The solitary Allied B-17 bomber was an easy target. Down to one working engine and riddled with flak and bullets, the aircraft would struggle to stay in the air over Germany let alone cover the 300 miles back to England.

Cannon fire had blasted away the aircraft's nose cone, causing a 200mph wind to howl through the open fuselage of the plane.

The tail gunner's lifeless body hung from his shattered turret, his blood frozen in icicles over the machine guns and all but one of the crew in the rear were incapacitated by wounds or exposure to the frigid air.

Just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse for the plane's 21-year-old pilot Charlie Brown, he noticed a Nazi fighter plane readying himself to deal the final, lethal blow to his crippled aircraft.

But what happened next is an extraordinary story of chivalry and mercy from World War II, providing a glimmer of humanitarian light amid the dark tragedy of the conflict.

The German pilot chose to spare his enemy by escorting the damaged plane to the safety of the English Channel.

Then against all odds, a half-century later, the two men became friends and remained close until their deaths less than six months apart. …”

DailyMail article:
https://mol.im/a/13703123

That is a great story. Thank you for sharing it. My dad was one of those 21 year-old B-17 pilots flying out of England, so this really hits home for me.


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I read the book about this incident "A Higher Call" and it is excellent. Highly recommended. It gives good details of the German Pilots life and how he honored the stricken crew instead of shooting it down. The Pilots became friends after the war. Very good book.

Does the story discuss how the German pilot became a Nazi?
The Nazi Party had strict membership requirements that not everyone could satisfy in order to join, and even among those were eligible, not everyone chose to become a member.

Referring to all Germans in World War II as “Nazis” is like calling all US military members during the war “Democrats.” And although I could be wrong, I’m pretty sure there were no aircraft in the Nazi Party.

The book goes into detail about the German pilots life at the end of the war. It is a very good read...

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Does the story discuss how the German pilot became a Nazi?
The Nazi Party had strict membership requirements that not everyone could satisfy in order to join, and even among those were eligible, not everyone chose to become a member.

Referring to all Germans in World War II as “Nazis” is like calling all US military members during the war “Democrats.” And although I could be wrong, I’m pretty sure there were no aircraft in the Nazi Party.

Exactly.

Franz Stigler was not a member of the Nazi Party.

That's just typical media hyperbole, tossing around "Nazi" to punch up the headline and story to get more clicks.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

Franz Stigler was not a member of the Nazi Party.

That's just typical news hyperbole, tossing around "Nazi" to punch up the headline and story to get more clicks.

+1000000

This is typical sensationalist and lazy writing.

Franz Stigler was a great man, and I HIGHLY recommend reading A Higher Call. It is one of my top 10 favorite WWII books (and I have read literally hundreds of WWII books).

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
Franz Stigler was a great man, and I HIGHLY recommend reading A Higher Call. It is one of my top 10 favorite WWII books (and I have read literally hundreds of WWII books).

I agree, the book as a great read.

Great story.

Sitting in a church meeting right now and a talk on charity just discussed this story. And yes, I just got in trouble with Mrs. BB61 for looking at the forum even though we had a little break.

This story comes up from time to time on SF.

Each time I do insert the factual comment that my uncle was the bombadier on this particular B17, and survived the war.

He was a very sweet mannered guy. Great sense of humor.

quote:

Originally posted by ChuckFinley:
This story comes up from time to time on SF.

Each time I do insert the factual comment that my uncle was the bombadier on this particular B17, and survived the war.

He was a very sweet mannered guy. Great sense of humor.

I missed the other times you've mentioned this. Thanks for sharing it.


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quote:

Originally posted by ChuckFinley:
This story comes up from time to time on SF.

Each time I do insert the factual comment that my uncle was the bombadier on this particular B17, and survived the war.

He was a very sweet mannered guy. Great sense of humor.

Wasn't the bombardier seat on the B17 in the nose...that was reportedly "blown away"?

Not questioning your history, just curious.

Wasn't the bombardier seat on the B17 in the nose...that was reportedly "blown away"?

Not questioning your history, just curious.[/QUOTE]

I understand. The perspex (I think is what they were made from) was heavily damaged, but he survived, and was tending to wounded crew members at the time that Franz was on his initial attack vector. My uncle died of an arrhythmia decades later. He had heart trouble and they lived near VA medical care in the Southwest. For his heart my aunt and he went on walks, daily. One morning she went back inside for something she forgot, and when she came back out he was down on the driveway and gone.

He relished the story, and the crew reunions which he had been able to attend - including when they had Franz Stigler attend. At the time he passed there was very little mention of this mission in the press or public consciousness. He gave me a copy of a book that basically only reviewed it in passing, in essentially a paragraph. He would have been amazed and delighted to know that the story is now told more widely. I have a couple artists' artwork of the encounter, and one of the Corgi limited edition sets made specifically of these two planes.

Pretty cool family history there sir. There's only been three in my family who have served: An uncle who was airborne in Korea, another uncle (by marriage) as a Marine in Vietnam, and myself, who went nowhere.

What amazes me about your story is that the PIC of that plane was only 21 years old. I look around nowadays at 21 year old kids and think, "can you imagine this kid as the pilot of a bomber over Europe?". Whatever would he do with his iPhone? Perhaps he could Facetime with his pals back home...

Not to nitpick but wasn’t the ME262 introduced in jet form in 1944? The incident occurred in 1943 ?

Otherwise very heartwarming story.

quote:

Originally posted by ElToro:
Not to nitpick but wasn’t the ME262 introduced in jet form in 1944? The incident occurred in 1943 ?

Otherwise very heartwarming story.

Franz started in 109s in N Africa, and was in one when this incident happened. He later joined the 262 squadrons, and survived the war. That I am aware of he was only one of 2-3 pilots to be fully active in air combat for Germany for that duration. There was a higher ranking officer, whom Franz didn't like, who started in N Africa and ended in 262s, but in an administrative, not combat role.

Will have to look that book up. My father likes WWII history and it sounds like something we'd both enjoy reading.

quote:

Originally posted by ElToro:
Not to nitpick but wasn’t the ME262 introduced in jet form in 1944? The incident occurred in 1943 ?

Otherwise very heartwarming story.

Franz flew Me-109s for most of his career, and only flew the -262 in the last months of the war.

Here is a painting depicting the event.



I was at the US Air Force Academy years ago, and freaked out to see a B-17 flying around the area. I freaked even MORE when I saw it had the "K" in the triangle on its tail. I believe this aircraft was painted to represent the B-17, "Ye Olde Pub", which was the B-17 in the original incident.

But this one has 3 engines running?