Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler

[Archangel]

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.

[Ret10Echo]

Honor among warriors.

[Archangel]

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!!


http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...d.php?t=105373

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Brown's B-17 was perhaps the most heavily damaged bomber to return from combat. It survived because of an enemy's act of chivalry.


Dec. 20, 1943, was a typically cold, overcast winter day in Britain as 2d Lt. Charles L. Brown's B-17F lined up for takeoff. It was 21-year-old Charlie Brown's first combat mission as an aircraft commander with the 379th Bomb Group, the target an FW-190 factory at Bremen, Germany. He and his crew of Ye Olde Pub were to become participants in an event probably unique at that time in the air war over Europe--a mission that would remain shrouded in mystery for many years.


The bombers began their 10-minute bomb run at 27,300 feet, the temperature: negative 60 degrees. Flak was heavy and accurate. Before "bombs away," Brown's B-17 took hits that shattered the Plexiglas nose, knocked out the number two engine, damaged number four--which frequently had to be throttled back to prevent overspeeding--and caused undetermined damage to the controls. Coming off target, Lieutenant Brown was unable to stay with the formation and became a straggler.


Almost immediately, the lone and limping B-17 came under a series of attacks from 12 to 15 Bf-109s and FW-190s that lasted for more than 10 minutes. The number three engine was hit and would produce only half power. Oxygen, hydraulic, and electrical systems were damaged, and the controls were only partially responsive. The bomber's 11 defensive guns were reduced by the extreme cold to only the two top turret guns and one forward-firing nose gun. The tailgunner was killed and all but one of the crew in the rear incapacitated by wounds or exposure to the frigid air. Lieutenant Brown took a bullet fragment in his right shoulder.


Charlie Brown figured the only chance of surviving this pitifully unequal battle was to go on the offensive. Each time a wave of attackers approached, he turned into them, trying to disrupt their aim with his remaining firepower. The last thing oxygen-starved Brown remembers was reversing a steep turn, becoming inverted, and looking "up" at the ground. When he regained full consciousness, the B-17 was miraculously level at less than 1,000 feet.


Still partially dazed, Lieutenant Brown began a slow climb with only one engine at full power. With three seriously injured aboard, he rejected bailing out or a crash landing. The alternative was a thin chance of reaching the UK. While nursing the battered bomber toward England, Brown looked out the right window and saw a Bf-109 flying on his wing. The pilot waved, then flew across the B-17's nose and motioned Brown to land in Germany, which the aircraft commander refused to do. After escorting them for several miles out over the North Sea, the Luftwaffe pilot saluted, rolled over, and disappeared. Why had he not shot them down? The answer did not emerge for many years.


The B-17 did make it across 250 miles of storm-tossed North Sea and landed at Seething near the English coast, home of the 448th Bomb Group, which had not yet flown its first mission. The crew was debriefed on their mission, including the strange encounter with the Bf-109. For unknown reasons, the debriefing was classified "secret" and remained so for many years. Lieutenant Brown went on to complete a combat tour, finish college, accept a regular commission, and serve in the Office of Special Investigations, with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and in other Air Force and State Department assignments until his retirement. He now lives in Miami, Fla., where he is founder and president of an energy and environmental research center.


The image of his strange encounter with the Bf-109 remained firmly embedded in Charlie Brown's memory. In 1986, he began a search for the anonymous pilot. Finally, in 1990, former Oberleutnant Franz Stigler, now living in Canada, responded to a notice published in a newsletter for German fighter pilots. By comparing time, place, and aircraft markings, it was determined that Stigler was the chivalrous pilot who had allowed Brown's crew to live. Not surprisingly, Brown and Stigler have become close friends.

On that December day in 1943, there had been two persuasive reasons why Stigler should have shot down the B-17. First, earlier in the day, he had downed two four-engine bombers and needed only one more that day to earn a Knight's Cross. Second, his decision to not finish off the aircraft was a court-martial offense in Nazi Germany and if revealed could have led to his execution. He considered these alternatives while flying formation with the B-17, "the most heavily damaged aircraft I ever saw that was still flying." He could see the wounded aboard and thought, "I cannot kill these half-dead people. It would be like shooting at a parachute."


Franz Stigler's act of chivalry has been justly, though belatedly, honored by several military organizations here and abroad. On the other hand, Charles Brown was not decorated for his heroism over Germany, which never was reported by the 448th Bomb Group at Seething to his commanders. Such are the fortunes of war and its aftermath.

[jatx]

Great story, thanks for sharing it!

[SFS0AVN]

That's a great story, I wonder how many other stories are out there similar to this that the individuals never talked about.

[Gypsy]

Incredible story, glad the two were able to meet...

[The Reaper]

Humanity and mercy can be found even in war.

Well done, Oberleutnant Stigler.

Thank you.

TR

[brianksain]

Edited because of pathetically weak SA.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by brianksain

There is a great painting of this event out there somewhere.

Saw it once or twice.

Is it the one shown five posts up?

TR

[brianksain]

Oh what a dork ... sorry TR.

SA fu weak ... back to my hole.

In my own defense ... they didn't show up the first time I posted.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by brianksain

Oh what a dork ... sorry TR.

SA fu weak ... back to my hole.

In my own defense ... they didn't show up the first time I posted.

Just a minor test of your SA, amigo.

TR

[82ndtrooper]

Moral and humanitarian challenges. Stigler found both and honored his enemy.

Amazing story, thanks for sharing.

[brianksain]

Sometimes only the jpg icon is displayed on this site and not the photo proper, unless one clicks on it.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong

Oh well ... having a big ole steamy mug of shut the heck up.

[SouthernDZ]

Attached picture (L-R) German Ace Franz Stigler, artist Ernie Boyett, and B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.

Both Stigler and Brown died in 2008.

True story: http://www.snopes.com/military/charliebrown.asp

[dadof18x'er]

here's a few more pics you might appreciate........

http://www.robertswindholz.com/docs/charleybrown.pdf