The Story of the Pilot Who Shot Down a Plane… and His Future Wife

In February 1945, Lieutenant Louis Edward Curdes, an American pilot, was flying his P-51 Mustang, known as “Bad Angel,” on a mission over Batan Island in the Philippines. His task was to target Japanese airfields and planes. Curdes had already gained recognition for his skills, but what happened that day would not only save lives but also change his personal life in a way he never expected.

A Heroic Pilot in Action

Curdes had earned a reputation as a skilled and courageous pilot. He had flown combat missions in Europe, where he shot down several German planes. Later, he was reassigned to the Pacific, where he continued to prove himself. Over Batan Island, he destroyed several enemy planes on the ground. After completing the main mission, Curdes received a report that one of his fellow pilots, Lieutenant Laqua, had been shot down and was stranded at sea.

With his comrade in danger, Curdes quickly flew to the area, searching the waters for Laqua. As he kept watch from above, something caught his eye. An American C-47 transport plane was flying towards a nearby airfield, which was controlled by Japanese forces. Curdes immediately realized the danger: the plane was heading straight toward enemy territory, where the crew and passengers would almost certainly be captured.

A Daring Decision

The C-47, known as the “Skytrain,” was used to transport troops and supplies during the war. It wasn’t built for combat, and this one was about to land at the wrong airfield. Curdes had to act fast, knowing the consequences if the plane touched down. He tried to signal the C-47’s crew, flying close and attempting to warn them about the danger below. But the plane didn’t respond. The radio was silent, and it was clear that the crew had no idea they were approaching an enemy base.

Time was running out. The C-47 was getting closer to the ground, and Curdes had to make a quick decision. In an extraordinary move, he decided to shoot at the plane—an action that most pilots would never consider. But Curdes didn’t aim to destroy the plane. He carefully targeted the engines, firing just enough to disable them without causing the plane to crash. His shots hit the engines, and the C-47 lost power, forcing it to make an emergency landing in the ocean, far from the enemy airfield. It was a bold move, but it worked. The plane went down in the water, and all of its passengers survived.

A Fateful Reunion

When Curdes returned to base, he was surprised to learn more about the people he had just saved. Among the passengers of the C-47 was a nurse named Svetlana Shostakovich, a woman Curdes had met just a few days earlier. They had even gone on a date, though Curdes had no idea she was aboard the plane he had saved. In a strange twist of fate, the nurse he rescued would later become his wife. Just a year after the incident, Curdes and Svetlana were married.

Lieutenant Curdes’ actions that day were remarkable for both their boldness and their personal connection. His quick thinking and unusual decision to shoot at a friendly aircraft saved the lives of the C-47’s crew and passengers. It also led to a fateful reunion with Svetlana, the woman who would become his future wife.

A Unique Tale

Curdes’ story is one of the more unique episodes in World War II aviation history. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1919, he had joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and quickly gained recognition for his flying abilities. He flew with the 95th Fighter Squadron and participated in key air battles over Europe, shooting down multiple German planes before being reassigned to the Pacific theater.

The P-51 Mustang that Curdes flew was one of the most famous fighter planes of World War II. Known for its speed and maneuverability, the Mustang played a key role in escorting bombers and engaging enemy fighters. It was equipped with six .50 caliber machine guns, making it a formidable force in the air. But on that day in 1945, Curdes didn’t use his guns to destroy an enemy plane—instead, he used them to disable a friendly one and save it from disaster.