How to Reach Allied Territory When Your Plane Is Shot Down in Nazi-Occupied France

Lieutenant George W. Starks' worst fear came true when his B-17 was shot down over Nazi-occupiedFrance. Earlier that morning, the boyish 20-year-old and his crew were assigned to the most exposedsection of the bomber formation: the “coffin corner.” Now, scattered across the countryside ofChampagne, each of the B-17’s ten American crew members discarded his parachutes and began awartime trek. Some were hidden by heroic civilians, a few were saved by the French underground,others fell into the hands of the Nazis, but all miraculously survived.Carole Engle Avriett, joins me on the podcast today. She is author of the book Coffin Corner Boys:One Bomber, Ten Men, and Their Harrowing Escape from Nazi-Occupied France to tell thesestories. She worked with Captain George W. Starks—now ninety-four years old—to bring them tolight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.