The story
German Luftwaffe ace Major Walter Nowotny claimed his 258th victory as he shot down a B-24 Liberator bomber over Hesepe near Osnabrück, Germany. Moments later, his Me 262 jet fighter was hit by a US P-51 fighter, possibly the one piloted by 1st Lieutenant Richard Stevens. Nowotny's final words were reported to be "my god, I'm burning!" His subsequent crash and explosion was witnessed by his commanding officer Adolf Galland and other officers, who immediately rushed to the crash site; they failed to find Nowotny's remains, only able to locate broken pieces of the pilot's Knight's Cross medal.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.