Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1998)

In 1966 Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos captured and down to 85 pounds escaped Barefoot surviving monsoons leeches and machetewielding villagers he was rescued Now near 60 living on Mt Tamalpais Dengler tells his story a German lad surviving Allied bombings in World War II postwar poverty apprenticed to a smith beaten regularly At 18 he emigrates and peels potatoes in the US Air Force He leaves for California and college then enlistment in the Navy to learn to fly A quiet man of sorrows tells his story war capture harrowing conditions escape and miraculous rescue Where did he find the strength how does he now live with his memories