Dean Ivan Lamb

G'day Russell,

I found this website which has a collection of articles on Lamb.

http://www.au.af.mil/au/cepme/heritage/res...arch/ltopic.htm


It is a large pdf file. One of the articles claims that Lamb was the first RFC pilot to bring down a German aircraft over England.

Regards,
Andrew.

[Russell]

Supposedly with the American Air Service in Mexico, then the Royal Flying Corp. Post WW I in Honduras and many other places, WWII as grond officer or transport pilot with the Flying Tigers, suicided in 1950's, and supposedly wrote a book in the 1920's? Also the D I Lamb supposedly ( and he is not) an 8 vic ace possible with RE 8's,although I have not found any claims for such a name.

Does any one have any leads on this man??

Thanks

Russell

I've seen a photocopy of a "Who's Who in Aviation" entry for Lamb. I've also seen a listing of British aces published soon after the end of the war that listed Lamb as having eight victories. Seems quite likely that the supposed RFC ace is the same man who fought in Mexico in 1913.

He was not, however, with US forces. Lamb was a mercenary flying for one of the factions in the prolonged civil war-cum-revolution of the early 20th century.

For what it's worth, I've also seen newspaper articles that claim that in the early '30s Lamb was a mercenary pilot in South America. I'm not 100 percent sure that I believe all of this stuff (some men are prone to exagerration, after all). But it sure does make for interesting reading.

[Frank_Olynyk]

Russell,
Check out the PDF file noted in the previous post; it has the most details on Lamb's career. I would note not in the US Air Service in Mexico, but a mercenary for one of the local warlords. He does appear in the June 1918 National Geographic article on aces, with 8 victories. This was written by LaTourette Briggs, who would later ghost-write Fighting the Flying Circus. I have no victories for him in WW1, so I suspect that aspect is phoney. Checking Cole & Cheesman I find two references to a 2ndLt Lamb, no initials, once at Orfordness, and once with 50 Squadron, as participating in defense against two raids, but he did nothing warrenting mention in the text. Lamb then flew for various South American countries. Apparently served in the USAAF during WW2 (certainly not the (real) Flying Tigers =AVG). Died in 1956, but is not on the Social Security Death Benefit file index at Ancestry.com. Appears in Jack Bruce's list of aces in the Harleyford Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War, but that probably comes from the National Geographic article. Does not appear in Hudson's In Clouds of Glory. I would have to say a phoney (and he apparently only made LtCol, not Col). Since bishops pray upon lambs, Al will have a broadcast response in a few days.

Frank.

[Russell]

Thats what I thought gents. Thanks a lot. Somewhere in the recesses of my memory I think there is an RE 8 connection, but as you say I think he is stretching the fiction side of life a bit.

[Billy_Bishop]

Russell,
Check out the PDF file noted in the previous post; it has the most details on Lamb's career. *I would note not in the US Air Service in Mexico, but a mercenary for one of the local warlords. *He does appear in the June 1918 National Geographic article on aces, with 8 victories. *This was written by LaTourette Briggs, who would later ghost-write Fighting the Flying Circus. *I have no victories for him in WW1, so I suspect that aspect is phoney. *Checking Cole & Cheesman I find two references to a 2ndLt Lamb, no initials, once at Orfordness, and once with 50 Squadron, as participating in defense against two raids, but he did nothing warrenting mention in the text. *Lamb then flew for various South American countries. *Apparently served in the USAAF during WW2 (certainly not the (real) Flying Tigers =AVG). *Died in 1956, but is not on the Social Security Death Benefit file index at Ancestry.com. *Appears in Jack Bruce's list of aces in the Harleyford Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War, but that probably comes from the National Geographic article. *Does not appear in Hudson's In Clouds of Glory. *I would have to say a phoney (and he apparently only made LtCol, not Col). *Since bishops pray upon lambs, Al will have a broadcast response in a few days.

Frank.

Funny, I thought it was wolves that prayed upon lambs.

I do have a question, from the picture, Dean Ivan Lamb looks to be African-American? Is this the case??

VBR,

Al Lowe

[rammjaeger]

Al,

is "African-American" PC? *

BTW I thought "The lamb lies down on broadway"?

VBR
Rammjaeger

[Billy_Bishop]

Hi Rammjaeger,

"Is African-American PC?" That is a good question.

I suppose I could have said "black." But, I wasn't sure if that would be understood properly or not.

It's just that to me, his picture hints that he might be, at least partially of black/Negro/African/African-American/Afro-American descent.

And so, I was just wondering if this was the case or not. Although, I sort of doubt it. It makes it difficult to see if he was actually in the USAAF or not. He would likely not have been assigned to any unit other than the 332nd Fighter Group. And he would not have been allowed to fly at all in the USAS during WWI.

So, maybe my question has been answered already.

VBR,

Al Lowe

AEROPLANE of 10 August 1921 has an article, "Aviation in Honduras" which is largely about Ivan D. Lamb. Rather longer than I care to take time to transcribe. Advise me of your mailing address and I will send you a photocopy.