WWII enemies now allies with aid of Internet, time

[Pointman]

Jim awesome story.I would like to share another one.
About twenty years or more ago, I was shopping in a grocery store for the family.As I moved up to the front of the store to the checkout section, I saw this bin of books for sale.

One turned out to be a very nice hardback book about the weapons of WW2 and some stories behind their use.Anyhoo as I was browsing this book I found a picture of a P-51 strafing a German tank.There was a German soldier laying next to the tank who was partially on fire.

A gentlemen who had been looking over my shoulder at the book asked me, how did that picture make me feel?I was slightly startled, but I answered that it must have been a terrible way to die.

He replied that the German crewmen had lived and was still alive today.Really I asked,how would you know that?He replied because I'm the guy who's flying that P-51 and that man lying next to that tank, is my best friend now.

I was stunned, but he had a sincerity in his eyes and voice and he was definitely ex-military.He also was the right age for that period of events.I admit though I had my doubts.

Then about five years later or more I was watching the history channel.They were featuring a WW2 survivors reunion in England and sure enough here was this pilot and standing next to him, was this German soldier who was horribly disfigured from burns on his face and hands.

They interviewed these guys and they told their story about the war and the events that led up to them becoming friends and how close they had become.

I have to admit it brought a tear to my eye and made me feel very proud to have met this compassionate hearted person if only for a brief moment in time.