Joe Peterburs

Col. Joseph Anthony Peterburs (born 1925) is a retired United States Air Force pilot most remembered for an 10 April 1945 shoot down from his propeller-powered North American P-51 Mustang of a technically superior Messerschmitt Me 262 turbojet piloted by Luftwaffe fighter ace Walter Schuck, who survived the crash. It was 60 years before the shoot down was confirmed by German historians, and their work led to a friendship between the former enemies. He was the son of Minnie W. Peterburs.

Career Petersburs enlisted in 1942. He served with the US Air Force during WWII. Peterburs was held at Stalag III in Luckenwalde but escaped a week later. Their work led to a friendship between the pilots and former enemies, Petersburg and Schuck.