MultiTroll
09-29-2023, 09:33 AM
Martin James Monti deserted the USAAF and the Waffen-SS
There were a few cases where non-German Americans joined the German military. The most famous was Martin James Monti, a second lieutenant within the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Monti grew up listening to radio broadcasts by Roman Catholic priest Charles Coughlin, who spoke highly of Germany and Italy's fascist governments. He was commissioned as a flight officer into the USAAF in early 1944, and while stationed in Italy he stole a Lockheed P-5E Lightning (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/p-38-lightning-dominated-aerial-reconnaissance-for-years.html). He flew to Milan, where he surrendered to the Germans.
The aircraft was tested by the Luftwaffe (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/aircraft/henschel-hs-129.html)'s Zirkus Rosarius unit and Monti was given a spot in the SS' propaganda unit, in Berlin. While on the radio, he spoke under an alias. Outside of these duties, he also helped create a propaganda leaflet that was handed out to Allied POWs.
In 1945, aware of Germany's imminent defeat, Monti fled Berlin. At first, the Allies believed him to be a German POW, but under interrogation he revealed he'd deserted the USAAF. He claimed to have stolen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_James_Monti#Membership_in_the_Waffen-SS) the P-5E because he was "bored," adding he did so to "personally fight the Germans himself." He said he'd been shot down during his flight and wound up joining a partisan group.
Surprisingly, the Americans believed Monti's story and only court-martialed him on charges of desertion and theft. While he was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, this was later suspended by US President Harry S. Truman (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/truman-blocked-moh.html), on the condition he re-enlist with the USAAF, later the US Air Force. He did just that, receiving an honorable discharge in January 1948.
Immediately following his discharge, the FBI (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/featured/difference-between-fbi-and-cia.html) arrested Monti for his propaganda work in Germany. He was subsequently indicted on 21 acts of treason, to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served his sentence in Kansas, and at one point tried to withdraw his plea, claiming he'd been pressured to admit to the charges against him by his attorney.
Monti's appeal was ultimately rejected, and he remained in prison until he was paroled in 1960.
There were a few cases where non-German Americans joined the German military. The most famous was Martin James Monti, a second lieutenant within the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Monti grew up listening to radio broadcasts by Roman Catholic priest Charles Coughlin, who spoke highly of Germany and Italy's fascist governments. He was commissioned as a flight officer into the USAAF in early 1944, and while stationed in Italy he stole a Lockheed P-5E Lightning (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/p-38-lightning-dominated-aerial-reconnaissance-for-years.html). He flew to Milan, where he surrendered to the Germans.
The aircraft was tested by the Luftwaffe (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/aircraft/henschel-hs-129.html)'s Zirkus Rosarius unit and Monti was given a spot in the SS' propaganda unit, in Berlin. While on the radio, he spoke under an alias. Outside of these duties, he also helped create a propaganda leaflet that was handed out to Allied POWs.
In 1945, aware of Germany's imminent defeat, Monti fled Berlin. At first, the Allies believed him to be a German POW, but under interrogation he revealed he'd deserted the USAAF. He claimed to have stolen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_James_Monti#Membership_in_the_Waffen-SS) the P-5E because he was "bored," adding he did so to "personally fight the Germans himself." He said he'd been shot down during his flight and wound up joining a partisan group.
Surprisingly, the Americans believed Monti's story and only court-martialed him on charges of desertion and theft. While he was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, this was later suspended by US President Harry S. Truman (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/truman-blocked-moh.html), on the condition he re-enlist with the USAAF, later the US Air Force. He did just that, receiving an honorable discharge in January 1948.
Immediately following his discharge, the FBI (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/featured/difference-between-fbi-and-cia.html) arrested Monti for his propaganda work in Germany. He was subsequently indicted on 21 acts of treason, to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served his sentence in Kansas, and at one point tried to withdraw his plea, claiming he'd been pressured to admit to the charges against him by his attorney.
Monti's appeal was ultimately rejected, and he remained in prison until he was paroled in 1960.