Michael's Messengers

About the Book

In 1931, just three months after his mother’s untimely death, 11-year-old Jacob Grunfeld and his father fled Poland on the eve of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. For eight years he lived the American dream in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland where he resided with his German-born father a noted thoracic surgeon. Fearing anti-Semitism, even in America, Jacob’s father changed their surname to Meadows and young Jacob became Jack Meadows. During high school Jack learned to fly and discovered a passion that consumed him for the rest of his life. Jack was an extremely exceptional student both in the air and on the ground.

Jack graduated college with honors at 18 years of age. In 1939, Jack Meadows, now an American citizen, returned to his native homeland to serve with the Polish Air Force in a futile attempt to halt Nazi aggression and the eventual murder of six million Jews.

After Poland was defeated, Jack made his way to England where he joined the RAF. By early 1941, he became the leading fighter pilot among his peers in the Allied Air Forces and was a highly decorated hero of the Battle of Britain.

In 1942, Jack was selected to command the 1^st Polish Air Force Wing, one of the many foreign units that were an integral part of RAF.  In 1939-40, when they were reconstituted in Britain, the Poles distinguished themselves and played a significant role in defeating the Luftwaffe while the Nazis were ravaging their native country.

Jack met the love of his life who eventually left him, and met the passion of his life who disappointed him. The women he dearly loved abandoned him. He risked his life for a country that adopted him. He challenged the Luftwaffe whose fiercely skilled pilots had much in common with him. Though Jack was Polish by birth, American by choice and British by fate, he was a German in all other respects thanks to his father.

Jack Meadows is a complex young hero whose contribution to the eventual Allied victory in Europe is recounted in this the first of three books on his life, his loves, and his personal victories and failures. Though Jack is a fictional character he symbolizes the countless unrecognized but deserving lads who dueled in aerial combat on both sides of the English Channel.

This exciting historical novel is filled with action, drama, suspense, romance and a stream of consciousness that is relevant well into the first decade of the 21^st century. War stories may be common but Jack Meadows is an uncommon warrior.

About the Author

Lewis Allen Lambert is a retired military officer who has been involved in some of the more interesting events during the past 45 years. His experience spans the cold war era to Vietnam where he served during 1968 TET offensive. As a media relations consultant he was involved with the embedded media program during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Mr. Lambert’s interest in 20^th century military history was piqued early in his life when he became enthralled with British-made war movies circa 1939-1955.

One of his history professors Dr. Gordon W. Prange, the author of Tora, Tora, Tora, Miracle at Midway and At Dawn We Slept, motivated him to pursue his interest in the Second World War. Dr. Prange was one of the most noted historians of his time. His impassioned oratory transported his students to the place and time of his lectures. Unlike most history professors, Dr. Prange lived the history he taught. He was a university student in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power, he served as a naval officer during the Second World War and he was a key member of General MacArthur’s staff during the Korean War.

Years later, when Mr. Lambert was stationed in Hawaii, he observed the filming of Tora, Tora, Tora and reconnected with Dr. Prange’s legacy. Although Mr. Lambert didn’t live the history of his novel like his professor had, he transferred himself through research and imagination to the time when heroes like Jack Meadows fought and died.

Mr. Lambert is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in Political Science; he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado.