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Amazing tale of a desperate WWII US pilot’s encounter with a German flying ace
On Dec. 20, 1943, a young American bomber pilot named Charlie Brown found himself somewhere over Germany, struggling to keep his plane aloft with just one of its four engines still working....a great read. (www.nypost.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Each time I read this story, It gives me hope for humanity. Two great men. Glad they "reunited".
incredible!
Well Obama is not precisely American, so...
Anyways, lets talk airplanes.
Anyways, lets talk airplanes.
Tim speaks straight and true. I would say though, that although the war time situation facing Germany had by that time most definitely taken a turn for the worse (as it had for Japan too), it could still not be said that the war was actually lost; things might have yet been able to go either way. In any event, Mr. Stigler's duty was not to show mercy towards the enemy, his duty was to kill him (or at least shoot down his airplanes). So many years later, we can certainly appreciate the fact that the B 17 crew was spared, but looking at things through a starkly analytical prism, I have to ask, "At what cost to Germans"...modern day "Feel Good" stories not withstanding!
Tim is very intelligent. I hereby officially nominate him as the future Queen of England (Camilla Parker Bowles is out of the running, right?).
No sugar coating here.
Tim is very intelligent. I hereby officially nominate him as the future Queen of England (Camilla Parker Bowles is out of the running, right?).
No sugar coating here.
Sorry Woodrow I cannot accept. I am not English.
Neither am I, but I play one on TV.
Woodrow makes a good point.
I wonder how many RAF fighters would have taken pity on a disabled Heinkel 111 or Dornier 17 and allow its crew a chance to return home and to bomb them again?
How would such action be regarded by RAF Fighter Command or the citizens of London or Coventry staring down the barrel of an apparently imminent German invasion?
Two differences come to mind.
The writing was on the wall for Germany by the time USAAF raids were under way on German soil. Stigler was probably aware that the loss of this crew would not change the outcome.
Sigler's superiors didn't find out and the Americans were on the winning side, so Stigler was never courtmartialled for failing do do his duty and is now regarded as heroic (at least outside Germany) for risking his own neck to save American (and enemy) lives.
It just goes to show that before you get involved in a war, make sure you know who will win and act accordingly!
I wonder how many RAF fighters would have taken pity on a disabled Heinkel 111 or Dornier 17 and allow its crew a chance to return home and to bomb them again?
How would such action be regarded by RAF Fighter Command or the citizens of London or Coventry staring down the barrel of an apparently imminent German invasion?
Two differences come to mind.
The writing was on the wall for Germany by the time USAAF raids were under way on German soil. Stigler was probably aware that the loss of this crew would not change the outcome.
Sigler's superiors didn't find out and the Americans were on the winning side, so Stigler was never courtmartialled for failing do do his duty and is now regarded as heroic (at least outside Germany) for risking his own neck to save American (and enemy) lives.
It just goes to show that before you get involved in a war, make sure you know who will win and act accordingly!