R I P Franz Stigler

[Wiseguy A]

After a long extraordinary life, Franz Stigler passed away on March 22, 2008.

In 1943, over Allied bomb ravaged Germany, US pilot Charlie Brown's B-17 was badly damaged and straying further from friendly territory. Luftwaffe ace fighter pilot Franz Stigler pursued the bomber intending to shoot it down, but refrained when he saw the extent of the damage and directed Brown and his crew out of harm's way. The two pilots were reunited 46 years later.

http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=dday_0033p1

http://aviationartstore.com/charles_brown_2.htm

http://aviationartstore.com/franz_stigler_109f_2.htm

http://www.afa.org/magazine/valor/0197valor.asp

http://strive2be.vox.com/library/post/wwii-german-angel-of-mercy.html

 

[Rufus]

Thanks for posting that... what an incredible story.

It genuinely brought tears to my eyes.

We are so fortunate to not have had to make these awful choices these brave Men and Women had to make during the War.

We owe them so much.

Rufus

 

[Hondo]

Yes! Thanks for sharing this, appreciate these guys so much, the stories, couldn’t have said it better “what an incredible story” Thank You Frank and your comrades in arms, and your service, R.I.P.

 

[Twitch]

I interviewed Fritz way back in the early 80s and he told me the story of the Palm Sunday Massacre where 8 Bf 109s were escorting about 100 transports across the Med to North Africa. I was just retelling this a week ago.

Aw sh1t!!!