Men of the Century   by Robert Bailey

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.

Signatures

Prints come with bio-card, showing photos and biographies of signees.

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.