Charlie Brown. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Gurkha · #1 07-06-2009, 10:54 PM

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

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.

Thats the real story about Germans instead of the media crud passed around since the end of the war. There were many more examples from both sides during the war similar to this.

WVOtoGO · #2 07-06-2009, 11:23 PM

Friend or foe.
There has always been…and always will be…a certain bond, as well as respect for one another amongst aviators.

There are many stories like this from every war.

Thanks for sharing it.

- Shelby

t walgamuth · #3 07-07-2009, 12:27 AM

I am sure there are other stories of similar happenings. This is a great story, thanks for sharing it with us..

I am reading a book about the american civil war which focuses on the common soldiers. There were many examples of the bond of respect between soldiers on opposing sides told in it. At times when both armies were dug into trenches men from different sides would sing songs together. They also would crawl out from their lines in the late evening and play cards together in no mans land and similar things.

Men caught in war are still men and can and will act humanely in many cases toward their enemies in non combat specific situations.

mpolli · #4 07-07-2009, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

Thats the real story about Germans instead of the media crud passed around since the end of the war.

Which media crud was that? You mean that whole "World War II" thing?

t walgamuth · #5 07-07-2009, 06:05 AM

Gurkha, you're not a holocost denier by any chance are you?

Gurkha · #6 07-07-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

Which media crud was that? You mean that whole "World War II" thing?

That all Germans who were in the armed forces were evil Nazis personified. They were extremely brave and competent bunch of patriotic people fighting against huge odds and incompetent leaders with wrong priorities. As humans they were no less than any.

Gurkha · #7 07-07-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Gurkha, you're not a holocost denier by any chance are you?

Tom,

Do you deny all the atrocities past and present done by all in name of their sinister agenda?

Phil · #8 07-07-2009, 10:29 AM

The father of a friend of mine when I was growing up was in the German army and he said he was in it because he didn't have a choice and didn't want to kill anyone. I think you could find many stories like the avaitor one from all sides in most conflicts. Many of the people involved doen't want to be there but they are lead by extremests.

LUVMBDiesels · #9 07-07-2009, 10:43 AM

There was a big difference between the German Armed Forces and the SS. The Army, Air Force, and Navy were institutions with a long history of honor and courage. The SS was a political army that was supposed to take over the role of all the armed forces and be loyal only to Hitler. The SS was home to the worst of the NAZI fanatics. The German forces and especially the High Command were not especially NAZIs or that respectful of Hitler. Becaus eof this Hitler would regularly fire the top Generals trying to get a bunch that would back his ideas. He eventually just ran things himself and had such notable successes as the last stand at Stalingrad and the misplacement of troops on the Atlantic Wall...

Just because there was a swastika on an airplane or on somebody's helmet did not make them a NAZI...

Of course to the Allies they were all NAZI b@stards who deserved to be shot.

pj67coll · #10 07-07-2009, 10:45 AM

I had heard about this story many years ago when I visite the since relocated "Champlin fighter museum" in Mesa AZ. No doubt there are more such stories from conflicts.

I recall a late uncle of mine who few Martin Marauders (B26's) with the South African Airforce in north africa and Italy during WWII. After the war living in a small town in SA he became quite a big fish in a church charity organization. There was a german guy in the same group. Turned out that he had been a flak gunner in Italy and the two of them had been trying to kill each other a few decades before. Ironic how they wound up thereafter.

- Peter.