Archangel
09-27-2007, 09:52
Aviation History - Charlie Brown's Story
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 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 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!! Not suprisingly, they are both close friends today.
Stigler's Story
Then there's the time an Allied sub checked out his landed aircraft (must have been when he was in the flying boat). I don't remember if he was boarded or not, but it has to do with an infirmary/hospital, so maybe the boat had wounded on board and was let go. Anyone from the con remember?
Also, very notable, though he's probably too much of a gentleman to mention it himself... Once when he was on his own he came upon a wounded B-17 that was struggling home. He saddled up behind it and saw that the tail gunner was dead... the bomber was limping home so he flew around it to check it out. It didn't fire on him.
He tried to indicate to the B-17s pilot that he wanted him to settle the plane down in Germany, but the American would have none of that. Stigler then tried to point him towards Sweden, since he still had enough fuel in his fighter to stay with him for that length of time.
The B-17 kept flying towards England, though, barely able to keep flying (it was the most badly damaged bomber Stigler had ever seen that was still aiborne) and totally defenseless.
Stigler escorted him for a while, then finally waggled his wings and headed for home, never having fired upon the four engined bomber that was totally at his mercy. The B-17 limped home losing altitude all the way and made it to England at only 200 feet and landed with extreme difficulty right away.
Charles Brown (the B-17 pilot) couldn't tell the story for years since it was classified as secret - during war time it wouldn't do well to talk about Germans who were decent human beings.
Stigler never talked about it during the war or he would have been executed.
Years later, they met up and have become fast friends. At the WarBirds con they both told the story from their own perspective and a couple of news stories were shown that had been filmed a few years back. I tell ya, there wasn't a dry eye in the house!
There are plenty more stories, too. One time when he bailed in cloud cover, opened his chute and landed within seconds. He had no idea he was so close to the ground and landed on a mountain that he didn't even know was there! I think that's when he put the parachute to use with a Fraulein in the closest village.
An amazing man, without a doubt. Not only for his incredible experiences as an aviator, but also for his humility (the contrast to Gabreski's booming voice -- who was also a guest speaker -- was remarkable) and a true act of benevolence.
Thought it was a good story that I wanted to share with you guys.
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 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 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!! Not suprisingly, they are both close friends today.
Stigler's Story
Then there's the time an Allied sub checked out his landed aircraft (must have been when he was in the flying boat). I don't remember if he was boarded or not, but it has to do with an infirmary/hospital, so maybe the boat had wounded on board and was let go. Anyone from the con remember?
Also, very notable, though he's probably too much of a gentleman to mention it himself... Once when he was on his own he came upon a wounded B-17 that was struggling home. He saddled up behind it and saw that the tail gunner was dead... the bomber was limping home so he flew around it to check it out. It didn't fire on him.
He tried to indicate to the B-17s pilot that he wanted him to settle the plane down in Germany, but the American would have none of that. Stigler then tried to point him towards Sweden, since he still had enough fuel in his fighter to stay with him for that length of time.
The B-17 kept flying towards England, though, barely able to keep flying (it was the most badly damaged bomber Stigler had ever seen that was still aiborne) and totally defenseless.
Stigler escorted him for a while, then finally waggled his wings and headed for home, never having fired upon the four engined bomber that was totally at his mercy. The B-17 limped home losing altitude all the way and made it to England at only 200 feet and landed with extreme difficulty right away.
Charles Brown (the B-17 pilot) couldn't tell the story for years since it was classified as secret - during war time it wouldn't do well to talk about Germans who were decent human beings.
Stigler never talked about it during the war or he would have been executed.
Years later, they met up and have become fast friends. At the WarBirds con they both told the story from their own perspective and a couple of news stories were shown that had been filmed a few years back. I tell ya, there wasn't a dry eye in the house!
There are plenty more stories, too. One time when he bailed in cloud cover, opened his chute and landed within seconds. He had no idea he was so close to the ground and landed on a mountain that he didn't even know was there! I think that's when he put the parachute to use with a Fraulein in the closest village.
An amazing man, without a doubt. Not only for his incredible experiences as an aviator, but also for his humility (the contrast to Gabreski's booming voice -- who was also a guest speaker -- was remarkable) and a true act of benevolence.
Thought it was a good story that I wanted to share with you guys.