USAAF pilot defected in 1944

[Jimbuna]

Not wishing to sound naive but I came across this on another forum and I was totally unaware of the fact

USAAF pilot defected, flew his P-38 to Milan & joined the SS

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war...e=int&page=who

[Schroeder]

Post-war trials
In 1946, Monti was court-martialed for stealing the plane and for desertion; he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His sentence was later suspended and he was allowed to reenlist in the Army as a private on February 11, 1947. He was a sergeant when he was discharged on January 26, 1948.

I found this unbelievably stupid. The guy surrendered in his SS uniform, committed treason and in early 1947 he could reenlist with the US armed forces?

[Aktungbby]

Not an entirely uncommon thing it seems http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259632/Hitlers-British-SS-Chilling-pictures-traitors-joined-Fuhrers-evil-unit--Union-Flag-sleeve.html Oddly both Monti and associate: 'Axis Sally' Mildred Gillars did about the same amount of prison time (11-12 years) and he was influenced by his anti-Communist Catholic upbringing. Both died in obscurity after their prison terms. I wonder where the plane is!

[GoldenRivet]

Well of all the bone headed things he could do... defecting to the Germans in late 1944 makes absolutely no sense as they were in retreat on all fronts. But i guess it must have made some kind of sense in his head.

1944's Affluenza teen? LOL

but yes... it doesnt make sense that he would have his sentence overturned and be allowed back into the military. that one is a real head scratcher

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Well of all the bone headed things he could do... defecting to the Germans in late 1944 makes absolutely no sense as they were in retreat on all fronts. But i guess it must have made some kind of sense in his head.

1944's Affluenza teen? LOL

but yes... it doesnt make sense that he would have his sentence overturned and be allowed back into the military. that one is a real head scratcher

True that

I was aware of some of the Brits but that is the first American I've come across

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Well of all the bone headed things he could do... defecting to the Germans in late 1944 makes absolutely no sense as they were in retreat on all fronts. But i guess it must have made some kind of sense in his head.

1944's Affluenza teen? LOL

but yes... it doesnt make sense that he would have his sentence overturned and be allowed back into the military. that one is a real head scratcher

Possibly it does if you want to avoid double jeopardy on desertion and go after the far more serious charge of Treason which also carried a death penalty; The Germans had also incarcerated him at first; so outright desertion is hard to prove past bad navigation to Milan and trying to evade bad treatment under duress (Stockholm syndrome etc)

Monti was court-martialed for stealing the plane and for desertion; he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His sentence was later suspended and he was allowed to reenlist in the Army as a private on February 11, 1947. He was a sergeant when he was discharged on January 26, 1948. Minutes later, the FBI arrested him at Mitchell Field, New York, and charged him with treason for the propaganda activities of “Martin Wiethaupt”, which the FBI had now tied to him. On October 14, a federal grand jury in Brooklyn indicted him for 21 acts of treason committed between October 13, 1944, and May 8, 1945, the day hostilities in Europe ended.

To whit: a poor radio broadcast (his talent on the radio-mike wasn't up to Axis Sally's standards) and a leaflet produced for the Nazi regime...