Wernher von Braun, the German rocket-building genius, saw the Nazis' Third Reich crumbling as World War II neared its end, and he knew that he and his rocket team were in trouble. He knew the SS storm troopers would rather gun them down than let the Allies capture the people who had built Germany's vengeance weapon, or V-2 rocket. Von Braun called a meeting of his team, and every scientist and engineer voted to surrender to the Americans. They thought that in America they might have the chance to carry on their work.
Von Braun commandeered a train, and, with forged papers, transported 525 scientists and their families plus thirteen years' worth of V-2 designs past the SS and into Bavaria where he hoped to find the Americans.
In the meantime, intelligence experts in Washington, Paris, London, and Moscow were trying desperately to find the brilliant team that had created the V-2 rocket. But they had no idea who these engineering wizards were, much less where they might be, until US Private First Class Frederick P. Schneikert noticed a man cycling down the Alps.
Waving his hands in the air, the cyclist walked up to Schneikert and explained in excited, broken English, that he was Magnus von Braun, brother of Wernher von Braun, the inventor of the V-2 rocket. He told the American that Werner and his team were hiding nearby, that they wanted to surrender to the Americans immediately, and that it was absolutely imperative that he and his brother "see Ike as soon as possible." Schneikert had no idea he had just stumbled upon the greatest catch of the war.
