![franz stigler franz stigler](https://ak-cache.legacy.net/usercontent/guestbook/photos/2018-09/2018-09-05/151148451.jpg)
Alongside Charlie was another straggler, flown by a much more experienced pilot named Walt, who had done 22 missions. Number 4 engine began running amok again, and with just two and a bit engines they had become stragglers, an easy mark for the German fighter pilots. They were on their way back to England, and, unknown to Charlie, because of conditions the fighter cover had left early. They began shutting down operations, trying to keep the engine running while Charlie and his crew dropped their bombs over the target.
![franz stigler franz stigler](http://www.globalo.com/content/uploads/2017/08/Screen-Shot-2017-08-03-at-10.10.13.png)
Another near burst of orange flak and number 4 engine began accelerating on its own. Spencer "Pinky" Luke noticed a shell had torn though one of the wings, leaving a gaping hole. They were now running on three engines and were one minute from the drop zone when 2nd Lt. Then the oil pressure dropped on engine number two, and Charlie saw that the engine was smoking, hit by shrapnel. The flak had ripped a big hole in the nose, the freezing wind was roaring in, and the temperature dropped to 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Charlie heard the shrapnel hitting the plane. At 11.30 am, they were 30 miles from the target when they came under heavy flak, then four separate explosions. Accompanying Charlie was about 475 other bombers.
![franz stigler franz stigler](http://image.eveonline.com/Character/1095562685_256.jpg)
This was Charlie's first bombing mission, and his B-17 bomber was named "Ye Olde Pub." They were going to bomb the Focke-Wulf-190 aircraft plant near Bremen. It was just after 11 am, 20th December 1943, when Charlie and his crew flew over Germany. Charlie and his crew were based at the RAF base, Kimbolton located in Cambridgeshire, England. It was October 1943, and Charlie and his crew had a preference to go to Italy, but they would be flying over Germany. I couldn't condone that behavior and give them the wrong idea, but I was proud of them." Charlie said later on, "In fighting for one man, they were really sticking up for the entire crew's honor. Charlie went on a rescue mission and got them out of trouble. Sgt Hugh Eckenrode had had beer spilled over him and approached Charlie to say that the MP's were questioning Sgt Sam "Blackie" Blackford and Sgt Alex "Russian" Yelesanko and were going to lock them up. It was here that some of Charlie's crew got into a bar fight. They were getting to know one another and were dropping practice bombs on white X's painted on the desert ground, while the gunners shot at wooden targets. September 1943, at an Army airbase called Pyote Field in Texas, Charlie met up with his new crew. Some of the residents of his home town were not impressed, but Charlie's father was. Charlie decided to fly over his home town and buzzed it. Their actual route would be up to the pilots themselves. This would be similar to the time needed in a real raid over enemy territory. They were on their final mission of B-17 training school, their base was in Colombus, Ohio, and their mission was simple, to fly for at least 7 hours. His co-pilot was 2nd Lieutenant Spence Luke. Army Air Forces on July 16, 1942.Īt the tender age of 21, Charlie was a 2nd Lieutenant, and he found himself in control of a B-17. Charlie entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. An old soldier told Charlie that he was too nice a kid for the army, he should check out the Air Corps, and so Charlie transferred. He became a soldier in the 7th Infantry Division, at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. Army on October 19, 1939, and served in the Signal Corps. When he was older he worked as a janitor at the local school on weekends he served in the National Guard. He grew up on a farm, milking cows before school, and the house had no electricity. His mother died when Charlie was about 12 years old. Charles Lester "Charlie" Brown was the youngest of six children of Charles Millard Brown and Myrtle Runlina nee Hickle.