Frank’s birthday is May 7. This also happens to be V-E Day, the end of World War Two in Europe. At this point in the war, there was almost no fighting, and Frank’s unit was barracked in the northern Italian town of Udine.
His commanding officer put the company on strict orders to not leave the compound under any circumstances. Their German counterparts on the other side of town, however, had no such restrictions and we’re free to roam the town, and being soldiers this means pubs, as they pleased.
This was too much for Frank. It was his birthday, the war was over, and he had made it through alive and relatively unscathed.
He sneaked out of the compound and spent his birthday celebrating and drinking the night away with his new-found friends.
The next morning he woke up safe and sound in his bed.
Later in the morning, his captain called him in, “Drudge, you were aware of my order to stay in the compound last night, were you not?”
“Yes, sir” Frank replied.
“So then what did you do last night for your birthday?”
“Oh, you know. Played some cards with the boys.”
“Oh that’s interesting,” his captain replied. “That’s not what the Germans said who brought you to the front gate last night.”
Mortal enemies the night before, Frank and the Germans had become best of friends while celebrating the end of the war. Those two German soldiers had gone from shooting at Frank to making sure he got back to his base safely.
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