Posted on 12/10/2012 5:24:17 AM PST by mware
The day a chivalrous German flying ace saluted a crippled US bomber and let them fly to safety instead of shooting them down.
*Charlie Brown's B-17F bomber had come under fire from 15 enemy planes during successful mission.
*Franz Stigler pursued it, but when he saw the damage he let it fly home to safety, guided by the moral code laid down by his commanding officer.
The bombing mission targeting a German munitions factory had been a success, but Second World War pilot Charlie Brown's attempts to get home safely seemed doomed to failure.
His B-17F bomber had been attacked by no fewer than 15 planes - leaving one of his crew dead and six wounded; 2nd Lt Brown himself had been knocked out and regained consciousness just in time to right his plane after it went into a dangerous nose dive.
But as he tried to return from the raid on Bremen to the safety of Allied territory after the mission on December 20, 1943, the danger was not over.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
One other thing, the date was Dec 20th 1943
Amazing. A different era of honor (though I think we still find that among our own troops). I’m so pleased they were still able to meet each other and have that connection. Than you for sharing. I’m a little misty eyed at the moment.
Thanks for that link...what a lovely tie-in to the heart warming story above.
stupid screen getting all blurry on me
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