Teg
06-05-2009, 04:19 PM
Received this at work today and though some of you might enjoy the story, I believe the story shows that honor can still exist in even the worst of times. *
__________________________________________
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://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab171.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
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.
BF-109 pilot Franz Stigler B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.
http://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab173.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://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab174.jpg
When asked why he didnt shoot them down, Stigler later said, I didnt 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.â
Both men died in 2008.
Lt. Charles L. Brown
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
In November, 1943, Lt. C.L. Brown and crew were assigned to the 379th Bomb
Group, 527th Squadron, at Kimbolton, England. On December 20,1943, Brown’s
crew flew their first combat mission against the heavily defended Focke-Wulf
aircraft plant at Bremen, Germany. Their B-17F Flying Fortress, “Yea Old
Pub”, was severely damaged by flak on the bomb run. With their Plexiglas
nose blown off and two damaged engines, the B-17 fell out of formation.
Like a pack of wolves, 15 Bf-109 and FW-190 German fighters pounced on the
straggler. The brief one-sided battle resulted in on e German fighter
destroyed and one damaged; however, “Yea Old Pub” received near fatal
damage, including controls, a third engine, the electrical and oxygen
systems and five casualties including Brown, who had a bullet fragment in
his right shoulder. The Plane spiraled from 25,000 feet to just above the
ground, where it flew over the edge of a German airfield.
Oblt. Franz Stigler having shot down two B-17’s had landed to re-fuel and
re-arm his Bf-109. He immediately took off in pursuit of his third victory
for the day. As he approached the B-17, he could hardly believe what he saw.
He described the B-17 as “the most badly damaged aircraft I ever saw, which
was still flying.” When he saw the defenseless, wounded men and the dead
tail gunner, he could shoot as, “It would be like shooting at a parachute.”
He stated.
Stigler tried to get Brown to surrender, but when Brown refused to land, he
escorted the B-17 out over the North Sea, saluted the pilot and crew and
departed. “Yea Old Pub” barely made it to England and never flew combat
again.
After receiving crew replacements in January, 1944, Brown was assigned to
fly “Carol Dawn”. M/Sgt. Clarence G. “Shack” Ashcraft, the “Jinxed crew
chief, who had lost his previous three aircraft and crews on their first
combat missions, headed the maintenance crew of “Carol Dawn”.
“Carol Dawn” and the Brown crew broke the Jinx for Ashcraft who was later
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his exceptional maintenance record.
Charlie Brown and his crew never aborted for mechanical reasons while flying
the magnificent “Carol Dawn.” Brown was followed by a series of other pilots
who also did not abort.
By March 25, 1945, the “Carol Dawn” had flown an amazing 125 combat
missions, covering parts of three calendar years, without a single abort for
mechanical reasons. She was shot down twice, landing in Belgium, repaired
and returned to England; a unique, if not “one of a kind” record.
These abort-less missions made a major contribution to the 379th BG
distinguished records of the lowest abort rate, most sorties flown, best
bombing accuracy, and most bombs on target of any Heavy Bombardment Group in
the European Theatre during WWII. The Brown crew completed 29 bombing
missions over Europe with 24 of these being against targets in Germany.
Of over 12,000 plus B-17’s built, over 5,000 were lost to German flak and
fighters. “Carol Dawn” received battle damage on many of her missions. The
Brown crewmembers were credited with most of their 7 German fighters
destroyed while flying “Carol Dawn.”
After combat, Charlie Brown ferried fighters, bombers, and transports around
the UK between April and August 1944. He spent a few months as an instructor
pilot in the U.S. and finished WWII flying C-54 transports in the
Pacific/CBI Theatre. He ended WWII as a Captain, having earned the
Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, The
Purple Heart, two Distinguished Unit Citations and several service ribbons.
Story written by Charles L. Brown
__________________________________________
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://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab171.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
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.
BF-109 pilot Franz Stigler B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.
http://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab173.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://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/ab174.jpg
When asked why he didnt shoot them down, Stigler later said, I didnt 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.â
Both men died in 2008.
Lt. Charles L. Brown
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
In November, 1943, Lt. C.L. Brown and crew were assigned to the 379th Bomb
Group, 527th Squadron, at Kimbolton, England. On December 20,1943, Brown’s
crew flew their first combat mission against the heavily defended Focke-Wulf
aircraft plant at Bremen, Germany. Their B-17F Flying Fortress, “Yea Old
Pub”, was severely damaged by flak on the bomb run. With their Plexiglas
nose blown off and two damaged engines, the B-17 fell out of formation.
Like a pack of wolves, 15 Bf-109 and FW-190 German fighters pounced on the
straggler. The brief one-sided battle resulted in on e German fighter
destroyed and one damaged; however, “Yea Old Pub” received near fatal
damage, including controls, a third engine, the electrical and oxygen
systems and five casualties including Brown, who had a bullet fragment in
his right shoulder. The Plane spiraled from 25,000 feet to just above the
ground, where it flew over the edge of a German airfield.
Oblt. Franz Stigler having shot down two B-17’s had landed to re-fuel and
re-arm his Bf-109. He immediately took off in pursuit of his third victory
for the day. As he approached the B-17, he could hardly believe what he saw.
He described the B-17 as “the most badly damaged aircraft I ever saw, which
was still flying.” When he saw the defenseless, wounded men and the dead
tail gunner, he could shoot as, “It would be like shooting at a parachute.”
He stated.
Stigler tried to get Brown to surrender, but when Brown refused to land, he
escorted the B-17 out over the North Sea, saluted the pilot and crew and
departed. “Yea Old Pub” barely made it to England and never flew combat
again.
After receiving crew replacements in January, 1944, Brown was assigned to
fly “Carol Dawn”. M/Sgt. Clarence G. “Shack” Ashcraft, the “Jinxed crew
chief, who had lost his previous three aircraft and crews on their first
combat missions, headed the maintenance crew of “Carol Dawn”.
“Carol Dawn” and the Brown crew broke the Jinx for Ashcraft who was later
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his exceptional maintenance record.
Charlie Brown and his crew never aborted for mechanical reasons while flying
the magnificent “Carol Dawn.” Brown was followed by a series of other pilots
who also did not abort.
By March 25, 1945, the “Carol Dawn” had flown an amazing 125 combat
missions, covering parts of three calendar years, without a single abort for
mechanical reasons. She was shot down twice, landing in Belgium, repaired
and returned to England; a unique, if not “one of a kind” record.
These abort-less missions made a major contribution to the 379th BG
distinguished records of the lowest abort rate, most sorties flown, best
bombing accuracy, and most bombs on target of any Heavy Bombardment Group in
the European Theatre during WWII. The Brown crew completed 29 bombing
missions over Europe with 24 of these being against targets in Germany.
Of over 12,000 plus B-17’s built, over 5,000 were lost to German flak and
fighters. “Carol Dawn” received battle damage on many of her missions. The
Brown crewmembers were credited with most of their 7 German fighters
destroyed while flying “Carol Dawn.”
After combat, Charlie Brown ferried fighters, bombers, and transports around
the UK between April and August 1944. He spent a few months as an instructor
pilot in the U.S. and finished WWII flying C-54 transports in the
Pacific/CBI Theatre. He ended WWII as a Captain, having earned the
Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, The
Purple Heart, two Distinguished Unit Citations and several service ribbons.
Story written by Charles L. Brown