The fistfight between B-17 bomber pilots during an aerial combat

Despite 80 years having passed since its end, World War II remains an almost inexhaustible source of surprising stories.

The anonymous Czech prisoner who saved an American B-17 bomber in World War II
Ye Olde Pub: The American B-17 bomber saved by a German Bf-109 fighter pilot

One such story featured John Cary Morgan, an aviator born in Vernon, Texas, on August 24, 1914. As a young man, he learned to pilot airplanes, and in August 1941, Morgan was one of the United States citizens who volunteered for Europe to fight against nazi Germany. He did so by enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After receiving his military training, he was sent to the British base at RAF Church Lawford in England, where he was assigned to a bomber unit.

Following the United States' entry into World War II, Morgan transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) on March 23, 1943, and was assigned to the 92nd Bombardment Group based at RAF Alconbury, England. A few months later, he would become involved in a surprising incident when he was flying co-pilot on B-17F 42-29802, nicknamed "Ruthie II." On July 26, 1943, during a bombing mission against the German city of Hanover, the Ruthie II was hit by German fighters, resulting in the pilot, Lieutenant Robert Campbell, seriously injured with a skull fracture that left him momentarily unconscious.

Morgan took control of the B-17 to return it to formation, but Campbell regained consciousness and began making erratic maneuvers. Morgan asked the pilot to relinquish control, but in shock from his wounded man, Campbell began punching his copilot and good friend. Morgan endured Campbell's constant aggression for two hours, but still managed to complete the mission.

Back in England, with Campbell already weakened by blood loss, Morgan and the plane's navigator managed to transfer the pilot to another compartment, landing at RAF Foulsham. All of the Ruthie II's crew made it back to base with one exception: the upper turret gunner, who was thrown from the plane by a colleague when he realized he would not make it safely to base due to his severe injuries (he was eventually captured but the Germans gave him hospital treatment, saving his life). Lieutenant Campbell died of his injuries shortly after landing. For his conduct, Morgan was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration, by Lieutenant General Ia. C. Eaker, commander of the 8th Air Force, on December 18, 1943.

It wasn't Morgan's only feat in World War II. On March 6, 1944, during another mission, his B-17 was severely damaged, and the crew had to bail out. In a rush to abandon the plane, Morgan jumped without properly deploying his parachute: he did so during the fall, managing to open it at just 500 feet (152 meters). He spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp, becoming the only American to be taken prisoner of war after receiving the Medal of Honor. Morgan later reenlisted in the Air Force to fight in the Korean War, piloting transport aircraft. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died on January 17, 1991, and was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

This Saturday, the excellent YouTube channel Yarhub (a recommended subscription if you like military history) published a magnificent video recreating on computer that fistfight on board the B-17 Ruthie II and about the events surrounding that mission (the video has an audio track and subtitles in English, you can activate them in the bottom bar of the player):

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Main image: Yarnhub.