In October 1943, over Stambruges, Belgium, an American pilot jumped out of his burning plane and landed in a tree. When he fell, he badly hurt his ankle. Crawling to a nearby farm, he was lucky to find a farmer who supported the Allied airmen. The farmer took the pilot to the home of Clovis and Georgette Hanotte, who hid him for weeks to keep him from being caught by the Germans.


Their daughter, Monique Hanotte, helped the pilot by escorting him between safe houses in France and Belgium until the war ended. Monique was part of a secret group called the Comet Line, made up of nearly 3,000 volunteers from France and Belgium. Their goal was to save Allied airmen from being captured, tortured, and executed by the Nazis.


Monique was clever and confident. She knew many border guards and could easily talk her way past them. She also knew hidden paths to avoid detection. Sometimes, she would carry an old loaf of bread in her bag, telling the guards she was just getting bread from the countryside. As a woman, it was easier for her to get through checkpoints.


The Comet Line rescued over 800 airmen, and Monique herself helped 135 of them. However, it was a dangerous mission, and 700 volunteers were caught by the Germans. 290 of them were executed or died in prisons or concentration camps.


Monique Hanotte lived to be 101 and passed away just a month ago. 70 years after helping the American pilot, Lt. Charles V. Carlson from Minnesota, Monique met his daughter and family, who came to Belgium to thank her for her brave efforts during the war.

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