It’s December the 20th, 1943 and in the freezing air high above Germany, 2nd Lieutenant Charles “Charlie” Brown is at the controls of his B-17 F, Ye Olde Pub. At 11:30 approaching the target of the Focke-Wulf plant near Bremen, the pub is rocked as 4 explosions go off right in front of the B-17. A cry comes across the intercom, “We’re hit!” In the plexiglass nose a huge hole had been made and icy cold wind was being blown inside making freezing conditions for the crew. Engine 2 had been hit and co-pilot Spencer “Pinky” Luke let out an expletive as he noticed a huge hole in the right wing. Releasing their bombs over the factory the crew turned to the North planning to head over the coast then turn west for home. With one engine out and engine 4 now faulty, The Pub started to fall back from the formation with another damaged plane. Sam “Blackie” Blackford in the ball turret watched as it disappeared into a cloud bank. There was an orange flash in the cloud. “Bandits!” Ecky shouted as 5 BF 109s streaked from the cloud bank. Then another cry, “Bandits!” as 8 FW-190s were spotted in formation ahead of the pub. Sergeant Bertram “Frenchy” Coulombe in the turret shot the 190 out of the sky. The Navigator Al “Doc” Sadok took out the second. Pinky reported that Engine 3 had been hit. That left just 1 engine at full power. The BF 109s attacked the pub from behind, swarming all over. But due to the cold wind running through the pub, most of the guns were frozen. In a turn now, the Pub was repeatedly hit taking extreme damage and killing the tail gunner. A shell penetrated and exploded near the waist gunners injuring the crew and creating a huge hole. The oxygen supply was taken out and the pub spun towards the ground. With the crew unconscious due to lack of oxygen the B17 fell for 4 miles… Charlie started to come around and grabbed the controls pulling back as the plane continued to fall. 5000ft, 4000ft, 3000ft. Just moments from hitting the earth the plane pulled up almost scraping the trees as it did. From down below an enemy spotted So hurry up, rearm and refuel But through the bomber’s damaged airframe See wounded men, scared to their bone Look to the right and then look again And see the enemy in the eye No bullets fly, spared by his mercy Escorted out, out of harms way Fly, fighting fair, it’s the code of the air Brothers, heroes, foes Killing machine Honour in the skies B17 Flying home Killing machine Said goodbye to the cross he deserved He risked his life two times that day To save an unknown enemy Escort to safety, out of the killzone A short salute, then departed Fly, fighting fair, it’s the code of the air Brothers, heroes, foes Killing machine Honour in the skies B17 Flying home Killing machine Said goodbye to the cross he deserved Fly, fighting fair, it’s the code of the air Brothers, heroes, foes Killing machine Honour in the skies B17 Flying home Killing machine Said goodbye to the cross he deserved The story was kept secret until 1986 when Brown started the search for the German pilot who had shown mercy on that December day all those years ago. In 1990 Brown received a letter from a man named Stigler who was living in Canada. Stigler explained that he had been the pilot of the German fighter who had escorted Ye Olde Pub. This video is of their first meeting. "Franz, what were you feelings when you met again for the first time?" "I was so happy as we met, I grabbed him and hugged him." "The fact that he risked his life really in many ways and I wrote him in a letter, and I said that if you were… if you made a habit of feeling sorry for bomber crews flying up alongside them, I am sure that you were shot down many times. But it was a not only the audacity that he came up to us and then recognizing the threat. If someone had seen him and reported him, it could have been a death sentence." Franz gifted Charlie a book and inside the inscription read, "In 1940, I lost my only brother as a night fighter. On the 20th of December, 4 days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B-17 from her destruction, a plane so badly damaged it was a wonder that she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, is for me, as precious as my brother was. Thanks Charlie. Your Brother, Franz" In 2008 within a few months of each other the two firm friends went on their final journey. Franz Stigler never got the Knight’s Cross, but as he always said, he got something better. Fly, fighting fair, it’s the code of the air Brothers, heroes, foes Killing machine... "Mom, you’ve got to listen to this" B17 Flying home Killing machine Said goodbye to the cross he deserved "Hi! My name is Jovita Theren-Stigler. I would like to thank Sabaton and your song "No Bullets Fly". Because of this the story of my father will live on. See you on your next concert tour. Safe journey, gentlemen, and again thank you!"
One of the most outstanding stories of WWII. It's easy to forget that soldiers in war are just people trying to protect their country. A lot of them had no hate for whom they fought against.
Friends and allies can be made in the most unusual situations