By Adam Makos and Larry AlexanderJust a few days before Christmas 1943, an American bomber pilot is returning from his first mission, struggling to fly his damaged B-17 out of German airspace and towards the channel and his base in England. Suddenly he is intercepted by a Messerschmitt fighter, an ace able to take him down in a minute. But that doesn't happen; instead, the German fighter pilot surprisingly escorts the young American to safety, a move that would have earned him a court martial if the truth were revealed to the Luftwaffe.
Military historian Makos, along with biographer Larry Alexander create a dual biography of the American, 2nd Lt Charlie Brown of West Virginia, and the German, 2nd Lt Franz Stigler. Both pilots face horrible odds, watch their friends' planes burst into flames, take off in sandstorms and fog, and basically win the odds. As the "enemy" pilot, it is Stigler's story that is especially riveting. Stigler is a deeply religious Catholic; he loves flying and was already employed as a commercial pilot with Lufthansa at the time the war broke out. Drafted against his will, he nevertheless proves to be an ace in an ever lengthening war with ever decreasing resources. Towards the end of the war, young pilots are being sent into combat with only 6 weeks of training (!) and are piloting aircraft with grossly inferior parts and fuels. At the war's end, Franz is among a small percentage of pilots who have survived.
Fifty years later, Brown wants to search out the pilot who let him live. He finds Franz, now living in Canada. Franz explains that Charlie's plane had been so severely damaged, and he could see that his gunners were so injured, that it didn't seem right to attack. Thanks to Franz's merciful act, both men lived full lives, both dying in 2008.
In the midst of a horrible war, an act of mercy stands out.
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