Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: bmwgs on August 10, 2010, 11:32:43 AM
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I received the below information in an email from a friend. I thought is was interesting and wanted to pass it on to others who have an interest in WWII. I was not sure how to post the email, so I just copied and pasted. I hope I didn't leave anything out. None of the below comments were inserted by me. It is as I received it in the email.
Fred
Look carefully at the B-17 and note how shot up it is - one engine dead, tail, horizontal stabilizer and nose shot up.. It was ready to fall out of the sky. (This is a painting done by an artist from the description of both pilots many years later.) Then realize that there is a German ME-109 fighter flying next to it. Now read the story below. I think you'll be surprised ....
(http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww100/bmwgs_ah/ATT00009.jpg)
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 the B-17 over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Stigler 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.
BF-109 pilot Franz Stigler
(http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww100/bmwgs_ah/ATT00012.jpg)
B-17 pilot Charlie Brown
(http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww100/bmwgs_ah/ATT00015.jpg)
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 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.
(L-R) German Ace Franz Stigler, artist Ernie Boyett, and B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.
(http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww100/bmwgs_ah/ATT00018.jpg)
When asked why he didn't shoot them down, Stigler later said, "I didn't have the heart to finish those brave men. I flew beside them for a long time. They were trying desperately to get home and I was going to let them do that. I could not have shot at them. It would have been the same as shooting at a man in a parachute."
Both men died in 2008
This is a true story! http://www.snopes.com/military/charliebrown.asp
HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED ....
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Even back then all was not honor.
While this is an amazing story there were many atrocities commited in WWII.
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Things like that, make me keep what´s left of my faith in mankind...
Mutley :salute
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:salute
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i believe this story was posted the past fall.
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Both men met yearly up until their deaths in 2008.
:salute
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there were many atrocities commited in WWII.
WW2 was an atrocity. War is an atrocity. Atrocity, strange word.
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i believe this story was posted the past fall.
So? Sometimes when I see a book that I know I am really going to like, I buy several copies so I can read it more than once.
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Great story. :aok
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Those guys had respect for each pilot and this was a real life story...people in a video game dont even have half the amount of respect the those guys who flew in WW2 :salute
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people in a video game dont even have half the amount of respect the those guys who flew in WW2 :salute
People in a video game dont get killed half as much either :neener:
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nm
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While this is an amazing story there were many atrocities commited in WWII.
people in a video game dont even have half the amount of respect the those guys who flew in WW2 :salute
Please don't try and start a fight when there isn't one to be had.
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very powerful story :salute
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:salute
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:salute
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A very touching story. Thank you for sharing!
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That just shows that in humanity's darkest hours, we are still capable of keeping our humanity big :salute to that man, and now back to the M/A I will see you all later, I am going to be busy getting shot at in my chute for a bit
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Thanks for posting this story.
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i believe this story was posted the past fall.
Yeah, it gets posted quite often. I read and enjoy each time.
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Yeah, it gets posted quite often. I read and enjoy each time.
Yep. Doesn't get old.
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Please don't try and start a fight when there isn't one to be had.
Please don't look for a fight. This thread has folks discussing what the OP posted.
It takes nothing off what happened in this single story of pilots on opposite sides showing respect for eachother.