When an Enemy Was a Friend

[Cam]

Brown's B-17 was perhaps the most heavily damaged bomber to return from combat. It survived because of an enemy's act of chivalry.

Dec. 20, 1943, was a typically cold, overcast winter day in Britain as 2d Lt. Charles L. Brown's B-17F lined up for takeoff. It was 21-year-old Charlie Brown's first combat mission as an aircraft commander with the 379th Bomb Group, the target an FW-190 factory at Bremen, Germany. He and his crew of Ye Olde Pub were to become participants in an event probably unique at that time in the air war over Europe--a mission that would remain shrouded in mystery for many years...read on...

Urban Legends entry


Amazing. True valour in the air.

[Alex - Spot-This !]

Nice story. There was quiet a few cases like this one during WW2.

[FireLight]

Nice story. There was quiet a few cases like this one during WW2.

Agreed. One of the rare stories of chivalry in the air. Although I think something like this would be far less likely to have happened on the Russian front - likely impossible.

[uy707]

Lots of them, possibly more than we can all figure and from the most unexpected side as well.
Late Pierre Clostermann recently confirmed the Soviets and many Americans to be the most prone in firing on everything including guys hanging below a chute ....
Also reminscing this one from past readings ..
B.24 crews missioned to Romanian oil refineries and other various targets across the Balkans quickly came to enforce some basic code of behavior.
When getting aware they were through, some crews tried their lucks in escaping by
- simulating a capitulation, by some wing waving
- actually following the unsuspecting ME109's instructions
- when on approach to ennemy's base, open fire with all arms and escape
What they gained
Freedom, yes, but also hard retaliations from particular ME drivers from particular bases when on subsequent raids. The guys on the other side often managed to carefully track back the prick's squadron(s) which were never to leave some black list afterward

[FireLight]

B.24 crews missioned to Romanian oil refineries and other various targets across the Balkans quickly came to enforce some basic code of behavior.
When getting aware they were through, some crews tried their lucks in escaping by
- simulating a capitulation, by some wing waving
- actually following the unsuspecting ME109's instructions
- when on approach to ennemy's base, open fire with all arms and escape
What they gained
Freedom, yes, but also hard retaliations from particular ME drivers from particular bases when on subsequent raids. The guys on the other side often managed to carefully track back the prick's squadron(s) which were never to leave some black list afterward

Nasty trick, although the B-24 crews were just trying to survive the moment. It wouldn't have helped the next B-24 group flying through though as the ME drivers would have been madder than hornets and nowhere near as "forgiving" as the first time through.

What would we have done in the same circumstance? Raids on Ploesti and environs were no picnic at the best of times. "All's fair in love and war"?

[uy707]

Nasty trick, although the B-24 crews were just trying to survive the moment. It wouldn't have helped the next B-24 group flying through though as the ME drivers would have been madder than hornets and nowhere near as "forgiving" as the first time through.

What would we have done in the same circumstance? Raids on Ploesti and environs were no picnic at the best of times. "All's fair in love and war"?

It did not help especially those on the rosters of that 312th or this 95th squadron of which tail visual identificators were duly reproduced and posted on the ME drivers' briefing room and coming along with some special mentions !

We would not have done better, unless if as frozen blooded as some predatory reptiles such as Nile Crocs ! . For a host of tactical reasons, raids were conducted at an as low level as possible at least for a year due to the lack of a suitable escort in term of operational range. Conditions of "working" were extreme for men, their nerves and their mounts