SGT Albert R. Meyer Lucky Ball

From the ABMC website:


Albert R. Meyer


Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # 38438162
511th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group, Heavy

Entered the Service from: New Mexico
Died: 22-Dec-43
Buried at: Plot F Row 1 Grave 21
Cambridge American Cemetery
Cambridge, England

Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart

Brent,

Unfortunately there is no ISBN.  I have checked each of the books and no dice.  This project was undertaken for the Eighth Air Force Memorial Museum Foundation and I believe that Paul Andrews and William Adams did everything from the research to the printing and binding to the distribution.  If you do an internet search for the Foundation about the only thing that comes up is the following link:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/hcla/eighthairforce/collection.html
which says that the Foundation is now an arm of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society.  But my foggy memory says that it use to be an independent organization. 

The books cover the entire Eighth Air Force and span almost 2000 pages of material.  I have two sets, one for everyday work and the other for a back up.

Hal

OK Hal,
I will await your second e-mail address.
 
Brent

Brent:
I believe Hal is correct - the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) -- that 10-digit number and bar code that uniquely identifies books published internationally and whose purpose is to identify one title from one specific publisher, thus allowing for more efficient marketing of .... blah blah blah ... sorry - Paul Andrews is the writer, publisher and distributor and hence the only source is his garage.

Covers all 8th AF Groups / squadrons / planes and crewmen and their MACR status -- I wish it also covered the other numbered AF's but no.

Cheers
BC

Brent - Bits and Pieces is a 4 Volume Set.
The 1st Volume of Bits and Pieces is titled:
Heavy Bombers of the Mighty Eighth 
It lists most A/C of all 8th AF Bomb Groups by Group and Serial #
with History of most listed. 
It also has an Index of A/C Names and a Bibliography
of where an A/C Picture can be found.
These are not totally complete as New Books have been published
and Photos and Information have surfaced after Bits and Pieces
was Published - Vol. 1-1995 and 2,3,4 - 1997.
All Research Materials for these Books are now Archived
at the Penn State University Library.
Mike

ShooShooBaby,
Thanks for the information on the Bits & Pieces.  I didn't expect so much help and sources.  Really appreciate it.   
 
At least now, I know how many books there are and what to search for, if the books are out there or at Penn State.  Perhaps I can even locate Paul Andrew and with a little luck, purchase copies if he has extras. 
 
All the best.
 
Brent    

Don Meyers,
Hal's crew listing indicates your Dad was from Roswell, NM. 
Did he grow up there and do you still have family there? 
 
FYI, I grew up there.  Attended Military Heights Elementary School, East Jr. High, Roswell High, NM Military Institute and Goddard High Schools. 
 
My Dad was a B-52 pilot stationed at Walker AFB there and retired from the AF at Roswell in 1966, a year before the airbase was closed by President Johnson & MacNamara.  Seems a NM Senator voted against Johnson's Great Society bill so as you know,  politicians usually get even.  Walker AFB was closed and Roswell became a ghost town.  
 
You may find this ironic, but my neighbor here in Las Vegas, her father, a B-24 navigator & guest of the Swedes as an intern during WWII, was the last AF officer to leave Walker AFB, and lock the gates forever when it was finally closed.  
Small world isn't it?      
 
Brent Morris
North Las Vegas, NV
captainbmorris@hotmail.com      

It looks like your dad arrived at Polebrook in the fall of 1943. From your dad's last mission you have the following crew list:
 
22 Dec. 1943 - Osnabruck, Germany
42-39778  DS-A  Lucky Ball
ATO 11:14
P  2Lt Lewis J. Maginn
CP 2Lt Walter H. Brooks
N  2Lt James D. McMorrow KIA
B  2Lt Wallace J. Rufeisen
TT S/Sgt David R. Shrom
RO S/Sgt Boyd E. Baker
LW Sgt Albert R. Meyer KIA
RW Sgt Edward H. Bucceri KIA
BT S/Sgt Docite Nadeau KIA
TG S/Sgt Clarence A. Rowlison KIA
 
His earlier missions are: (Crew members are listed where different from above mission.)
 
26 Nov 1943 - Bremen, Germany
42-39778  DS-A  Lucky Ball
Actual Time Out 08:23
Actual Time Returned 15:17
TT Sgt Thomas F. Harkins
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
BT Sgt Walter R. Snyder
TG Sgt James F. Phillips
(This is probably the "original" crew.)
 
29 Nov 1943 - Bremen, Germany
42-39778  DS-A  Lucky Ball
ATO 11:11 - ATR 16:03:30
Mission was recalled by group leader, after a number of ships aborted because of weather.
(Same crew as 26 Nov.)
 
1 Dec 1943 - Solingen, Germany
42-37731 TU-A
(Crew was to take 42-29821 YB-F Argonaut, but plane failed to take off. No ATO for 731-A given. Plane landed at Framlingham.)
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
RW S/Sgt John S. Emigh
TG Sgt James F. Phillips KIA
(Phillips oxygen supply failed.)
 
5 Dec 1943 - Paris, France (No bombs dropped, 10/10 overcast.)
42-39778  DS-A  Lucky Ball
ATO 08:31 - ATR 13:45
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
BT Sgt John W. Reed
TG S/Sgt Richard S. Drews
 
13 Dec 1943 - Kiel, Germany
42-37832 RQ-N Casa de Embriagos
ATO 08:42 - ATR 15:37
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
BT Sgt Walter R. Snyder
TG Sgt James Mansfield (509th)
 
16 Dec 1943 - Bremen (Recalled - Overcast, no bombs dropped.)
42-29858 YB-G Murder Incorporated 
ATO 08:41 - ATR 15:04
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
BT Sgt Walter R. Snyder
TG SSgt John H. Swistak
 
20 Dec 1943 - Bremem, Germany
42-29877 DS-X Speed Ball
ATO 08:32 - ATR 11:07
(Crew aborted - TG sick)
RO Sgt Lester W. McClure
BT Sgt Walter R. Snyder
TG SSgt Kenneth E. O'Brien