Herman Goering’s (pictured above) many duties included commanding the Luftwaffe and serving as the Deputy Fuehrer under Adolf Hitler. He was no small-time Nazi-come-lately.
Werner Goering achieved notoriety as Herman’s nephew. Werner was raised as a Mormon after his father emigrated to Utah. During World War II, Werner joined the U.S. Army Air Force and become a B-17 pilot.
Civilian and military intelligence officials were very concerned about the above familial connection. They thoroughly investigated Werner and could find nothing to indicate that he was anything other than a loyal American and a very competent pilot. Nonetheless, they were still fearful about putting him in a position where he could, either voluntarily or involuntarily, be captured in Germany. At best, the propaganda potential for the Germans in such an event would be immense; at worse, Werner would intentionally land his bomber in Germany, cooperate with his uncle, and share classified information.
Notwithstanding the above, Werner flew 49 missions over Europe before the war ended. What he did not know was that his co-pilot, Jack Rencher, had been recruited by the FBI. Rencher, an expert pistol shot, was under standing orders to execute Werner if it ever appeared possible that Werner could be captured by the Germans. On one particularly bad mission, Rencher was concerned that the aircraft would not be able to make it back to England and was about to complete his assignment. Fortunately, they were able to reach home safely after all.
Werner and Rencher developed a great deal of respect for each other and remained good friends until Rencher’s death in 2010, notwithstanding the revelation after the war to Werner about Rencher’s secondary assignment.
Ironically, although Werner (and everyone else) believed for most of his life that he was Herman Goering’s nephew, recent investigation reveals that he was not. Apparently, Werner’s father had fostered the rumor that he was Hermann Goering's brother merely to gain respect by association from the Salt Lake City German community at an earlier time when his purported sibling was revered as a decorated World War I ace and had not yet pursued his new career as a despot and war criminal.
For more information about the travails of Werner, please read Stephen Frater's book Hell Above Earth: The Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander and the Copilot Ordered to Kill Him.
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