by Adam Makos
To Larry Alexander, a seasoned author and newspaperman who helped me shoulder the mountain of research and writing to complete this book. From digging up B-17 flight manuals to finding P-40 pilots to interview, your guidance was a gift.
To David Harper of Eagle’s Nest Historical Tours, my guide and liaison to all things German. From driving me to WWII sites in Germany to placing ads in German newspapers seeking the descendants of Willi Kientsch, your help was instrumental. You are one of Europe’s top tour guides for good reason.
To Byron Schlag, the jolly old B-17 tail gunner veteran who took me to England to tour 8th Air Force bomber bases with him during a reunion of his bomb group. Thanks for being my 8th Air Force mentor for so many years.
To Professor Colin Heaton, America’s expert on WWII German pilots. The author of The German Aces Speak, Colin was stationed in Germany during the 1980s as a soldier in the U.S. Army. During that time he interviewed countless German pilots, treasured interviews he shared with me so I could know his friends—the aces.
To Robert Forsyth, a British historian and the world’s preeminent JV-44 expert. When Franz Stigler gifted a book about JV-44 to Charlie Brown, he chose Robert’s book, JV-44. In addition to freely answering my questions, Robert opened his photo library and shared many of the rare JV-44 pictures that appear in this book.
To Dr. Kurt Braatz, who wrote Gunther Luetzow’s biography Gott oder ein Flugzeug (God or an Airplane) and translated key components of his book to help me understand Luetzow, a largely forgotten man whose legacy Braatz works to keep alive.
To Master Sergeant Craig Mackey and the staff at the Air Force Historical Research Agency, thanks for providing the most professional research and archives service I’ve ever encountered.
To my focus group of critical readers, Eric Carlson, Joe Gohrs, Matt Hoover, Pete Semanoff, and Justin Taylan, your feedback made this a better book.
To the lovely Austrian and German girls who helped me from afar, Julia Loisl (for her translations), Jaqueline Schiele (who helped me search for Willi Kientsch’s family), and Carolin Huber (who helped me locate August Stigler’s grave site). Special thanks to Carolin for lending her critical eye and critiquing the manuscript from a German perspective. The word “brilliant” does not adequately describe the job you did.
To America’s preeminent aviation artist, John D. Shaw, whose painting adorns this book, thanks for using your masterful brushstrokes to spread this story.
To the composers whose scores were the rousing soundtrack to my typing, to Michael Giacchino for your Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, to Hans Zimmer for your song, “Woad to Ruin,” and to my talented friends in the band the Airborne Toxic Event.
To the historians, experts, and friends who shared their insight: Robin Barletta, Bianca Del Bello, Christer Bergström, Steve Blake, Andy Boyd, Cheryl Cerbone, Dr. Thomas Childers, Mark Copeland, Ferdinando D’Amico, Patricia Everson, Wayne Freedman, Greg Johnson, Matt Hall, Mike Hart, Roger Hesse, Kelly Kalcheim, Julee MacDonald, Carl Molesworth, Carina Notzke, Gordon Page, William S. Phillips, Andrew Rammon, Christopher Shores, Vince Tassone, Odette Trellinger, John Weal, Rick Willett, and Bob Windholz.
To my high school English teacher, Mr. G. David Friant, who edited our magazine for a decade without pay or reward, just to help a bunch of kids develop their talents—anything I’ve learned about writing I owe to you.
To the World War II veterans whose advice and corrections made for a better book—W.A.S.P. pilot Betty Blake, B-24 pilot Joe Jackson, P-40 pilot Jack Pinkham, B-24 bombardier William Reichle, B-17 radio operator George Roberts, Bf-109 pilot Kurt Schulze, and flak gunner Otto Wittenburg. Special thanks to this book’s chief historical advisors, B-17 pilot John Noack and Me-262 pilot Jorg Czypionka, who worked with me from start to finish. John flew a B-17 in the bloody Second Schweinfurt raid and was later shot down into the North Sea and taken prisoner, whereas Jorg’s career paralleled that of Franz Stigler. Jorg was a flight instructor-turned-109 pilot who later flew 262s in combat—only with a catch—he flew jets at night, as a night fighter. Not only did Jorg know Franz Stigler after the war, but he, too, had a close encounter of his own with a British Spitfire pilot (a story too amazing for this short space, so I’ve posted it, along with other bonus content on my website: www.ValorStudios.com).
To my parents, Robert and Karen Makos, and my sisters, Erica Makos and Elizabeth Makos. I’ve always looked to you first, for a critical read or an opinion, for encouragement or a reality check. I can work harder and sleep better knowing that you’re in my life and always pushing me forward.
To my brother, Bryan Makos, my right-hand man and toughest critic, you’ve worked with nearly everyone credited above, freeing me up to write. Yours was no easy task—to gather historical facts, stories, and human resources spanning three continents, eight countries, and both sides of a world war. Your name is not on the cover. Your work may go unnoticed. But few people, if anyone, could have done the job you did.
Lastly, to my grandfathers, WWII veterans Mike Makos and Francis Panfili, when anyone asks how I became interested in history, it’s due to you—the air shows you took Bryan and me to as kids, the plastic models of WWII planes that you built for us, your old photo albums, your patches and pins and reminders of a time gone by—who would have thought it would lead to this?
TO LEARN MORE
To view rare WWII aircraft such as those described in this book, the author encourages you to explore these fine aviation museums and organizations. An asterisk* indicates where a B-17 or Bf-109 is available for public viewing.
The Collings Foundation (Stow, Massachusetts)*
USS Intrepid Museum (New York, New York)
Air Mobility Command Museum (Dover, Delaware)*
National Air and Space Museum (Washington, DC)*
The Military Aviation Museum (Virginia Beach, Virginia)*
The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum (Pooler, Georgia)*
Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins, Georgia)
Fantasy of Flight (Polk City, Florida)*
Stallion 51 (Kissimmee, Florida)
Air Force Armament Museum (Eglin AFB, Florida)*
National Museum of the United States Air Force (Dayton, Ohio)*
Grissom Air Museum (Peru, Indiana)*
Yankee Air Museum (Belleville, Michigan)*
The Air Zoo (Portage, Michigan)
Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago, Illinois)
EAA Experimental Aircraft Association (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)*
National Naval Aviation Museum (Pensacola, Florida)
USS Alabama Museum (Mobile, Alabama)
National WWII Museum (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Eighth Air Force Museum, (Barksdale AFB, Louisiana)*
Lone Star Flight Museum (Galveston, Texas)*
Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing (Houston, Texas)*
Cavanaugh Flight Museum (Addison, Texas)
Airman Heritage Museum (Lackland AFB, Texas)*
Commemorative Air Force Museum (Midland, Texas)
The Liberty Foundation (Tulsa, Oklahoma)*
Strategic Air and Space Museum (Ashland, Nebraska)*
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (Denver, Colorado)
Spirit of Flight Museum (Erie, Colorado)*
Hill Aerospace Museum (Hill AFB, Utah)*
Pima Air and Space Museum (Tucson, Arizona)
Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing (Mesa, Arizona)*
Flying Heritage Collection (Everett, Washington)*
Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)*
Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum (McMinnville, Oregon)*
Tillamook Air Museum (Tillamook, Oregon)
Wings of Freedom (Milwaukie, Oregon)*
Planes of Fame (Chino, California, and Valle, Arizona)*
Palm Springs Air Museum (Palm Springs, California)*
Lyon Air Museum (Santa Ana, California)*
March Field Museum (Riverside, California)*
Castl
e Air Museum (Atwater, California)*
San Diego Air and Space Museum (San Diego, California)
Imperial War Museum (London and Duxford, England)*
The American Air Museum (Duxford, England)*
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon (London, England)*
Vintage Wings of Canada (Quebec, Canada)
Canada Aviation and Space Museum (Ontario, Canada)*
Messerschmitt Foundation (Munich, Germany)*
NOTES
CHAPTER 3
1. Paul Berben, Dachau: 1933-45, 81–82.
2. Colin D. Heaton and Jeffrey Ethell interview with Franz Stigler.
CHAPTER 4
1. Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, Luftkampf zwischen Sand und Sonne, 194.
CHAPTER 5
1. Franz Kurowski, German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille, 142.
2. Robert Tate, Hans-Joachim Marseille: An Illustrated Tribute to the Luftwaffe’s “Star of Africa,” 83.
CHAPTER 6
1. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 155.
CHAPTER 8
1. Colin D. Heaton Interview with Gustav Roedel.
2. Jeffrey Ethel, P-38 Lightning, 21–23.
CHAPTER 9
1. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 127.
2. Heinz Knocke, I Flew for the Fuhrer, 97.
3. Author interview with Dr. Kurt Braatz.
4. Ibid.
5. Johannes Steinhoff, Messerschmitts Over Sicily, 11.
6. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 29–31.
7. Elliott Arnold and Richard Thruelsen, Mediterranean Sweep: Air Stories from El Alamein to Rome, 103.
8. 79th Fighter Group press release, June 1943.
9. Franz Stigler, “Palm Sunday Massacre,” Luftwaffe: Deadly Aces, Deadly Warplanes 1, no. 1 (1989): 16–21, 96. In the absence of his logbook, Franz’s water landing was wrongly attributed in this article to April 18 when it actually occurred on June 10. Franz refers to a corporal who was shot down with him and later returned to Sicily by raft. This was correct. The man was Corporal Karl Burger who was shot down on June 10.
10. The dialogue between Steinhoff and the Gestapo that follows is according to Johannes Steinhoff, as told to Colin D. Heaton.
11. Beth Griech-Polelle, Bishop von Galen: German Catholicism and National Socialism, 80.
12. Colin D. Heaton and Jeffrey Ethell interview with Franz Stigler.
13. Johannes Steinhoff, Messerschmitts Over Sicily, 181.
14. Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich.
CHAPTER 10
1. Colin D. Heaton and Jeffrey Ethell interview with Franz Stigler.
CHAPTER 13
1. Harry Crosby, A Wing and a Prayer, 39.
2. Elmer Bendiner, Fall of the Fortresses, 91.
3. Air Force Historical Research Agency interview with General Maurice Preston.
4. Philip Kaplan and Rex Alan Smith, One Last Look, 197.
5. Elmer Bendiner, Fall of the Fortresses, 13.
6. Ibid., 73.
CHAPTER 15
1. Frank Geary, “Courage, Faith, Culminate in Brotherhood of Friendship Among Former Enemies in Skies Over WWII Europe,” Jax Air News (1998): 14–15.
2. Ibid., 14–15.
CHAPTER 16
1. Rudolph Herzog, Dead Funny: Humor in Hitler’s Germany, 167–168.
CHAPTER 17
1. Elmer Bendiner, Fall of the Fortresses, 206.
2. Ibid., 114–115.
CHAPTER 18
1. Joseph Mizrahi, Knights of the Black Cross, 63.
2. Ibid., 55.
CHAPTER 19
1. Joseph Mizrahi, Knights of the Black Cross, 64.
2. Joseph Deichl interview, “The Last Mission,” King 5 TV, Seattle, October 9, 1985.
3. Johannes Steinhoff, The Final Hours, 21.
4. Willi Heilmann, I Fought You from the Skies, 150.
5. Joseph Mizrahi, Knights of the Black Cross, 63–64.
6. The dialogue that follows is compiled from Johannes Steinhoff’s memoir, The Final Hours, and Colin D. Heaton’s interview with Gustav Roedel.
7. Johannes Steinhoff, The Final Hours, 95.
8. The dialogue between Luetzow and Goering that follows is according to Johannes Steinhoff’s memoir, The Final Hours.
9. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 168.
10. Ibid., 168.
CHAPTER 20
1. Robert Forsyth, JV 44: The Galland Circus, 102.
2. Johannes Steinhoff, The Final Hours, 127.
3. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 58.
CHAPTER 21
1. Robert Forsyth, JV 44: The Galland Circus, 147.
2. Philip Kaplan, Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in World War 2.
3. Colin D. Heaton, The Me 262 Stormbird: From the Pilots Who Flew, Fought, and Survived It.
4. Ibid.
5. Robert Forsyth, JV 44: The Galland Circus, 164.
6. Ibid., 165.
CHAPTER 22
1. Johannes Steinhoff, The Final Hours, 139.
2. Trevor Constable and Raymond Toliver, Horrido! Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe, 139.
3. Colin D. Heaton interview with Johannes Trautloft.
4. Joseph Moser, A Fighter Pilot in Buchenwald, 123–124.
5. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, “The Holocaust,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005144.
6. Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis, The German Aces Speak, 135. Some authors have placed Franz in air on the day of Steinhoff’s crash when really he was preparing to fly. The reason for this confusion is easy—no official JV-44 flight rosters survived the war so the record of who flew on which day could only be determined by the veterans’ memories. When fans and historians asked Franz, “Were you flying on the day when Steinhoff crashed?” Franz would answer “Yes, of course.” This is because he did fly that day, after Steinhoff’s crash.
7. Colin D. Heaton, The Me 262 Stormbird: From the Pilots Who Flew, Fought, and Survived It.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Robert Forsyth, JV 44: The Galland Circus, 229.
11. Ibid., 188.
CHAPTER 23
1. Adolf Galland, The First and the Last, 299.
2. Joseph Goebbels, “25 April 1945: Last Broadcast,” YouTube.
3. Levi Bookin, “April 26, 1945,” What Happened Today?, http://dailytrh.tripod.com/0426.xhtml.
4. Adolf Galland, The First and the Last, 301.
CHAPTER 24
1. Heinz Knocke, I Flew for the Fuhrer, 187.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A few words about sources and authenticity. It’s important to note that Franz Stigler flew 487 combat missions during WWII, and Charlie Brown flew 29. Both men had documented the time, date, and place of every mission in their logbooks, but only Charlie’s logbook survived the war. In May 1945, American interrogators seized Franz’s logbook and it was never seen again. When I began my interviews with Franz and Charlie, it had been nearly fifty-nine years since the war’s end. Both men shared their memories with me in the best detail they could remember. They also shared outstanding stories they had written in years prior, much of which had never been published. Combining these accounts with wartime records and using the sources below, I’ve reconstructed the timeline, events, and anecdotes of each veteran’s service as accurately as possible. I’ve also taken the liberty to translate German words and names into their English equivalents as well as converting metric measurements to imperial measurements.
Primary sources include interviews, letters, diaries, and written accounts from WWII veterans Franz Stigler, Charlie Brown, Al Sadok, Sam Blackford, Dick Pechout, Hiya Stigler, Bill Reichle, Joe Jackson, Viktor Widmaier, John Noack, George Roberts, Betty Blake, John Whitley, Kurt Schulze, Jorg Czypionka, Otto Wittenburg, and others too numerous to list.
379th Bomb Group
(H) WWII Association, Inc. Anthology Volume One: November 1942–July 1945. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing, 2000.
379th Bomb Group (H) WWII Association, Inc. Anthology Volume Two: November 1942–July 1945. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing, 2000.
Arnold, Elliott, and Richard Thruelsen. Mediterranean Sweep: Air Stories from El Alamein to Rome. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1944.
Baker, David. Adolf Galland: The Authorised Biography. London: Windrow & Greene, 1996.
Bekker, Cajus. The Luftwaffe War Diaries. New York: Ballantine Books, 1966.
Bendiner, Elmer. Fall of the Fortresses. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1980.
Berben, Paul. Dachau: 1933–1945. London: Comite International De Dachau, 1980.
Bookin, Levi. “What Happened Today? April 26, 1945.” September 10, 2011. http://dailytrh.tripod.com/0426.html.
Boyne, Walter. Messerschmitt Me 262: Arrow to the Future. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 1994.