A WWII Vet Remembers His German Friend

From: Andrew Witmer
Length: 03:40

WWII veteran Ed Goshorn talks about befriending a young German pilot who had earlier tried to kill him. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: A WWII Vet Remembers His German Friend
From: Andrew Witmer

Goshorn_small Ed Goshorn was born on August 2, 1921, so he was only 18 years old when he left his home in Memphis, Tennessee in early 1940, renounced his U.S. citizenship, and joined the British air service. The U.S. had not yet entered WWII, and Ed was eager to join the fray. He flew gliders and Spitfires as a pilot in the Royal Air Force between 1940 and 1942, defending the air over England during a time in which German bombers were the dread of the English population. Through a strange twist of fate, Ed became close friends with a young German pilot who had earlier tried to kill him. He tells the fascinating story of their unexpected friendship in this short piece, recorded in 2006 at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, a retirement community in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Ed now lives.

Piece Description

Ed Goshorn was born on August 2, 1921, so he was only 18 years old when he left his home in Memphis, Tennessee in early 1940, renounced his U.S. citizenship, and joined the British air service. The U.S. had not yet entered WWII, and Ed was eager to join the fray. He flew gliders and Spitfires as a pilot in the Royal Air Force between 1940 and 1942, defending the air over England during a time in which German bombers were the dread of the English population. Through a strange twist of fate, Ed became close friends with a young German pilot who had earlier tried to kill him. He tells the fascinating story of their unexpected friendship in this short piece, recorded in 2006 at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, a retirement community in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Ed now lives.