Did You Know An American Fighter Pilot Was Spared By His Enemies?

Even wars as bloody and bitter as World War II have their shining moments of mercy and humanity, and even the worst enemies sometimes find it in themselves to spare a helpless foe (Read our earlier article). This was especially true in both world wars, when many pilots saw themselves as the inheritors of the chivalric ideal. One man who can still recall such a moment is Ed Cottrell, a World War II pilot still alive today at the age of 102.

On December 17, 1944, the second day of the Battle of the Bulge, Cottrell’s squadron of Republic P-47 Thunderbolts was flying a ground attack mission against German Tiger tanks when they were ambushed by 20 Messerschmitt Bf-109 (Read our earlier article) fighters. Cottrell’s plane took a hit from a 20 mm cannon which destroyed 8 of the 18 cylinders of his engine and caused hot oil to splash all over his cockpit, forcing him to throw open the canopy just to see. His plane chugging and slowing down, he radioed his unit commander that he can’t continue the mission and was instructed to head west and land wherever he can behind Allied lines.

On the way back, two Bf-109’s showed up to his left and right, fell behind, and took up firing positions behind him. Cottrell knew he was a sitting duck and thought of his wife while waiting for the lethal fire.
 
The fire never came. Instead, the two German planes took up close positions to his left and right and escorted him to the frontline. Once there, they raised their hands and gave him the “OK” sign with their thumbs and index fingers in a circle, then headed home. Soon after, Cottrell made radio contact with friendly forces and was directed toward his airfield where he made a successful deadstick landing.
 
Cottrell long wished to find the two German pilots who spared his life, but never managed to. He did, however, meet another German veteran. Karl-Heinz Bosse, three years younger than Cottrell and only 19 during the Battle of the Bulge, was part of the German unit that attacked Cottrell’s squadron. Bosse also suffered a shot to his plane; he managed to bail out, but suffered a serious injury on landing. The two pilots met in person in December 2023 and became good friends,

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