Good story

[Smashing Time]

Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton , England . His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.
After flying over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.
Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane.
Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to, and slightly over, the North Sea towards England. He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, ba ck to Europe.
When Franz landed he told the CO that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.

More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.

They met in the USA at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.

Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver , BC after the war. When they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years!

:kilroy:

I guess I can't upload the pictures

[harleyman]

Thats incredtable..... Great story...

No pics you say......

[Smashing Time]

Thats incredtable..... Great story...

No pics you say......

I can't upload any attachments. can anbody else?

[mrogers]

That's incredible, a wonderful story with a good ending! Its just even more amazing that Franz never told anyone till now.

[nightshade]

Someone should make a repaint.

[euroastar350]

Wonderful story:applause:

[Wing_Z]

It's an amazing story - with another side to it.

By the time of the reunion, there were at least 25 people NOT alive as a result of the bomber crew returning for later sorties...
I've made this comment elsewhere about this story and been accused of cynicism, but you know, war is not actually a romantic thing.
It gets romanticised by people on the winning side who most likely were never involved.
Reverse the roles in the tale, and you'll get my drift.
War is ugly.

[aeromed202]

Great story. As far as uploading pics I can only do it via Firefox Browser. Something in Windows Explorer plain prevents it.

[Brian Bigler]

Subject: Battle-Damaged B-17

A most unusual story.
http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f16247%5fAMwwvs4AACXdSGU7kgTcAVtqI lA&pid=2&fid=Personal&inline=1
Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton, England His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.

After flying over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere .

Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane. Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to and slightly over the North Sea towards England He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe.

When Franz landed he told the C/O that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.

More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions. They met in the USA at a 379th. Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.

http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f16247%5fAMwwvs4AACXdSGU7kgTcAVtqI lA&pid=3&fid=Personal&inline=1

Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver, BC after the war. When they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years!

[TARPSBird]

It's an amazing story - with another side to it.
By the time of the reunion, there were at least 25 people NOT alive as a result of the bomber crew returning for later sorties...
I've made this comment elsewhere about this story and been accused of cynicism, but you know, war is not actually a romantic thing.
It gets romanticised by people on the winning side who most likely were never involved. Reverse the roles in the tale, and you'll get my drift.
War is ugly.
Apparently you enjoy being accused of cynicism. I don't see this story as romanticizing war, it's just an example of one person allowing their decent human nature to govern their actions, vice following orders and killing the crewmen still alive in the defenseless B-17.

[Lionheart]

Pretty honorable back then.

The Germans were pretty aware 'inside' what was going on in the world. They werent dumb to what hitler was about.

I salute Franz!

:ernae: :applause: :ernae:

May no good deed go un-noticed.

[Wing_Z]

...Apparently you enjoy being accused of cynicism...
Not really...I've come across the tale before, and heard a lot of sentimental claptrap being oozed at the time.

Here's what my good friend the ex-Air Force pilot had to say about my stance:

Re Point of Order :---

Pilots operate on a higher level of Honour than the great un-washed herd of Khaki Grunts.

Pilots NEVER shoot-up other pilots who are swinging from their parachutes.

But we have always Honourably incinerated crowded cities and hordes of un-washed Khaki Grunts.

Yours Honourably, A J

Any moment now this discussion may have to move over to another forum...

[TARPSBird]

Any moment now this discussion may have to move over to another forum...
No, that won't be necessary. Everybody's entitled to their opinion, regardless of how somebody else views it (cynical or otherwise).
I didn't think your role-reversal comment was valid. Combat as viewed through a bomb-sight is a lot more abstract and sanitary (and therefore easier on the conscience) than close-in shooting at people you can see. If you're close enough to see blood spatter and tissue where the other guy's turret gunner used to be (as mentioned in the story), you may well decide to give him a pass and catch him some day when he can shoot back.

[Wing_Z]

OK I won't post again on this topic as it is after all a flightsim forum. But to conclude the original thought:
Being able to kill innocent people at a distance, but not an adversary at close range when it gets a little messy, amounts to an admission of cowardice!
Here's the difference: Eying the enemy warrior with your finger on the trigger, allowing him to live, become a POW and return to his loved ones after the conflict, is an Act of Honour.
Letting the enemy warrior get away because you are a little squeamish about pulling the trigger, go home, re-arm and return to massacre your loved ones in the homeland...is PLAIN STUPID, not to mention, an act of treason!
If he'd been found out, he would've been court-martialled and probably shot.
And to validate the role reversal:
An allied airman found doing the same thing would probably have been rightly courtmartialled and shot, too.
Now I'll go back to my flightsim...

[TARPSBird]

Yes, I'd say we're pretty much done here. And the thread didn't have to be locked or moved. :)