COSTA MESA : Enemies in WWII Meet as Friends

Fifty years ago they flew fierce dogfights against each other on the Russian-German front during World War II.

But on Wednesday in Costa Mesa, the two Russian and two German pilots met in peace and friendship, here to take part in a weekend aviation art show. The old adversaries agreed that their meeting was unusual, but they said pilots, regardless of nationality, have much in common.

“The fighter fraternity is always a close club,” said German Gen. Johannes Steinhoff.

And Russian Gen. Konstantine Treshyov said he fervently hopes the days of aerial fights are over throughout the world.

“I think that our generation spent enough time fighting,” said Treshyov. “I’m more than sure that we’ll not have another big war. A lot was done to make that possible by former President Gorbachev and the world community. I’m pretty sure our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will not have to fight again.”

The four pilots gathered at the Virginia Bader Fine Arts gallery on Wednesday morning for a press conference. A translator interpreted for the two Russians, Treshyov, 70, and Gen. Arseny Vorozheikin, 80, who do not speak English. The Germans, Steinhoff, 78, and Gen. Guenther Rall, 74, spoke in English.

“I never thought this would happen,” said Rall, commenting on the four pilots’ getting together. “It gives us a chance--former enemies--to learn about each other, to understand each other and to respect each other.”

Steinhoff said the get-together was only possible because of the collapse of the former Soviet Union. He said that earlier efforts by German pilots to meet their Russian counterparts had never succeeded.

“Now, we are happy we come together in peace,” Steinhoff said.

With a wry smile, Vorozheikin said, “I prefer seeing our (German) colleagues while sitting next to them at this table rather than looking at each other from (fighter aircraft) cockpits.”

Rall said it is “very likely” that the four pilots were in air battles at the same time, without knowing it. “You never saw the pilot; you saw the aircraft,” he said. “But it is very likely that we met in the air.”

Steinhoff shows the most physical damage from the war. His face is covered with scars from burns he received when his plane was shot down. During his 993 combat missions for Germany, Steinhoff was shot down 12 times.

All of the pilots were heavily decorated during the war, and the two Russians on Wednesday wore their medals on their civilian suits. In addition to his Russian medals, Vorozheikin also wore the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross.

“I was given this by the American ambassador (in Moscow) in 1944,” said Vorozheikin. “He was a delightful man, and we had a big party afterward.”

Treshyov noted that he was the first Russian pilot to take to the sky when war against the Third Reich broke out on June 22, 1941. He had taken off on a patrol flight near the German border just minutes before the two countries declared war. “I had about 15 minutes of flying in peace before the war broke out,” he said.

The four pilots will take part in an aviation art show on Sunday at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Irvine.

They said Wednesday that the biggest significance of their gathering is to bear witness to world peace.

“It is hard to make predictions,” said Steinhoff. “No one predicted that the Soviet Union would fall apart. No one predicted that Germany would be reunited. I am careful not to make predictions. But one thing will not happen again: that we will fight each other. That is over.”