According to the book, the Luftwaffe often protected Allied pilots that had been shot down.
I couldn't pull the trigger on a pilot who's ejected.I guess enemies had more respect for each other back then. I can't imagine being able to pull the trigger on a guy dangling from a parachute.
If you're out there day after day, watching your country getting bombed, and seeing your friends getting killed, and you know that guy in the chute could be back at it tomorrow, you might have a different view.I guess enemies had more respect for each other back then. I can't imagine being able to pull the trigger on a guy dangling from a parachute.
Maybe some could. I couldn't do that. To me if hes on a parachute and hes over my home turf he's probably going to get picked up and put in a P.O.W. camp for the duration. I wouldn't want to be shot at either in a parachute.If you're out there day after day, watching your country getting bombed, and seeing your friends getting killed, and you know that guy in the chute could be back at it tomorrow, you might have a different view.
But I do agree there was more respect back then, at least in the European Theater. Another piece of film my grandmother's neighbor had was when he had strapped his camera to his gun so he could get some film of how he was shooting. You can see him blasting away at a FW-190 that makes several passes on him, but he didn't get him. He stopped shooting to put a new ammo can on, and he started filming again when the FW-190 pilot flew right into the area between the wingtip and elevator, snapped him a sharp salute, and then flew off.
at least with the German's there was a chance...the Luftwaffe did treat their fellow fliers better as a rule. The Japs were known to pick up our downed fliers from the ocean....beat them...tie them up and toss them back in the ocean. And if an Allied flier made it to the POW camps...forget escape....but get ready for the daily beatings.