A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos Read Free Book Online

service he wanted. August had a lot to lose. He was engaged to the niece of a cardinal, a match their mother had made. August had his education, his job as a high school teacher, his family, his church, and his freedom. “Why risk everything?” Franz had asked him. August had said he was certain a war was coming and he would be drafted. If he had to fight, he preferred to fly.
    To be impartial, Franz could have assigned August to another instructor. But Franz did not care what the other cadets whispered. He was burdened by the thought that his brother’s survival in combat one day could hinge on his training. So Franz picked August as one of his personal students. For months Franz taught August aerobatics, high-altitude flying, and emergency procedures.
    As their training period wound down, August told Franz that he planned to apply for a twin-engine assignment to fly aircraft that allowed a pilot to “enjoy the ride” instead of the diving and twisting dogfights of fighter pilots. Franz knew that August lacked the killer instinct a fighter pilot needed, but this was a good quality in Franz’s eyes. With only weeks remaining that they could be together, Franz gave August extra lessons after class to hone skills a bomber pilot would need—skills such as distance flying, night flying, and flying blind (by instruments only). Franz trained August harder than any other instructor would have. He demanded perfection.
    August earned a weeklong vacation prior to his final exams. He decided to go home to spend time with his fiancée. It was a Friday, and that morning Franz had sent him on a long-distance training hop where August had followed his map from airfield to airfield. At each point he was to land and get his logbook stamped by the duty officer in the tower as proof. When August reported back to Franz that evening along with the other students, Franz found that only one pilot was missing a stamp—his brother. August explained that he could not find the duty officer and left without the stamp. Franz knew his brother had been in a hurry. August admitted this was true.
    “Hurrying in an airplane can get you killed,” Franz told him.
    In front of the other cadets, Franz tore up August’s holiday papers and canceled his leave. August was shocked and angry. Franz told his brother to go prepare an airplane for more training. August obeyed and left Franz’s office, sulking.
    The brothers took to the skies, Franz in front, August behind, to practice August’s least favorite mission—flying blind. Soon after takeoff, Franz ordered August “under the hood.” August pulled a handle and a black cloth covered his canopy, locking him into a cockpit lit only by instruments. Franz flew the plane for a while to disorient August. Then he shouted orders between cockpits and told August which course to steer and for how long. Franz knew that August had no idea where he was going.
    An hour and a half later, Franz told August he was taking control of the plane. August asked to remove the hood, which was customary, but Franz denied the request. Franz landed the craft, taxied to a stop, and only then told August he could remove the hood. August started to give Franz a piece of his mind for keeping him in the dark for so long, but he stopped mid-sentence.
    Waiting for him by a hangar on the tarmac was his fiancée. August immediately recognized the airport—Regensburg—they weren’t back at Dresden—they were home. August’s fiancée giggled at the shock on his face. She knew what Franz had done. * August embraced his fiancée and tried to rustle Franz’s hair as Franz squirmed away. They were like boys again.
    During their weeklong holiday the brothers stayed at their boyhood home on a quiet street in Amberg. While looking for August one afternoon, Franz wandered into his brother’s bedroom. There on August’s desk, Franz found a stack of letters. Franz picked one up and read it. His hands began to tremble. The letter was a copy