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-occupied

France. Earlier that morning, the boyish 20-year-old and his crew were assigned to the most exposed

section of the bomber formation: the “coffin corner.” Now, scattered across the countryside of

Champagne, each of the B-17’s ten American crew members discarded his parachutes and began a

wartime 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 these

stories. She worked with Captain George W. Starks—now ninety-four years old—to bring them to

light.