Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 07:09 PM - FW: Fw: FW: True Warriors... (nico css)
Message 1
INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
Subject: | FW: Fwd: FW: True Warriors... |
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.....
1
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.
2 2
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.
3
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>
http://www.snopes.com/military/charliebrown.asp
THIS WAS BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS HONOR IN BEING A WARRIOR...THEY
PROUDLY WORE UNIFORMS, AND THEY DIDN'T HIDE IN AMBUSH INSIDE A MOSQUE, OR
BEHIND WOMEN AND CHILDREN, NOR DID THEY USE MENTALLY RETARDED WOMEN AS
SUICIDE BOMBERS TO TARGET AND KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS...HOW TIMES HAVE
CHANGED......
<http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=109094&rui=104675938> FREE
Animations for your email - by IncrediMail! Click Here!
Other Matronics Email List Services
These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.
-- Please support this service by making your Contribution today! --
|