MINNESOTA ( WCCO ) -- For many veterans, experiencing a war together creates a special bond, but eight decades after World War II, two veterans are just starting to form their own.

For more than a century, 102-year-old Les Schrenk and 101-year-old Casey Bukowski didn't know each other.

"I corresponded with so many of the POWs I was with and every one of them is gone for a good number of years now," Schrenk said.

But a couple of weeks ago, Schrenk got a pleasant surprise. Even though he lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Bukowski lives near Buffalo, New York, friends of the veterans got to talking and realized the two had a lot in common.

"Actually, unbelievable. Because I had doubts about what would occur and how to approach this thing," Bukowski said.

When Bukowski flew to Minnes

See Full Page