War veteran Herb Tollefson travelled thousands of miles to look for Maltese friends he met 70 years ago – only to discover the son of one of his war buddies lived in the US too.
“I cannot tell you how elated I was when my cousin in Malta sent word that a picture of my father appeared in Times of Malta a few weeks ago,” said John Mifsud Jr, the son of a police sergeant that Mr Tollefson was looking for.
In December, Times of Malta published photographs taken in 1943 of Maltese people who befriended Mr Tollefson, from Marysville, Washington.
He was sent to Malta aged 24 as part of a group of 14 mechanics on detached service to repair aircraft during World War II.
Mr Tollefson, now 95, remembers Ninu Borg, Mike the cook and young ‘Yank’ who waited on customers at the Melita Bar, at the Ferries, Sliema, and Carmelo Borg, who owned the house that for a few months accommodated the mechanics from the 26th Air Depot Group in Deversoir, Egypt.
During his stay, Mr Tollefson also became friends with Police Sergeant John Mifsud.
In December Mr Tollefson came back to Malta with some of his children to look for these people, or their relatives.
Although he was unsuccessful, several readers contacted the former US Army Air Corps sergeant since his return to Washington, including 62-year-old John Mifsud Jr, who lives in Oakland, California.
“John Mifsud Jr sadly had to tell my father that the police sergeant he was looking for had passed away,” Mr Tollefson’s son Steve told this newspaper.
“However, after talking extensively over the phone, both men realised that a common bond spanning 70 years was present and they had to meet.”
Mr Mifsud flew to Washington to meet Mr Tollefson over Christmas, building a “strong, new friendship”.
They have since decided to return to Malta this summer and Mr Mifsud will act as a personal guide for Mr Tollefson, much like his father did 70 years ago.
“The Times of Malta interview made the son of a kind and brave Maltese policeman and a 95-year old US veteran very happy,” Steve said.
Born in 1951, Mr Mifsud Jr heard many tales from his mother and older siblings while he was growing up about his father’s heroism in Malta during World War II.
In 1991, Times of Malta ran a feature called Fifty Years Ago Today identifying his father’s heroism during the war.
To honour him, Mr Mifsud Jr wrote a recollection of family stories called All Clear: from resisting Nazi aggression to life in the New World.
Mr Tollefson is pictured on the cover because of his friendship with Mr Mifsud Sr.