Ministry often reminds me of an incident from World War II. A B-17 bomber was struggling over the skies of Germany, shot to pieces by the German fighters. Half of the crew was wounded and the tail gunner killed.
German ace, Franz Stigler, was standing near his fighter as the B-17 was flying low overhead and took off in pursuit. He was more than a fighter pilot. Stigler was just one shot away from winning “The Knight's Cross,” the German highest award for valor. Stigler’s pilot brother was killed, comrades dead, his cities bombed, and he had a score to settle with the Americans. Falling in behind the sputtering bomber, he squinted into his gun sight and had his hand on the trigger and about to fire.
Pilot Charlie Brown glanced from the cockpit and froze at the sight of the German fighter that had closed in to hover near the tip of the wing of the crippled bomber. He steeled himself for the final shots of death.
The German ace waited to pull the trigger while he stared back at the horror stricken faces. He saw the tail gunner soaked in blood, the skin of the bomber peeled away, the guns knocked out, one propeller was not turning, and smoke was trailing from another engine. Inside the shattered plane, he saw the huddled men as they tended the injuries of the wounded.
Stigler nudged his plane alongside the bomber. His eyes locked with the pilot’s that were wide open with shock and fear. Easing his index finger from the trigger, he felt that it was too much like murder. And then history experienced one the greatest acts of chivalry of the second world war. Stigler nodded and saluted to Charlie Brown. Then turning from his anger and vengeance, that German pilot resolved to risk his own execution to save the enemy. He recalled the words of a commander who said, follow the rules of war but to “fight by rules to keep your humanity."
Alone in the skies with the crippled bomber, Stigler changed his mission right there, nodded at the American pilot, and then escorted the battered bomber over the North Sea. Finally, taking a last look at the American pilot, he saluted and peeled his fighter away to return to Germany. Franz Stigler breathed to himself, "Good luck. You're in God's hands now..." That B-17 probably would not make it to England, and he wondered for years what had happened to the American plane.
As the Second Lt. Charles Brown watched the German fighter pulling away on that December day, he flew the crippled plane and wounded men on back to England and landed. One engine had been knocked out, another was failing, and there was barely any fuel. Stopping the bomber, he leaned back and put a hand over the pocket Bible in his flight jacket and sat there in silence.
After the war and remembering the German pilot, Brown fought against his nightmares. There was no mercy extended as he would waken just before the crash. And then Charlie Brown began one of the greatest missions of his life, to find that German pilot and find the reason why he had spared his life? He scoured the military archives, attended a reunion of pilots, and even put an ad in a German newsletter of pilots to retell the story. Then on January 18, 1990, Brown received a letter which he opened to read:
"Dear Charles, All these years I wondered what happened to that B-17, did she make it home? Did her crew survive their wounds? To hear of your survival has filled me with indescribable joy..."
And it was signed, Franz Stigler. Franz had moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, and became prosperous businessman. The retired German pilot told Brown that he would be in Florida that summer, and "it sure would be nice to talk about our encounter."
But that was not enough for Brown who was so excited that he couldn't wait for summer. Charlie Brown called directory assistance and then dialed the number. Hearing Franz Stigler’s voice as he picked up the phone, Charlie shouted through the tears streaming down his cheeks, "My God, it's you!"
In a letter to Stigler, he wrote "To say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU on behalf of my surviving crew members and their families appears totally inadequate." And then one day, meeting in the lobby of a Florida hotel, the two men fell into each other' arms as they wept and laughed. Someone asked Stigler what he thought about Charlie Brown. The aging German man paused and sighed as his jaw tightened. Fighting back the tears, he said, "I love you, Charlie."
The German ace had lost his brother, lost his friends and country to a war that had cost him everything. He was only one of 1,200 pilots from the German Air Force who survived out of 28,000 men. But these who had met as enemies became the greatest of fishing buddies and friends. They would cross the country back and forth on flights to visit each others homes, and they took road trips to share their story.
Charlie Brown organized a reunion and included the survivors from his aircraft, including their extended families. Then he invited Stigler to be the guest of honor. As Franz Stigler watched from his seat of honor, everyone cried together as a video played of the children and grandchildren who were living through his great act of chivalry.
Charlie's daughter shared more about her father as the friendship of the two men deepened. She said, "The nightmares went away." And they talked about twice a week as her father worried over Stigler's health, constantly checking on him.
In the year of 2008, the two friends died within months of each other; Stigler was 92, and Brown was 87. After Charlie died, his daughter found a book about German fighter jets in his library. It was a gift from Stigler, and inside she read this inscription:
“In 1940, I lost my only brother as a night fighter. On the 20th of December, 4 days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B-17 from her destruction, a plane so badly damaged it was a wonder that she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, is for me, as precious as my brother was. Thanks Charlie.
Your Brother,
Franz”
Reading this story, I think of the many fearful who struggle through skies of their false religions. They will look in horror while God’s sky pilots move into position and look into their eyes. We come to help them, not to destroy. Our gaze into the souls of the lost exposes such fears and wounded souls. Limping through the skies of life, their heavy crafts of religion are missing the power of God’s Word - and they will never make it home!
We love these people so much! And as we fall in close by, we wish to help by sharing the way to safety. We are given through Jesus Christ the ministry of reconciliation. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We regret their fears, but what can we do now except to pray they will respond. Who will heed God’s message, cooperate and follow the truth as we point them the way for safety and home.
And then one day, imagine the reunion to follow! Many will be there, but how many? Who will be there? Only the saved, many of the loved ones, and family members who follow the faith of their fathers by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ!
I wonder! Perhaps just before the Savior dries our eyes in heaven, will there be many tears? Just think of our gratitude while remembering the greatest Champion of all. He was sent on His rescue mission. Then hovering near our ruptured crafts, He pointed the way to safety and led us safely home. Thank you, Lord Jesus!
And to you who are father’s, why not make this the greatest Father’s Day ever! Look now to Jesus Christ. Trust Him to lead you to safety. Follow Him through faith of God’s Word. And then as much as possible, make your life count while leading your families to eternal life in glory!
The REAL Charlie Brown - A True War Story
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