[harrison987]

To this day, many people believe that ALL Germans were Nazis...and therefore "any" act of humanity cannot be true.

The Allies had a great propaganda machine, as with the Germans. All we hear or see on TV today is how evil all Germans were, and how good the Allies were...and the moment any event of humanity and kindness is brought to the light, the first reaction is, "that cannot be true"...

The same propaganda has trained most to believe the Swastika means "Nazi", when in reality, it means "Good Luck". It has so for thousands of years, in MANY cultures, which is why the Nazi Party adopted it to being with. But...can my next door neighbor who moved from India to start a better life in the US hang a Swastika above his door? No...because people ONLY identify this 1000+ year emblem with a 6 year time period of war, when ALL Germans were apparently "all evil and inhumane".

When the Hood was destroyed by Bismark, there was an immediate resounding joy from the Germans. The exact same joy the Brits felt when they sunk the Bismark in revenge.

However...almost immediately, both sides felt a sudden rush of extreme sadness...human emotion...due to the amount of people that were just killed or are now floating helplessly in the water - regardless of what side they were on.

In the heat of the moment, they were fighting the ship...not the many 19 year old kids who were manning the radio, aiming the guns, or who were the resident cooks.

German sailors saved Allied sailors from the water...and Allied sailors saved German.

This is a proven fact.

The event with Stigler is no different, and not at all as "uncommon" as one would think.

There was a great respect and camaraderie between pilots (even today), and I doubt any of you claiming "the event could not be true", have ever fought in war, or been in a 6 year non-stop air battle.

Regardless what "side" those were on in WW2, or what events transpired, we are all human beings with emotions. Depending on the situation, someone will act or react - many people will do so differently from one another.

Stigler made a decision, based on human emotion.

Stigler did not "escort" the B-17 to the North Sea to see him home...but rather flew next to him because in his mind...with the blood, chaos, and damage done to the B-17, FlaK or anyone else downing it would be like "shooting at a parachute".

I bet if the story's were reversed, and it was a US pilot initiating an "Act of kindness" towards a German, no one would ever be questioning it.

Mike