Prussia, Kingdom. The Pour le Mérite and Germany's First Aces, Author Signed Copy

Hardcover, smooth black cloth cover, the award on the front cover and the text on both the spine and the back cover in gold-colored ink, entitled "The Pour le Mérite and Germany's First Aces" by Lieutenant Colonel John R. Angolia (Retired) and Clint R. Hackney Jr., copyrighted by the author in 1984, First Edition, signed in blue ink by "John Angolia" and hand serial numbered in red ink "487" on page 4 as one of the first 500 copies of this edition, layout and design by Jerry Drake, PLM artwork and color photography by Al Lenartson, typeset by Rhonda Hoagland at Wellman Press, Inc., four-color separations by Image Arts, Inc., published by Hackney Publishing Company of Friendswood, Texas, ISBN 0-9613392-0-9. As stated by Jerry Drake on the previously existing dust jacket: "This is a book about a medal and the early airmen who sought to achieve the distinction of wearing it. Never before has the coveted Pour le Mérite been explained so in-depth and its recipients explored so diligently. Anyone who has an interest in the "Blue Max" and the flying men who were awarded it will not be able to put this book down. It is fascinating reading from beginning to end and a credit to the authors who wrote it." It begins with an Acknowledgements, followed by Biographies of both authors, an Author's Request, an Index and an Introduction. The book is divided into four sections: 1. Development of the German Air Force (Pioneers of the German State, Pre-War Developments, The War Years, Index of German Aces); 2. Orden Pour le Mérite (Pour le Mérite, The Award [The Award Document], Higher Degrees of the Pour le Mérite, [Oakleaves {Recipients of the Oakleaves}, Crown, Crown with Diamonds, Peace Cross, Grand Cross], Historical Facts and Misconceptions); 3. Germany' s First Aces (The German Flying Corps Hall of Fame, Alphabetical Index of Recipients of the Pour le Mérite, Chronological Order of Award of the Pour le Mérite, Flying Corps Recipients of the Pour le Mérite [Names, Biographies and Photographs of each of the Eighty-One Recipients of the Pour le Mérite]); 4. Specialty Badges (Military Qualification Badges [Badge for Military Pilots, Badge for Observer Officer, Pilot Commemorative Badge (Army), Badge for Observer from Naval Aircraft, Remembrance Badge for Navy Airship, Naval Sea-Plane Pilot]). It concludes with a single page Bibliography. The book contains 288 pages of text in English, along with multiple photographs, highlighted by the extensive collection of images of the recipients of the award, printed in black ink, with ten pages of color plates added (pages 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 67, 68, 69, 71) printed in four-colour inks, on a coated white paper stock, measuring 157 mm (w) x 235 mm (h) x 19 mm (d). It is missing its original dust jacket, with a soiling mark evident on the front cover endpaper, however, the cover and the pages within remain pristine. Near extremely fine.