My Enemy, My Friend

Author Brig. Gen. Cherry chronicles his time flying a fighter jet in Vietnam and the miraculous reconnection with the plane he flew and the Vietnamese pilot he shot down more than 35 years ago.

From his earliest memories, Cherry never wanted to do anything but fly. He spent his youth in Bowling Green, Ky., living with his mother and grandparents. During World War II, the author witnessed the birds of war constantly passing overhead. Those jets and the many young men in uniform inspired him to follow his dream. After spending nearly three decades in the military, Cherry was retired and living in Bowling Green when he and a group of friends planned a trip to the U.S. Air Force Museum. During the tour, their guide mentioned a Vietnam-era jet parked at a nearby VFW post. Seeing the aircraft, Cherry recognized it as the actual plane he flew on a war mission decades ago. A plan was hatched to create a historical learning center in Bowling Green using the jet as its first exhibit. All they needed was money to fund the project. What if Cherry attempted to contact the pilot he’d shot down? The likelihood of locating him was obviously very low, but Cherry managed to find him alive and well. A meeting was arranged, and the former enemies reunited and shared a warm embrace. Soon, the publicity surrounding the event secured the donations for the center. While the project is commendable and the narrative interesting, the work moves along too quickly at times, providing few details. Nevertheless, the author gets his message across in a readable if abbreviated storyline.

A short, fascinating account of long odds, determination and reconciliation.