In response to the letter “Suggested reading for Hegseth” (Jan. 4, TribLive): For Charles Brown and Franz Stigler, things turned out well that day, but many others died at the hands of each afterwards. Before Stigler escorted the B-17 to safety, he attempted to get the pilot (Brown) to surrender his plane by landing at a German airfield or flying it to Sweden. Brown did not understand Stigler’s gestures. Still unsure of Stigler’s intentions, Brown ordered his dorsal turret gunner to target his guns on Stigler but not open fire, to warn him off. Afterwards, Brown completed a combat tour.
As for Stigler, he never spoke of his actions, for he knew he would have faced a court martial. He assisted an enemy who refused to surrender by escorting him safely over enemy lines and would, most likely, have been executed. I wonder if Stigler ever felt personally responsible for the bombing damage later done to Germany by Brown.
Stigler continued flying German fighter aircraft after the incident with Brown and shot down five more allied aircraft.
So maybe Pete Hegseth should consider the consequences of sparing a crew that appears helpless.
Alan Hill
Irwin