Issue 22.12
Charlie Brown was a B-17 Pilot with the 379th Bomb Group at KimboIton, 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 and deeper into German territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.
After flying over a German airfield, a fighter pilot named Franz Steigier, was ordered to take off and shoot down the bomber. 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 was wounded. The top gunner was spread all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.
Despite having plenty of 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 spattered plane.
Aware that the 17’s crew 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 his CO that the plane had been shot down over the North Sea and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie and his crew told all at their de-briefing but were ordered never to talk about it.
More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved his crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked to anyone about this episode. The two met in the USA at a 379th Bomb Group re-union, together with ten people who are alive now, all because Franz never fired his guns that day over the North Sea.
When they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the last 50 years!
Can there ever be greater love than this?
Sam Wyrouck can be contacted at 801-707-2666.