A fighter pilot repays his dept to the fuzzy-wuzzy angels.

I recall as a boy listening to radio broadcasts of Parliamentary debates, and hearing Tom Uren speaking passionately about Australia's debt to the Fuzzy wuzzy angels of New Guinea who saved the lives of many Australian soldiers during the gruelling World War II campaigns to our north.

It turns out it wasn't only Australian lives who were saved.  Fred Hargesheimer, a US Army pilot was shot down in 1943, and his life was saved by the New Guinea natives.

In the 1960's he returned to build a school for the remote villagers, and dedicated much of his life since then to the cause of education there.

This is his story.

[ tip from Steve Holden ]