10. You Disobeyed Orders… Heroically
Belgian pilot Jean de Selys Longchamps, serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF), learned of his father’s execution by the Germans in occupied Belgium. Driven by grief and a desire for retribution, he veered off course after an escort mission to launch a solo attack on the Gestapo headquarters in Brussels. In a bold and audacious maneuver, de Selys Longchamps flew his aircraft to ground level right in front of the building, unleashing a barrage of machine gun fire.
This audacious strike resulted in the death of the local Gestapo commander, an SS officer, and the anti-aircraft crew stationed on the roof. Celebrating his act, he circled the building, dispersing little Belgian flags as symbols of resistance, and even dropped a larger flag near his niece’s residence as a personal tribute. Despite his heroism, de Selys Longchamps faced demotion for disobeying orders, yet he was simultaneously awarded a medal for the bravery he demonstrated.