Charles Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group based at Kimbolton, England, in World War II. His B-17 was
 called "Ye Old Pub" and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper into enemy territory instead of heading home to England.

After flying over an enemy German Luftwaffe airfield, a pilot named
 Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B- 17.
When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes.
 In his words he "had never seen a plane in such a bad state."

The tail and rear section was severely damaged. The tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was dead,
 having been hit by flak and was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were
holes everywhere.

Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charles Brown, the pilot.
 Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane.

Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charles to turn 180 degrees.
 Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to and slightly over the North Sea towards England.
 He then saluted Charles Brown and turned away, back to Europe.

When Franz landed he told the commanding officer that the plane had been shot down over the sea and never told the truth to anybody. Charles Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing but were ordered never to talk about it.

More than 40 years later, Charles Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved his crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.

They discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years!! Charles Brown's hometown was Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, after the war.

They finally met at a 379th Bomber Group reunion in the United States together with 25 people
who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.

And why did he not fire his guns?
 Because we are at the very core of our beings all one.
 Whether we be black, white, or yellow.
Whether we be Muslim, Christian, or Jew.

-   Author unknown -