“Grandma” Agnes Paschal – Georgia Gold Rush Angel of Mercy

Pre-Civil War Hotel in Auraria

by Denise Farnsworth

My last several posts introduced the Georgia Gold Rush, offered a tour through its first boom town/ghost town of Auraria, and discussed mining methods. Today let’s focus on a beloved resident of Auraria, Agnes Paschal. Mrs. Paschal is one of several real-life characters who make an appearance in The Songbird and the Surveyor, first novel of my Twenty-Niners of the Gold Rush series. Oftentimes, I limit historical characters to brief cameo appearances. It can be difficult to confirm enough information about a person to grant them significant page time. The life of Agnes Paschal, however, was well-documented enough that she gained several conversations with my main characters in her role as healer and Baptist church leader.

Agnes was born to Burrell Brewer and Elizabeth Patrick Brewer in 1776. According to Ninety-Four Years, an account of her life penned by her son. George W., Agnes was 5’5” with fair skin, very black hair, and a sweet temperament. She received no formal education but had a good head for numbers, a love of theology, and a penchant for herbal remedies. She had no ear for music and could not dance. Her father died in 1799 and a year later, her mother. Agnes became the companion of a wealthy woman in Lexington, Georgia. There she met former soldier George Paschal, whom she married in 1802. The couple opened a tavern and a store. Doctors boarded with them and taught her medicine.

From 1811-1817, the Paschals ran an inn at the paper mill town of Scull Shoals, south of Lexington. As the War of 1812 ended, loans came due, and drought lowered the river, manufacturing efforts in the settlement waned. The couple moved to manage Bowling Green Inn in Oglethorpe County, catering to wealthy planters. George taught school. Agnes converted the owner of the racetrack for local thoroughbreds, Ferdinand Phinizy, to Methodism, and they closed the race grounds. Agnes found her calling as a healer during the outbreak of a fever that returned for three subsequent summers. She became famous for red-pepper tea,well-ventilated convalescent rooms, and her stand against leeching, bleeding, or blistering.

The Paschals raised a family and became pillars in Oglethorpe County until George’s death in 1832. Their son, George W., a lawyer, persuaded his mother to move with him to the boom town of Auraria in gold country. They purchased the Nuckolls’ hotel and tavern, tore out the bar, and made additions. They soon built a better hotel on the north end of town with signage that read, Mrs. Paschal and Sons. Former Vice President John C. Calhoun lodged with the Paschals two weeks at a time, overseeing his lucrative gold mine. His oratory drew many listeners to their porch.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Paschal went about her work of healing the body and soul. She was known to engage drunken miners in conversation that reminded them of their parents and godly raising. She collected subscriptions for a Baptist church, built so poorly of logs that it fell down the first winter of 1833-34. After that, “Grandma Paschal” opened her hotel dining room for services. When there was a fever among the people, she became known as an angel of mercy. Even when the county seat moved to Dahlonega and many residents followed, Mrs. Paschal never left Auraria. She was laid to rest in the cemetery there at the age of 94, beside her husband, whose body she’d brought from Oglethorpe County. Her children went on to notable military and political careers. George W. acted as a lieutenant in the Georgia Volunteers. He married Sarah Ridge, daughter of Cherokee Chief Major Ridge, and moved to Arkansas.

Look for further upcoming posts about the Georgia Gold Rush. Book one, The Songbird and the Surveyor, set in Auraria in 1833, is now available for purchase. A marriage of protection. A past full of pain. In Georgia's wild gold country, love might strike when it's least expected. https://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Surveyor-Twenty-Niners-Georgia-Gold-ebook/dp/B0F556951W/

Denise Farnsworth, formerly Denise Weimer, writes historical and contemporary romance mostly set in Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

Connect with Denise here:

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

X.com

BookBub

Lord of the White Elephants

By Suzanne Norquist

As Christmas season approaches, many of us will be invited to “white elephant” gift exchanges. The invitation may specify that guests are to find an unwanted item in their home to bring as a gift to exchange. The gifts themselves don’t have anything to do with elephants but with ancient myths.

Be aware that white elephants are not actually white, not like albinos in other animal species. They tend to be light pink instead of the typical gray. They can look white when wet. This distinction, however, didn’t diminish their value in the eyes of kings in Southeast Asia.

In Buddhist tradition, the beasts were revered as symbols of royal power and divine favor. Kings would collect them and pamper them in the royal stables. Wars were fought over them, particularly between the 1500s and the 1700s. Even today, some countries maintain a small herd.

The Thai and Burmese kingdoms fought the “elephant wars.” A couple of the kings chose to be known by the title “Lord of White Elephants.” Until 1917, the animal appeared on the national flag of Siam.

These valuable animals were seldom given as gifts, and few could afford to keep them. In 1514, Pope Leo X received a white elephant named Hanno from King Manuel of Portugal—a great honor. The Pope arranged for a special building to house the animal as part of the papal collections. Sadly, Hanno only lived a couple of years in his new home.

Stories have circulated about ancient kings giving white elephants as gifts to people they didn’t like—those they wanted to ruin. Because the animals were so expensive to keep and impossible to get rid of, the recipient would face financial disaster. However, it is unlikely that these stories are true. The beasts were too valuable to use in this manner.

In 1863, Charles Dickens published a story in the popular magazine, All Year Round, about the King of Siam gifting white elephants to ruin people. Later, an 1873 article from the New York Times also helped to spread the myth.

P.T. Barnum realized the difficulty of maintaining a white elephant when he brought one named “Toung Taloung” or “Gem of the Sky” to New York City. People were disappointed that the animal wasn't white—not compared to the elephant one of his rivals had painted white in order too fool his patrons. The investment didn’t bring the returns he had hoped for.

Since then, many large, expensive projects that didn’t pay out have been referred to as white elephants. The Empire State Building is one. Planned during the Roaring 20s and completed during the Great Depression, it took decades for the building to reach full occupancy. And its fancy docking station for airships (dirigibles) didn’t even work.

What we call white elephant parties today were known as swap parties in the 1880s. The white elephant name wasn't adopted until 1907, taking on the premise of giving useless gifts taking space in one's house. Some women joked that they'd bring their husbands. A year later, guidelines for hosting parties and exchanging gifts appeared in newspaper columns.

If I’m invited to a party this year, I may ask if I can be called the “Lord of the White Elephants.”

What will you bring to a white elephant party this year?

***

Love In Bloom 4-in-one collection

“A Song for Rose” by Suzanne Norquist

Can a disillusioned tenor convince an aspiring soprano that there is more to music than fame?

“Holly & Ivy” by Mary Davis

At Christmastime, a young woman accompanies her impetuous younger sister on her trip across the country to be a mail-order bride and loses her heart to a gallant stranger.

“Periwinkle in the Park” by Kathleen E. Kovach

A female hiking guide, who is helping to commission a national park, runs into conflict with a mountain man determined to keep the government off his land.

“A Beauty in a Tansy”

Two adjacent store owners are drawn to each other, but their older relatives provide obstacles to their ever becoming close.

Republished from Bouquet of Brides

Buy links: https://books2read.com/u/bOOx8K

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Bloom-Mary-Davis/dp/B0FPLFYCXR/

 

Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.

 

A Chincoteague Christmas: Light, Legacy, and the Island’s Faithful Heart

   _By Tiffany Amber Stockton

There’s something about Christmas on an island that feels different. Maybe it’s the hush of wind shifting the sand dunes or the way lights flicker on oyster-shell roads. For Chincoteague, Christmas has always carried a deeper warmth, a celebration of community, simplicity, and faith that shines through the salty sea air.

In the early 1900s, before electricity reached every home, lanterns and candles glowed in windows as families gathered to sing carols and share the bounty of the sea. Churches played a central role, their pews filled with neighbors dressed in their Sunday best even on a weekday night.

Handmade gifts, knitted scarves, and jars of preserves passed from hand to hand, more precious than anything store-bought. Oyster roasts were common, as were Christmas socials and pageants where every child had a part, no matter how small.

It wasn’t about excess. It was about endurance. Even during the lean years of the Great Depression or after devastating storms, Chincoteague’s people found reasons to rejoice. They understood what it meant to be content with little, yet rich in spirit.

Following the devastating wildfire that ravaged most of the businesses on Main Street in November 1921, the island residents banded together and helped their neighbors clear debris and rebuild—quickly. By the time the causeway and bridges were ready just a few months later to receive visitors connected by land, the majority of those businesses were ready and operational.

In those moments, light became a decoration and a declaration. A reminder that no darkness, no storm, no hardship could snuff out the hope kindled by faith.

Today, visitors might see twinkling lights on the docks or attend a candlelight service without realizing they’re participating in traditions that stretch back multiple generations. The faces have changed, but the heartbeat remains the same: gratitude, generosity, and grace.

As this series comes to a close, may this Christmas reflection serve as a reminder that the legacy of Chincoteague is more than just history—it’s the enduring light of faith that still shines in every heart that calls the island home.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What Christmas traditions from your family’s past do you still cherish or practice today?

* How have you seen faith or community bring light to dark seasons in your own life?

* If you could celebrate Christmas anywhere in history, what time and place would you choose, and why?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below.

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

---

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help them get rooted in truth and live a life of purpose.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and five cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

When the War Came to Chesapeake Bay: June 1942

by Martha Hutchens

image by @flowenol, deposit photos

Picture this.

You are swimming in Chesapeake Bay in June of 1942. The United States has been at war for nearly six months, but on this sunny day, all you can hear is the sound of children playing in the sea.

Until a tanker in the harbor explodes, and the war becomes all too real.

While almost everyone knows of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the other attacks on the U.S. remain a footnote in history—probably because they were underplayed at the time. No one wanted Americans to realize how close the war came to their doorsteps.

And, to be fair, compared to the battles raging in Europe and the Pacific, the attacks in the U.S. were minor.

Still, when I went looking for them, I was amazed at how many I found. Some were small, some startling, and most were completely new to me. This is the story of one.

image by @ratpack2, deposit photos

In the spring of 1942, Kapitänleutnant Horst Degen, captain of the U-boat U-701, received orders for a top-secret mission. He was to lay mines at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. He did this on the night of June 12, 1942.

On June 15, the American tanker Robert C. Tuttle hit a mine. One man was blown overboard and drowned. The ship sank, but the shallow water left the stern above the surface. It was eventually salvaged and repaired.

When the Robert C. Tuttle was hit, the captain assumed he had been struck by a torpedo. (Stay tuned for a future post about the area near here nicknamed Torpedo Junction!) He told the ship following him, the Esso Augusta, to zigzag. Those evasive maneuvers caused the Augusta to hit another mine. The ship was crippled, but not sunk.

The U.S.S. Bainbridge, a destroyer escorting the convoy of tankers, believed they were under submarine attack. The crew scattered a series of depth charges. One of these triggered a mine that exploded near the destroyer, but there was no serious damage.

image by @roibu, deposit photos

Later that day, another ship fell victim to Degen’s mines. The H.M.S. Kingston Ceylonite, a British anti-submarine trawler escorting an American cargo ship crippled by a torpedo, ventured too close to a mine. The explosion triggered a secondary blast in the trawler’s magazine. It sank in under five minutes, taking half its crew with it.

By this time, crowds had packed the boardwalk and beachfront at Virginia Beach. They watched with binoculars and field glasses as the war they'd only read about in newspapers unfolded in front of them.

Needless to say, the shipping channel was closed. But before it could be completely cleared, one final ship would find the minefield. On June 17, the S.S. Santore struck a mine and sank, though most of the crew survived.

Two other ports were targeted by other submarines in this mission—Boston and Delaware Bay. No ships were lost at Boston. In fact, the mines remained undiscovered until after the war. One more ship was sunk off Cape May.

There were a surprising number of attacks on the U.S. mainland during World War II, far more than I expected when I began researching this topic. I’ll be sharing more of what I found soon.

Best-selling author Martha Hutchens is a history nerd who loves nothing more than finding a new place and time to explore. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha occasionally finds time for knitting when writing projects allow.

Martha’s debut novel, A Steadfast Heart, is now available. You can learn more about her books and historical research at marthahutchens.com.

When his family legacy is on the line, rancher Drew McGraw becomes desperate for someone to tame and tutor his three children. Desperate enough to seek a mail-order bride. But when the wrong woman arrives on his doorstep, Drew balks.

Heiress Kaitlyn Montgomery runs straight from the scandal chasing her toward a fresh start on a secluded ranch. She strikes a bargain with Drew—a marriage convenient for both of them.

But the more Kaitlyn adapts to ranch life and forms a bond with Drew’s children and their enigmatic father, she realizes that this ranch is where she is meant to be. And then her past catches up with her…

Christmas In The Dust

As the 1930's wore on, the rain still refused to fall on parts of Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. The dusters got worse, health deteriorated, and money grew scarce as crops withered and what would come to be known as the Great Depression tightened its grip on the country. Every-day life became a battle against nature and necessity.

And yet life itself did go on. School and church were still a part of weekly schedules. There were still chores to be done, meals to be prepared (no matter how meager), and friends and family to visit.

And there was still Christmas.

Photo Credit: Cardboard Christmas

It's easy to look back from our 21st century cushion, with our abundance and what some consider over-commercialization of the holiday, and wince at the poverty of a Depression-era Christmas. And while it's true nowadays we have more physical "stuff," the holidays of the 1930s were, in some ways, very similar-and perhaps even better--than our own.

While some families today begin decorating for Christmas in November (or-gasp!-September), most decorating back then was done on Christmas Eve. While the drought killed off many trees, a good deal of families were still able to secure one (remember--this was long before plastic Christmas trees came into style!). The decorations were homemade, with either paper or hand-carved wooden ornaments, as well as strings of lights (if you were fortunate enough to have electricity) or candles (if you weren't). Although some decorated with strings of popcorn or cranberries, most Dust Bowl families simply didn't have the food to spare for such extravagance, opting instead for paper or strips of fabric.

Presents focused more on necessity than whimsy, with most gifts being homemade or homegrown. Women would make dresses and aprons from old flour sacks or knit hats, gloves, and scarves. Washcloths could be made by sewing together several layers of gauze, then topped with a pretty bow. If families could afford store-bought gifts, they were stretched; a single bar of soap could be cut into 4-6 smaller pieces, wrapped carefully in decorative paper, and given to many different recipients.

Children's fancies were not completely ignored, however. Magazines carried instructions on how to make dolls or stuffed animals from extra cloth, with names like "Gingham Dog" or "Hattie the Red-Checked Elephant." Bicycles were often re-painted to appear new, or dolls given new clothes. Stockings contained small pieces of candy, nuts, or raisins, special treats not normally on the menu. The most treasured of these delicacies was an orange, the sweet fruit being too expensive to purchase at other times of the year due to its long journey from Florida in an era before interstates and refrigerated trucks.

Christmas dinner was modest by today's standards but still considered a feast. Chicken or turkey was the staple, if the birds could be found and/or afforded, and was rounded out by vegetables from the garden, like potatoes or cabbage. Many families also managed to scrape together a pie for dessert.

Despite these hardships, or perhaps because of them, Christmas was still a time for joy and celebration. Families gathered together to eat and open gifts, usually attending a church service in the morning or evening. There were still carolers and acts of charity, Christmas parades and tales woven around the fire about old Saint Nick and his reindeer. In fact, many Christmas traditions still in practice today were started during the "scant" holidays of the 1930's.

Photo Credit: Cardboard Christmas

In 1931, artist Haddon Sundblom created the "Coca-Cola Santa," an image that shaped our modern version of the jolly old elf. 1933 brought with it the premiere of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes. "Winter Wonderland" was written and released in 1934, while 1939 saw the first appearance of Rudolph, his red-nose shining out from a storybook given away as a promotional item for the Montgomery Ward Department Stores.

The most telling thing to emerge during the Depression, however, was the tradition of leaving milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. During this time of forced austerity and overwhelming want, it was a way to focus instead on the true meaning of Christmas: the blessing of giving over receiving and of gratitude for gifts, no matter how big or small.

Jennifer L. Wright grew up wanting to be a reporter, but it only took a few short months of working in journalism for her to abandon those aspirations for fiction writing instead. She loves to reimagine and explore forgotten eras in history, showcasing God's light amidst humanity's darkest days. Her books have won multiple awards, including Golden Scroll and Angel awards. She currently lives in New Mexico with her husband, two kids, a couple of hyperactive dachshunds, and an ever-growing herd of guinea pigs. 

 

Stockholm, Sweden: Casablanca of the North

Shortly after the United Kingdom declared war on Germany in September 1939, Sweden announced its neutrality, a stance they’d held since the Napoleonic wars. However, with its continued business relationships with Germany, the allowance troop transports through the country, and “less than friendly” policies toward Jews and refugees, scholars disagree as to whether the Sweden was truly neutral.

If you’ve watched the 1942 classic Warner Bros. movie “Casablanca,” you have a sense of what Stockholm, Sweden was like during the war, and more than a few sources refer to the city as “Casablanca of the North.” Every major intelligence service of the war was represented, some with agents, most with double agents. Germans, Americans, Britons, and Russians lived, worked, and played side by side. Official legations employees (both Axis and Allied) mingled with members of the Abwehr, Office of Strategic Services, and Special Operations Executive trying to ferret out information to aid their cause.

An intriguing aspect is the number of women who on the surface were singers, actresses, dancers, journalist, secretaries, and housekeepers, but in reality, were spies. Of the Allied female spies, many served to bring Germany to its knees or to make money while others were backed into it to save relatives left behind in an occupied country. The women observed, infiltrated, and reported their findings using any means necessary to obtain the information.

Another “piece of the pie” is the use of downed British and American airmen.

Crews from Allied planes that crashed in neutral Sweden were required to register, then interned in one of several areas within the city. However, these men had run of the city as long as they adhered to curfew and a host of other rules. A large percentage of them were given jobs with their legation that included administrative tasks and handling the logistics of tracking the hundreds (and eventually thousands) of airmen.

However, given their freedom of movement, more than a few of the crew members were recruited by the OSS and SOE to act as agents (which, of course went against the rules, but who said those in war played fair?). There is a reason Churchill’s SOE was called the Department of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and America’s OSS referred to as the Department of Dirty Tricks.

Rather than involve the airmen in sabotage, they were generally acted as messengers and observers who reported the comings and goings and conversations of the Germans. Liberty Lady is a well-written biographical account of author Pat DiGeorge’s father whose plane crashed in Sweden and ultimately found himself assigned to becoming friends with Swedish “businessman” John Lonnegren who was eventually arrested, then convicted of unlawful intelligence activities and sentenced to two years of hard labor.

____________________

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about

second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

The American World War II Home Front in 29 Objects:

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/47pLxR

Photo credits:

Map of Sweden: Encyclopedia Britannica

Georgia Rebel, first American plane to crash in Sweden: National Archives

John Lonnegren: National Archives

Sources:
https://wwv.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%206061.pdf
Liberty Lady, Pat DiGeorge, Beaver’s Spur Publishing, 2016
https://journals.openedition.org/diacronie/4709
https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/3230619
https://reveal.world/sv/story/german-counter-espionage-bureau-wwii

A WWII German Pilot's Surprising Act of Mercy

 By Mary Dodge Allen

On December 20, 1943, a few days before Christmas, the surviving American crewmen of a severely damaged B-17 bomber named "Ye Olde Pub" received an unexpected gift... their lives.

Crew of B-17, "Ye Olde Pub" 

L-R standing: Bertrund "Frenchy" Coulombe; Alex Yelesanko; Dick Pechout; Lloyd Jennings; Hugh Eckenrode; Sam "Blackie" Blackford

L-R kneeling: Charles Brown, pilot; Spencer Luke, co-pilot; Al "Doc" Sadok, navigator; Robert Andrews, bombardier (Public Domain)

B-17 Bomber Pilot Charles Brown:

It was only the second bombing mission for pilot Charles Brown, age 21, who grew up on a poor West Virginia farm. But it was the first mission for the rest of his B-17 crew, and it was a grueling one.

Lt. Charles Brown, B-17 Bomber Pilot (Public Domain)

The mission target: A Focke-Wulf 190 fighter aircraft plant near Bremen, Germany.

The aircraft plant was well-defended. Anti-aircraft guns filled the sky with exploding flak, while German fighter planes flew through the B-17 bomber formation, their machine guns firing.

Charles Brown's B-17, named "Ye Olde Pub," was hit several times on the bombing run. After releasing its bombs over the target, the B-17 sustained more damage from pursuing fighters. One engine was dead, causing the bomber's speed to drop. As it fell behind the formation, Charles Brown knew his B-17 was now a sitting duck.

Multiple fighters continued attacking, and Charles resorted to the daring move of flying directly at them to make his B-17 less of a target. One attack damaged the cockpit's oxygen system. Since they were flying at twenty-two thousand feet, an altitude with scarce oxygen, Charles and his co-pilot passed out. The bomber's wings tilted to the side as it went into a steep dive. 

B-17 Bomber in a dive (Adobe)

When the B-17 reached the oxygen-rich air at ten thousand feet, the pilots came to and took action. The damaged bomber shook violently as they pulled back on the controls with all their strength to stop the dive. Miraculously, the bomber's plunge gradually slowed. It finally leveled out close to the ground; so close it blew leaves from trees and roof shingles from houses.

The B-17 was now flying with only one good engine and two rough engines. They were 35 miles from the English Channel and would soon be flying over the heavily-defended German coastline. Because two of his crewmen were too badly injured to bail out, Charles decided to stay with the plane and try to make it back to England. He told the rest of his crew to bail out, but they all agreed to stay on the bomber with Charles.

German Fighter Pilot, Franz Stigler:

Lt. Ludwig Franz Stigler, ace German fighter pilot (Public Domain)

Franz Stigler, an ace fighter pilot, spotted the B-17 bomber flying slowly toward the English Channel. He began his attack run, knowing he only needed one more downed bomber to earn the coveted Knight's Cross.

 Knight's Cross Medal (Public Domain)

But as he focused through his gun sight, he realized something was wrong. He flew closer to the shot up B-17 and was amazed it was still flying, with the entire left half of its horizontal stabilizer gone, part of its nose blown away, and huge holes in the fuselage.

When he looked through the gaping holes, he saw the dead tail gunner and wounded crew members tending each other. At that moment, something happened inside him. Franz lifted his finger off the trigger and decided, "This will be no victory for me. I will not have this on my conscience for the rest of my life."

Franz knew, up ahead, the German coastal anti-aircraft gunners would be getting ready to shoot the wounded bomber down. He could be court-martialed for sparing the lives of the B-17's crew, but he was committed. He flew alongside and slightly above the bomber, gambling that the flak crews below would recognize the familiar shape of a Messerschmitt fighter plane and hold their fire. They did.

Painting "A Higher Call" by John D. Shaw

Inside the B-17 Bomber:

Charles Brown saw the English Channel up ahead, but then his heart sank when he saw the German fighter plane flying just above his right wingtip. It stayed in that position as they began flying over the Channel. Charles couldn't believe the fighter pilot hadn't shot his B-17 down.

German Messerschmitt bf 109 (Public Domain)

Charles turned toward the fighter, locked eyes with its pilot, and - to his surprise - the German pilot saluted him, before breaking off and flying back home. Charles wasn't able to hear his parting words, "Good luck, you're in God's hands."

The B-17 continued losing altitude as it flew over the English Channel, but somehow Charles Brown managed to keep it flying until it landed safely at an American airfield close to the English coastline.

Charles Brown couldn't shake the image of the enemy fighter pilot saluting him. He wondered who the pilot was, and why he had spared their lives.

After the War - Charles Brown:

In the late 1980's Charles was retired and living in Miami with his wife, Jackie. He had always remained curious about the German pilot, so he decided to search for him, realizing his chances of finding him were slim. Even if the German pilot had survived the war, he might not still be alive.

In 1989, Charles wrote a letter to the editor of the Jagerblatt (Fighter Journal), the official newsletter of the Association of German Fighter Pilots. He described his encounter with the German fighter plane, the date, and that he'd like to make contact with the German pilot. He included his Miami mailing address. (Charles left out specific details about the encounter, as a verification test for whoever might respond to his letter.)

After the War - Franz Stigler:

Franz moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada, where his first wife had family. He quickly learned English and worked as a diesel mechanic for logging companies until his retirement. He was now living a quiet life in Canada with his second wife. Over the years, Franz had also remained curious about the fate of the damaged B-17. He wondered if the pilot and crew had made it safely back to England.

In January 1990, his issue of Jagerblatt arrived. Franz was stunned when he read the letter Charles Brown had written. He immediately wrote a letter in response and mailed it to the Miami address.

The Phone Call:

Charles was excited to read Franz's letter. He dialed information, obtained Franz's Vancouver phone number and called him. At first, the phone call was awkward. Then Franz began accurately describing the details of the encounter.

"My God, it is you!" Charles said, as tears filled his eyes. After the call, he wrote Franz a letter. Here is a short excerpt:

"I have the distinct feeling that some power greater than that of our respective governments was looking out for most of us on Dec. 20, 1943. To say THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU on behalf of my surviving crew members and their families appears totally inadequate."

The Two Pilots Meet:

Charles and Franz first met in person in Seattle on June 21, 1990. The two former enemies hugged each other and cried. They spent the next few days touring Seattle and getting to know each other.

On September 13, 1990, they met again in Massachusetts, at a reunion of the 379th Bomb Group, where CBS News filmed a show about them. Two other surviving B-17 crew members were also there: Sam "Blackie" Blackford and Dick Pechout. Through hugs and tears, they thanked Franz for allowing them to live full lives, filled with children and grandchildren.

But Franz also felt grateful. He never received the Knight's Cross, but he felt he got something better. He wrote this note to Charles:

"In 1940, I lost my only brother as a night fighter. On the 20th of December (1943), four days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B-17 from destruction, a plane so badly damaged it was a wonder that she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, is for me, as precious as my brother was.

"Thanks Charlie.

"Your Brother,

Franz"

Franz Stigler, (left), and Charles Brown on one of their many get-togethers 

Source, the novel: A Higher Call 

The two men traveled across America, speaking at air museums, civic clubs and military gatherings. Their message: Enemies are better off as friends.

Franz Stigler passed away in March 2008, and Charles Brown passed away a few months later, in November 2008.

You can read the detailed story of their lives and their fateful encounter in the excellent book, A Higher Call, written by Adam Makos.

Book Graphic, Amazon.com

___________________________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Books