401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: glen
On: 07/21/2001

Can anyone identify the soldier in the photo,"The gang has gone" on the page before the crews photos, at the end of the book please. Many thanks Glen

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: Sam Wyman
On: 07/24/2001

Sir,

Can you shed some light on the 401st Bomb Group Blue Book? What kind of book is it? Does it have photos of aircraft and/or crews? If so, I would be interested in obtaining a copy. Thanks.

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: Glen
On: 07/29/2001

Sam 401st bomb group book has lots of photos and information, Raeally interesting reading.I got minne through a local historian, a few years ago,Try the 401st group on this forum ,hope you manage to get one bye Glen

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: Donald Byers
On: 08/01/2001

I saw one on-sale in an Historic Books Web Page and they wanted something like $250 to $400.00 for it. Since it is out of print. I wished they would do another printing.

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: LYNDA DOBERSTEIN
On: 02/05/2002

JUST PUT A POSTING UP ABOUT MY FATHER ERWIN O STEINKE WHO WAS IN THE 401ST AND PASSED AWAY ON AUG28TH 2001 AT 76 YEARS BUT THATS ALL I KNOW I HAVE THE BLUE BOOK AND IAM LOOKING AT THE PICTURE YOU HAVE IN QUESTION BUT NO NAME UNDER THE PICTURE. THINK MY DADS PICTURE IS UNDER LT COX AND CREW DO YOU KNOW CREW MEMBERS THANKS, WE CANT REMEMBER HIS PLANE NAME, HOW CAN ONE FIND THE PLANE NAMES IN THIS BOOK.

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: glenys
On: 02/06/2002

regarding plane names i cant help you, have you contacted 401st historical group,you will find contact address on 401st home page,good luck,
regards glenys

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: Scitt McElvain
On: 05/10/2002

Be careful buying blue books. It's hard to differentiate the originals from the recent editions.

Re: 401st bomb group blue book

Posted:
By: Win Bryson
On: 03/26/2003

Hi Sam:  My hunt for the "Bluebook" started just like yours (except mine was in those ancient days before websites).

1. The "Bluebook" is the pictorial 401BG(H) Unit History originally published sometine after VE-day.  It looks something like a high-school or college yearbook - it's over-size (about the size of a 3-ring notebook and over 1-ingh thick and) has a "padded" front and back cover.  It's cover is blue, with a big tail section of a B-17 with the 401BG's triangle "S" and yellow "slash" stripe.  It covers the Unit's history - both initiation in the USA, transfer to England plus base, personnel and 8thAAF activities through victory in Europe.  It's attributed author is Capt. Closeway.
   a. There was a second, 401BG Unit History publication - this one not pictorial, just a listing of the Unit's personnel and state-side addresses.  It's small (about 6"x9" and less than 1/4-inch thick).  I've seen it, but don't have one, and I can't even recall where I saw it.
   b. In the "Bluebook" is a section with air-crew photos, a large number of them not identified b-name. From 401BG members, I learned that not only, in the rush to put the book together before "breaking camp" are there these unidentified crews, but also there are crews that are not pictured. Regardless, it's a marvelous Unit History.

2. The Bluebook has apparently been reprinted a few times - the photos in these copies are a "little" less "sharp" than in the original [I have a reprint, but I prize it, regardless, for the content.]

3. I have no idea what the "market value" for originals or reprints.

4. I first saw and read the "Bluebook" through my local (San Francisco) Public Library's inter-library service.  They found and obtained a loan-copy from the US Air Force Academy, Colorado, Library.  [As I recall the inter-library service fee was small and the loan period 2-weeks, just like any other book, and the library took care of shipping between libraries.]

5. The Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, has microfilm of the "Bluebook" pages (as they have of other 401BG documents), but this should only be a last resort - the quality of the microfilm varies greatly (so photocopies from it wouldn't be that nice), cost for that much (marginal quality) repro may not be "worth it"; and although the AFHRA staff have been always helpful, they are  severely understaffed, so inquiried take a very long time to "turn-around".

6. With new "digital" repro technology, maybe "Bluebook" reprinting now could "match" original quality...hint...hint...hint.

Hope this "long-winded" reply helps "short-cut" your searching.