True Story \\ Fates Intertwined, Stigler and Brown #shorts #ww2

on december 29th 1943, German fighter pilot franz Stiegler pursued an american b17 bomber leaving bremen That was clearly crippled, one engine down and the tail was shot to pieces. Franz was instructed not to shoot enemy soldiers in parachutes, and although they had not bailed out of the plane, it was clear that this aircraft was no threat. he couldn't bring himself to destroy the bomber, he fell back into a rear flank support formation so that german surface guns would not destroy the plane and escorted american pilot charles 'charlie' brown outside of german airspace, once clear of danger, franz nodded to charlie and broke off returning to bremen, franz would not tell anyone about this incident for fear of punishment or execution for helping an enemy aircraft. Charlie Brown was instructed to keep this to himself to maintain the narrative that there were no good germans. 43 years later charlie reached out to see if he could locate the pilot who'd spared him, it took 4 years but eventually franz reached out to him in 1990. franz had been living in vancouver canada since 1953 and Charlie lived in Seattle washington, only 200 miles apart for all this time. They became the best of friends and both of them sadly passed away in 2008.

[HistoryinaHurry_Xx]

This is a really good story!
Subscribe or you’ll stub your toe on the coffee table tonight

[ZachCremisiSky]

Good book too. Franz history as a pilot and how lucky he lived is amazing

[donaldaugustine]

What a great store about human beings. My grandfather Shaffer was in wwI as a motorcycle messenger and had to kill German soldiers. After the war, he contacted all these soldiers' families and gave these family members the soldiers' personal effects. What a great person.

[TheRedBaron]

It was December the 20th 1943. A pilot by the name of Charles "Charlie" Brown was in his B17F, Ye Old Pub. Their mission is to bomb the Focke Wulf plant in Bremen. After being shot at by flak, Ye Old Pub's tail gunner was killed. With only one engine running, and a tail missing, Ye Old Pub went in a steep dive. Thankfully, after being passed out, Charlie managed to bring the Flying Fortress back up. But, unfortunately, Charlie accidentally flew over a Luftwaffe airfield. A German pilot by the name of Lieutenant Franz Stigler, saw the B17, and got in his 109. He was just one kill away from earning Germany's Knight's Cross. After catching up to the plane, he was about to pull the trigger when he realized the tail gunner was dead. 'This was no threat. If I shoot this plane down, it will be on my conscience gor the rest of my life.' He flew over to the side and witnessed the injured crews in the fuselage. Charlie turned for a quick gaze and looked again as he saw a German BF 109 flying in formation with the damaged warbird. Franz gestured that they land in Germany, he refused. Franz then told them to land in neutral Sweden, the same response was given. No. German AA crews saw the Flying Fortress, but refused to fire. It would risk the life of one of their own men, Stigler. After a while of flying escort for Ye Old Pub, Franz gave Charlie a respectful salute, and headed home. P-47s would soon intercept Ye Old Pub and guide them home. Charlie and his crew were surprised at the encounter with the sympathetic German. The story remained top secret until 1989 when Charlie began his search for the pilot who had spared his bomber. In 1990, he got a letter that read that they were the pilot who had escorted Ye Old Pub. They finally met in person and were interviewed for about 20 minutes. Franz gifted Charlie a book that read, "In 1940, I lost my only brother as a night fighter. In 1943, four days before Christmas, I managed to save a B 17 from her destruction. Charlie, to me, is as precious as my brother was. Thanks, Charlie. Your brother, Franz." He said that he never got the Knight's Cross, but he always said, he got something better. (Charlie Brown October 24, 1922-November 24, 2008) (Franz Stigler August 21, 1915-March 22, 2008)

"No man hath greater love than he who layeth his life for his enemy."

Videos about this story:

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C-bass Productions

NEVER2YUNG4AVIETNAMFLASHBACK:

[mikemckinnon]

Actually it was common practice not to destroy an aircraft that was as badly damaged as Brown's aircraft was because of the same reason that fighter pilots aren't supposed to shoot at parachuting aircraft crew and pilots

[DaemonwarriorJulius]

"As I saw him laying there, bleeding profusely, I couldn't shoot them" - Franz Stigler in an interview.

[BaseK]

Patton was right, "we fought the wrong enemy"

[beffis]

Franz put a face to the target “Charlie” and just couldn’t do it! They survived together that day and passed away the same year in 2008. Amazing story of heart and brothers for eternity!

[TheSoullessRedbeard]

First it was in December 20th 1943 and Seconds:
Fly, fighting fair, it’s the code of the air
Brothers, heroes, foes

[nk]

Instructed to keep quiet to maintain narrative is war in a nutshell

[ABa-crzw]

Charlie Brown did not live in Seattle. He lived in Florida

[grottenolm_gaming]

Wasn't it December 20th, 4 days before Christmas? Charles Brown said it in an interview.

[daveh]

How many times are we going to see the same story?

[FHLeghorn]

I had the honor of meeting both of them.

[lachlanpike]

No bullets fly
Spared by his mercy
Escorted out of harm's way

Fly fighting fair
Its the code of the air

Sabaton no bullets fly

PS is was on 21st 1943 no 29th

[bradpearce]

Watch the video of them meeting. Its beautiful.

[justinianemperiori]

No coincidence they passed the same year. Brothers regardless.

[Martinclibery]

Stories Like These Make Me Think Of The Word Humanity And Possible Fate-Divine Intervention, They Make Me Tear Up With Happiness Especially When They Find Each Other 50 Years Later Living Only 200 Miles Apart. And Then By The Sounds Of It Practically Spent Their Last 18 Years Together Doing After Dinner Speech’s And More Than Likely Holidaying With Their Wives And Families And Then Sadly Both Passing On 8 Months Apart As Someone Else Said It’s The Evil That Rules The World And Conscripts Men Of No Real Means Because Its The Evil With The Means That Causes Such Hatred Towards Each Other Even Though The Military’s Of Each Nation Has Never Met, Even Hitler Had Bosses And IMO Stalin Was Well Worse Than Hitler As Stalin Killed 20m Of His Own People And I’m Not Taking Away From What Hitler Done, I’m Just Saying That’s All.

[lawrencegonzales]

Love Loyalty and Respect.have no boundaries.

[michaelrains]

Read ( a higher calling) the book about this .