TV/MIDT-VEST - speech  Pċ dansk   Original   B17 42-31377  Pot O' Gold  Lester Schrenk Updated: 05 JAN 2021

Click to play TV/MIDT-VEST: Mortal enemies become friends      TV/MIDT-VEST       See Lester Schrenk and Hans Hermann Müller in 2012.
Text under the frame with the film: Mortal enemies become friends. After 68 years two former soldiers, during World War II mortal enemies, are reconciled.

 Picture                                Speech

Mortal enemies become friends TV item 2 min. 47 sec. by Uffe Bregendahl (also the narrator) sent on 25 APR 2012.       
Anchor On 22 February 1944 a German pilot flew on a mission from Karup Airport. Over Thy he shot down an American bomber and killed the pilot. Now 68 years later it has led to a quite unusual friendship. (Comment: Also the pilot bailed out, but he drowned. Read about Lavies)
Bridge in Heidelberg,
Lester Schrenk (LS)		 Uffe Bregendal (UB): The 88-year-old American Lester Schrenk arrives at Heidelberg in Germany.
LS dragging his suitcase. LS: I hope to find a friend for one thing. And it's come full circle. It is a kind of the closure of everything.
LS, close-up. The crew. UB: Here he is to meet the German pilot who shot down him and the rest of the crew of this plane in 1944 and killed his friend the pilot.
LS, close-up. LS: He was like a brother to me.
The lake, LS with a wreath. LS: OK. In memory of my pilot Lieutenant William R. Lavies. May he rest in peace.
The lake, LS. (About here) UB: In 2008 Lester Schrenk laid a wreath and said a prayer for the pilot - LS:  He meant a lot to me - who drowned when he landed in this lake in Thy.
Hans Hermann Müller (HHM) UB: The German Hans Hermann Müller, then based in Denmark, shot down 16 Allied planes.
HHM, sky with clouds.  HHM: Well, again a dark cloud in the background. So typical.
HHM's house. UB: Now he is to meet one of the victims.
HHM, close-up. HHM: I just stay calm. I am pleased. And that's all.
HHM's house. UB: Since 1944 Lester has wished to meet Hans Hermann Müller, because he thinks that he saved his life.
LS at the hotel. The crew. LS: It is as simple as that.
The crew. LS, close-up. UB: Hans Hermann Müller hit their plane over the North Sea. LS: The first thing I remember was that there was a great big explosion.
HHM    HHM: After the first attack Lester turned around to the right and took the opposite direction.
B-17 UB: He let them fly in over land, so that they could bail out.
HHM, close-up. HHM: You may still meet fairness in a war.
HHM and family. UB: At long last the two veterans can meet face to face.
Handshakes, hugs. HHM: Hello. LS: Hans Hermann, it has been so long, but finally we meet. 68 years 2 months. This is wonderful. HHM: Oh yes. Fine.
HHM, LS and Bernice S. UB: The two mortal enemies have become pen friends in the latest half year. Now they have also become friends in real life.
LS and HHM in garden chairs. LS: They would come through our formation and a lot of times they would wave at us. Did you do that, too?
Eagles (present from LS) HHM: Oh yes, wonderful.
Anchor And if you want to see more about the two mortal enemies who are friends now, then keep an eye on this channel. Later we are going to show a longer broadcast.