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The Real Charlie Brown

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by David Tarantino, Apr 17, 2011.

  1. Apr 17, 2011 at 3:49 PM
    #1
    David Tarantino

    David Tarantino [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Just a website.

    take a quick look around


    The Real Charlie Brown

    03/01/10 09:08 Filed in: Interesting

    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 ....

    [​IMG]




    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 Stigler 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

    [​IMG]




    B-17 pilot Charlie Brown
    [​IMG]

    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.

    [​IMG]

    (L-R) German Ace Franz Stigler, artist Ernie Boyett, and B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.

    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 true story! 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
     
  2. Apr 17, 2011 at 4:18 PM
    #2
    Ripcord

    Ripcord KM6PIM

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    Wow that's a really cool story! Thanks for sharing.

    My grandfather used to be a lead navigator for a B-17 group in WWII. To this day he still flies planes, he has a single engine cherokee piper that he does all his own work on. He turns 90 this Easter weekend.
     
  3. Apr 17, 2011 at 4:19 PM
    #3
    David Tarantino

    David Tarantino [OP] Well-Known Member

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    God bless him and thank him for his service
    bet he has some story's
     

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