was able to converse with these fine men.

But these are nice 'Mighty Eighth' mementoes.

( And I did feeel a moment of guilt that I could be robbing the USA of some of its' aviation heritage. But then I thought of Kermit Weeks with 'our' Mosquito and the guilt disappeared... )

[ 14. January 2006, 07:24 AM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

 

Ah Powells bookstore in north Portland Oregon. Congrats Martin on the multi signed volume. Last time I was there my dear wife went in one direction and I hit the north end where history abounds. Must say the place is one confusing mess of tall wooden and plastered put together book shelves in old Portland buildings, and underground basement garage is attached, and you climb an old musty smelling stairwell or hop in an old creaky elevator which slowly takes you up to the first floor/main where you are bewildered by all the directions of the directory code. Powells history section is just that, a monstrous compilation of books with no assemblance of order. WW 2 mixed in with Colonial, Napoleonic, WW 1, Indian wars, Greek/Roman, etc ......... you are literally on your own here. Viewing space is at a premium with no place to sit down as you walk amongst the very tall multi-bookshelves. It is rather obvious the online book warehouse that you ordered from is quite 'put together' compared with the original book store which now caters one of the most popular coffee houses in all of Portland and in fact this is where the seating and viewing of books takes place besides the reading of many of the west coast better newpapers. Good luck on finding a seat. In any case one visiting the largest city in Portland should take the time and soak in the atmosphere of this northern Oregon tradition at least once on your visits

 

Oh WOW..it sounds like Heaven !

I have to give full marks to their mail order service - the precious book arrived in perfect condition.

 

Having really not visited other large book distributors I have nothing to compare it too except Barnes and Nobles and Borders which are quite orderly. The tall bookshelves the smell of rotting wood/musty smell, cracks in the walls, the rooms haphazordly divided and everything formulated in quite a zig-zag fashion and then mixed in with a new restroom set up and childrens area makes the plae unique if not a little odd. fun though. you do leave the place with a sense of well should I come back and if I do how much money will I be needing. it is definately a spot on the earth where you need to take your time, and I mean hours of the day for exploration

 

I also collect autographs and autographed photos. I've met the late Bob Morgan many times at gallery receptions and airshows on the East Coast. I met his co-pilot and radio operator one time too. One night at the National Air & Space Museum a few years back I attended a lecture with Bill Lawley (U.S. Medal of Honor), Gunther Rall (German Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords), Bill Reid (RAF Victoria Cross), and Popkov (USSR two-time Hero of the Soviet Union). I am a member of the American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA) and get to their reunion each year since 1999 (missed 2005). In 2000 the reunion was in Crystal City, Virginia so I volunteered to help out. I get over to Germany occasionally for the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot (and Night Fighter Pilot) Association Reunions. I take Robert Taylor's books with me and have the airmen sign the pictures of the planes they flew. I've also met Harry Crosby twice, the lead navigator of the 100th BG. I attended the reunion of the 380th BG and met the pilot and co-pilot of the B-17 that was pictured on the US stamp - painted by Bill Phillips. Really neat people to meet and talk to - and get their autograph as a memento of the meeting.

Bob

 

Bob, are you an OdR member ? interesting that you were allowed to a Luftwaffe treffen, you have a relative that served or wnet along with a former Luftw. vet ?

 

No, my friend is a member of their association. You can join for $75/year and this allows you to attend their reunion. I've always gone as my friend's guest. I do have another friend who has been adopted (term for very close) by an Army RKT and he attends the OdR reunion each year. I'm thinking about attending the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot Association Reunion with my one friend and then hang around Germany for the week and then attend the OdR reunion with the other friend the weekend after. They usually are very close in schedule.

Peter Spoden is a good friend of mine and I know Karl Johanssen as well.

Bob

 

I'm glad you had an opportunity to meet the late Bill Reid VC - a true gentleman if ever there was one. He tirelessly supported the Bomber Command Association at signing events throughout the UK and is much-missed over here.

You've probably seen the 'Date For UK Diaries' thread ; Peter Spoden and Karl Johanssen were in England last weekend and happily, both were on fine form.

 

Yes, Peter had emailed me about the gallery reception and I passed it along to a couple of aviation autograph collecting friends there in England. He emailed me the thread URL and that is how I found this website... so you're all in trouble now!

Bob

 

8th AF siggies, coming, actually a 78th fg vet that lives about 200 miles to my north, letter in the mail to him and another 357th fg chap from even farther north coming in the mail with photos soon.

I still work on first hand accts of 8th/15th pilots against the Me 262A

 

just sent off a note to pilot Bob Powell and Bill Pattillo of the 352nd fg and soon Kelly Gross of the 9th AF 354th fg

 

Kelly Gross just came out with his book if I'm not mistaken.

Bud Anderson (357th) and Hewitt (78th) will be at the WWII Weekend in Reading, PA the first weekend of June, as well as Paul Tibbets, Theodor Van Kirk (both from the Enola Gay), Don Lopez (23rd FG in China), and Boots Blesse (Korea). Check www.maam.com for further details. It's a great show. FIFI, the only flying B-29 will be there this year, as well as a Bf-109E and a Lancaster!

 

I'm having probs with the PC again today ..........

yes Kelly has his book out the last month and have a friend living in his hometown going to see him next week, maybe pick up a copy or two. Bob are you going to the show in PA then ? if so greet Dick for me would you and yes a letter goes out to Bud in another week as well.........deje vue eh ?

 

Kelly is very involved with the annual AFAA reunion. Are you a Friend of the Aces? Attend their reunions? This year it's in San Antonio, Texas. We've been up in Seattle a couple of times because the AFAA, as well as the Flying Tigers, are associated with the Museum of Flight.

Bob

 

Having just read his book, very pleased to acquire Hubert Zemke's signature on a Mark Postlethwaite P-47 print which arrived courtesy of e-bay this morning.

 

Rather nicely signed, too...

 

Martin I luv his sweeping hand signature. Congrats on that . . .

have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Hub on two seperate occassions back in the early 90's where he signed his Zemkes wolfpack book for me and two other books ~ 56th fg and aces of the 8th. the last book Gabby G. was present and they started having an argument over the photos within, Gabby trying to pull the "my score was higher than yours", Hub's response " yeah but I was your C.O." kinda stuff. Very comical but in all seriousness, I wanted to seprate them in put them in a corner to blow off steam. both of them had the fighters twinkle in their eyes. . . .

Hub when signing also went to the pages on the 479th fg which he was C.O. of, the pic of him standing on the wing of his P-38 and he began to tell me and the Mrs. the story of how he became POW with the group .... his Mustang and another pilot caught in a very violent thunderstorm where he was buffetted and then finally hit by lighting blowing out the electrical works of the Stang and the craft dropped like a stone. A riveting story it was

E

 

I'm truly envious of you for that experience, Erich.

Having read a lot about him recently, I find Zemke an interesting personality ; someone who took his position & responsibilities of leadership very seriously.

 

I think you would agree Martin it is has been pure pleasure to meet and be friends with some of the veterans from both sides.

I must get some scans put in the saved pile and post here of Gabby and Hub besides a few German Luftie friends like Horst Petschler, Oskar Bösch, etc .....

 

received a lovely letter . 2 signed pics and some signed stickers for my books by friend and pilot vet Bob Powell of the 352nd fg " Blue Nosers"
Bob is a wonderful guy and is authoring a new book on his fg. "Tales of the Blue nosers", we have been in contact the last two days about my deceased cousins gruppe II./JG 301 which got plastered by the 352nd on 21 November 44 for his text.

E ~