"Men of the Century"
100 Century Editions
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures! Sold out
____________________________________________________________
20 publisher's Proofs
SOLD OUT
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures!
____________________________________________________________
10 Remarqued Editions
SOLD OUT
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures! Individually remarqued.
____________________________________________________________
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures! Sold out
____________________________________________________________
20 publisher's Proofs
SOLD OUT
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures!
____________________________________________________________
10 Remarqued Editions
SOLD OUT
With over ONE HUNDRED co-signatures! Individually remarqued.
____________________________________________________________
Comes with bio-card,
showing photos and
biographies of signees.
showing photos and
biographies of signees.
Signatures
Harry Crosby was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1942 and
served two years overseas with the 100th Bomb Group. He flew 37
missions, mostly as the Lead Navigator. He was the task force lead
navigator on the Bremen mission. Decorations include DFG (three times),
Air Medal (seven times), Bronze Star, two Presidential Citations and Croix
de Guerre with Silver Star (two times).
General Tom Jeffrey was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group in May 1944
as Officer Commanding. His rank at the time of the Bremen mission was
Major, although he retired as a Lieutenant Major General. Among the
missions he flew were Rostok, Berlin, Stutgart, Schweinfurt and two
Russian shuttle missions. Decorations include DSM, Silver Star, Legion
of Merit, and Croix de Guerre.
'Cowboy' Owen Roane flew 10 missions before being given the position
of Lead Pilot. After 10 more missions he was commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant for a total of 28 missions. On the Bremen mission, he was a
Flying Officer. During his tour of duty in the European theatre, he never
aborted a mission. Decorations include DFC with Oak Leaf Clusters, Air
Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Presidential Citation with two Oak
Leaf Clusters.
Robert Rosenthal enlisted on December 8, 1941, and joined the 100th
Bomb Group in the fall of 1943 as a pilot. On his third mission, 'Rosie'
flew the only B17 ('Royal Flush') to return to Thorpe Abbotts from the
Munster raid. At the time of the Bremen mission, he was a 2nd
Lieutenant. Rosenthal completed 52 missions and went on to become an
Assistant Prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials. Decorations include DFC,
DSC, Silver Star, and Air Medal with seven clusters.
Signing room for MEN OF THE CENTURY at the Cincinnati Regal Hotel,
Cincinnati OH beginning of October 1999. Front row left to right: Robert
Rosenthal, General Jeffrey, Owen 'Cowboy' Roane, Harry Crosby. Back
row: Wallace McNish, instigator of the project, and the artist.
Robert Rosenthal signs MEN OF THE CENTURY.
Robert Rosenthal (left) with McNish.
The Story
By 04:00 on the morning of October 8, 1943, the departments of Group
Photo, Armament, Signals, Ordnance, Navigation, Transportation,
Weather, and Flying Control had been notified of the impending mission.
The men were awakened at 07:00. After breakfast and briefing, engines
were started at 11:30. The first B17 of the Lead Squadron took off at
11:43. This was 'Our Babe,' depicted crossing the field at about fifteen
hundred feet in Robert Bailey's painting 'Men of The Century.' With her is
a no-name B17. As men stand anxiously on the Thorpe Abbotts control
tower, 'Holy Terror,' (right) 'Queen Bee' and 'Marie Helena' taxi past.
'Marie Helena' was to collide with a FW190 on this mission.
This limited edition print is to honor all those men, both in aircrew and
groundcrew, who have made the 'Bloody Hundredth' a living legend.
The Hundredth Bomb Group
Little remains as evidence of the size, scope and activity that occurred at
Thorpe Abbotts less than sixty years ago. The calmness of the
countryside and few remaining dilapidated structures belie the titanic
struggle that occurred at this former Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber
base that housed the famous 'Bloody Hundredth.'
Then, young men who grew older than their years, faced an enemy in the
air whom at times decimated their ranks. Yet time and time again, the men
and machines rose to do battle high in the stratosphere, deep into the
heartland of Nazi Germany.
Inevitably, they would face the onslaught of other young men in enemy
fighters, accurate flak, and the elements of nature that would conspire to
reduce the average life expectancy of the bomber crews to as few as six
missions. The goal of twenty five missions to qualify for rotation back to
the zone of the interior, appeared to be impossible to achieve. These
were hard, dark days that greeted the Americans who joined in the fight
for freedom and democracy with their British counterparts.
The names of the targets became legend, as did the men who
participated in the missions. Regensburg, Schweinfurt, and Bremen. To
those who remember the air war, those names evoke a terror and
reverence that only they can know.
Now, only the wind blows across the empty fields at Thorpe Abbotts and
other former air bases in England. But to those who flew there during
those former times, the ground remains sacred and is seared into their
memories.
The 100th Bomb Group built a proud heritage in those years that stands
today upon duty, personal sacrifice and honor. They would be among
the first to admit that they were only doing what was called of them to do.
But the record still proudly stands. They completed their assigned tasks,
though they were bloodied in the conflict.
They were THE MEN OF THE CENTURY.
Harry Crosby was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1942 and
served two years overseas with the 100th Bomb Group. He flew 37
missions, mostly as the Lead Navigator. He was the task force lead
navigator on the Bremen mission. Decorations include DFG (three times),
Air Medal (seven times), Bronze Star, two Presidential Citations and Croix
de Guerre with Silver Star (two times).
General Tom Jeffrey was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group in May 1944
as Officer Commanding. His rank at the time of the Bremen mission was
Major, although he retired as a Lieutenant Major General. Among the
missions he flew were Rostok, Berlin, Stutgart, Schweinfurt and two
Russian shuttle missions. Decorations include DSM, Silver Star, Legion
of Merit, and Croix de Guerre.
'Cowboy' Owen Roane flew 10 missions before being given the position
of Lead Pilot. After 10 more missions he was commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant for a total of 28 missions. On the Bremen mission, he was a
Flying Officer. During his tour of duty in the European theatre, he never
aborted a mission. Decorations include DFC with Oak Leaf Clusters, Air
Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Presidential Citation with two Oak
Leaf Clusters.
Robert Rosenthal enlisted on December 8, 1941, and joined the 100th
Bomb Group in the fall of 1943 as a pilot. On his third mission, 'Rosie'
flew the only B17 ('Royal Flush') to return to Thorpe Abbotts from the
Munster raid. At the time of the Bremen mission, he was a 2nd
Lieutenant. Rosenthal completed 52 missions and went on to become an
Assistant Prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials. Decorations include DFC,
DSC, Silver Star, and Air Medal with seven clusters.
Signing room for MEN OF THE CENTURY at the Cincinnati Regal Hotel,
Cincinnati OH beginning of October 1999. Front row left to right: Robert
Rosenthal, General Jeffrey, Owen 'Cowboy' Roane, Harry Crosby. Back
row: Wallace McNish, instigator of the project, and the artist.
Robert Rosenthal signs MEN OF THE CENTURY.
Robert Rosenthal (left) with McNish.
The Story
By 04:00 on the morning of October 8, 1943, the departments of Group
Photo, Armament, Signals, Ordnance, Navigation, Transportation,
Weather, and Flying Control had been notified of the impending mission.
The men were awakened at 07:00. After breakfast and briefing, engines
were started at 11:30. The first B17 of the Lead Squadron took off at
11:43. This was 'Our Babe,' depicted crossing the field at about fifteen
hundred feet in Robert Bailey's painting 'Men of The Century.' With her is
a no-name B17. As men stand anxiously on the Thorpe Abbotts control
tower, 'Holy Terror,' (right) 'Queen Bee' and 'Marie Helena' taxi past.
'Marie Helena' was to collide with a FW190 on this mission.
This limited edition print is to honor all those men, both in aircrew and
groundcrew, who have made the 'Bloody Hundredth' a living legend.
The Hundredth Bomb Group
Little remains as evidence of the size, scope and activity that occurred at
Thorpe Abbotts less than sixty years ago. The calmness of the
countryside and few remaining dilapidated structures belie the titanic
struggle that occurred at this former Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber
base that housed the famous 'Bloody Hundredth.'
Then, young men who grew older than their years, faced an enemy in the
air whom at times decimated their ranks. Yet time and time again, the men
and machines rose to do battle high in the stratosphere, deep into the
heartland of Nazi Germany.
Inevitably, they would face the onslaught of other young men in enemy
fighters, accurate flak, and the elements of nature that would conspire to
reduce the average life expectancy of the bomber crews to as few as six
missions. The goal of twenty five missions to qualify for rotation back to
the zone of the interior, appeared to be impossible to achieve. These
were hard, dark days that greeted the Americans who joined in the fight
for freedom and democracy with their British counterparts.
The names of the targets became legend, as did the men who
participated in the missions. Regensburg, Schweinfurt, and Bremen. To
those who remember the air war, those names evoke a terror and
reverence that only they can know.
Now, only the wind blows across the empty fields at Thorpe Abbotts and
other former air bases in England. But to those who flew there during
those former times, the ground remains sacred and is seared into their
memories.
The 100th Bomb Group built a proud heritage in those years that stands
today upon duty, personal sacrifice and honor. They would be among
the first to admit that they were only doing what was called of them to do.
But the record still proudly stands. They completed their assigned tasks,
though they were bloodied in the conflict.
They were THE MEN OF THE CENTURY.
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This Scenario
October 8, 1943. Flying
Fortresses of the 100th Bomb
Group leave Thorpe Abbotts,
England, launching
themselves into the battle over
Europe. Their target: Bremen,
Germany.
October 8, 1943. Flying
Fortresses of the 100th Bomb
Group leave Thorpe Abbotts,
England, launching
themselves into the battle over
Europe. Their target: Bremen,
Germany.
