During WW2, Switzerland also suffered its share of Allied bombing due to either human error in misidentifying the city, plane navigation malfunction, or neglect of US aircrews in dumping their bomb loads at any convenient location to escape marauding German fighters. One infamous misdirected US bombing raid was against Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland on 1 April 1944, (Rollover) due to its close proximity to German border. Raid reduced the scenic city to smoking ruins (shown above, looking across the Rhein towards northern city area) with over 100 causalities. US immediately offered formal apology and financial reparations. The Diplomacy of Apology : U.S. Bombings of Switzerland during World War II - www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil

However, after repeated misdirected Allied bombing raids on Swiss cities, Swiss Air Force aggressively interdicted any foreign aircraft entering its air space, be it Axis or Allied. Planes intercepted were ordered to land at nearest Swiss airdrome to be interned, any attempt to escape would grant Swiss pilots standing orders to shot the plane down. One controversial 1944 incident occurred when a 4-engine US bomber strayed into Swiss air space and was duly intercepted by a Swiss fighter. When ordered to land, US bomber attempted to escape, whereby the Swiss opened fire upon fleeing plane. Bomber was hit and shot up flares indicating they have wounded aboard and was ready to comply. However, Swiss pilot continued his pursuit until the bomber fell to ground in flames, forcing US survivors to bail-out. This action brought a formal US protest against the Swiss, in which the Swiss replied the protest has been noted and logged....end of case. Stadtarchiv Schaffhausen - www.stadtarchiv-schaffhausen.ch