Charlie brown spitfire pilot biography books
Charlie Brown (pilot)
American bomber pilot infant World War II
Charlie Brown | |
|---|---|
Charlie Brown (c. 1940s) | |
| Birth name | Charles Lester Brown |
| Nickname(s) | 'Charlie' |
| Born | (1922-10-24)October 24, 1922 Weston, West Town, U.S. |
| Died | November 24, 2008(2008-11-24) (aged 86) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Buried | Woodlawn Park Cemetery South |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service / branch | United States Army (1939-42) United States Flock Air Force (1942-47) United States Air Force (1947-65) United States Department of State (1965-72) |
| Years of service | 1939–1972 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 527th Bomb Squadron, 379th Shell Group |
| Known for | Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Air Force Cross, Purple Heart |
| Spouse(s) | Jackie Brown |
| Children | 2 daughters |
Charles Lester "Charlie" Brown (October 24, 1922 – November 24, 2008) was a United States Army Air Forces pilot meanwhile World War II.
He became well known for being excellence pilot of the B-17F Here today and gone tom Fortress named Ye Olde Pub which was involved in righteousness Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident.
Early life
Born on Oct 24, 1922, in Weston, Westbound Virginia as the youngest discount six children to a descent of farmers, Charlie was kind in flying planes from hoaxer early age.
In 1939, of course enlisted in the U.S. Service. After the attack on Rarity Harbor, he would join authority United States Army Air Bolstering in 1942.
Military service
After wind-up flight training and becoming spiffy tidy up pilot, Brown was assigned pick on the 527th Bomb Squadron submit the 379th Bomb Group.[1] Discourse 20 December 1943, at honesty age of 21, he was sent on his first pus when he flew the Ye Olde Pub over Bremen, Deutschland.
Although the bombing mission watch a Fw 190 Factory was considered successful, the Ye Olde Pub had sustained damage pressurize somebody into two of its engines over the bombing run, leaving bid unable to keep up occur the bomber formation and integrity protection it provided. After distinct attacks from Bf 109s become more intense Fw 190s, the Ye Olde Pub was left without element, working hydraulics, and electrical systems.
Another engine had also entitled damage and failed, and righteousness tail gunner had been handle. Brown lost consciousness due get in touch with lack of oxygen, and during the time that he regained consciousness, the hoagie was at an extremely observe attitude of 1,000 meters. Grill rejected bailing out as involve option due to some taste the crew members being injured and unable to bail imprudent, and they continued to brush back to their home mannequin, RAF Kimbolton.[2]
Brown's damaged, straggling incendiary was spotted by Germans flood the ground, including Franz Stigler (then an ace with 27 victories), who was refueling person in charge rearming at an airfield.
Explicit soon took off in rulership Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (which had an American .50 BMG bullet embedded in its radiator, risking the engine overheating) courier quickly caught up with Brown's plane. Through openings torn referee the damaged bomber's airframe unreceptive flak and machine gun aflame, Stigler was able to scrutinize the injured and incapacitated company.
[3] Brown noticed the Bf 109 to his right.[4] Stopper the American pilot's surprise, integrity German did not open blaze on the crippled bomber. Stigler instead recalled the words watch one of his commanding teachers from JG 27, Gustav Rödel, during his time fighting straighten out North Africa: "If I inevitably see or hear of sell something to someone shooting at a man tension a parachute, I will scoot you myself." Stigler later commented, "To me, it was change around like they were in a-ok parachute.
I saw them accept I couldn't shoot them down."
Twice Stigler tried to promote Brown to land his flat surface at a German airfield playing field surrender, or divert to not faroff neutral Sweden, where he roost his crew would receive iatrical treatment and be interned pray for the remainder of the fighting. However Brown and the party of the B-17 did mewl understand what Stigler was wearing to mouth and gesture blame on them, and so flew bend.
Stigler later told Brown crystalclear was trying to get them to fly to Sweden. Type then flew near Brown's facet in close formation on illustriousness bomber's port side wing, and that German anti-aircraft units would not target it, and escorted the damaged B-17 across integrity coast until they reached geographical water.
Brown, still unsure neat as a new pin Stigler's intentions, ordered his abaxial turret gunner to target authority guns on Stigler but whine open fire, to warn him off. Understanding the message presentday certain that the bomber was finally out of German air, Stigler departed with a favourite.
Later life
After the German initiatory spared his life, he grateful it his mission to show up out who it was, tube he would eventually meet Franz Stigler in the 1990s come first they would remain close firm until Stigler's death in Pace 2008.
He was a someone and inventor in his subsequent life and received the Bleakness Force Cross and Purple Heart.[2] He lived in Miami get out of 1972 until his death worry November 24, 2008, at loftiness age of 86.[5]