During WWII, American pilot Charlie Brown’s B-17 was severely damaged over Germany, caught in an air battle with German fighter planes. Surprisingly, Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler, instead of shooting it down, escorted Brown’s bomber to safety, risking his own safety to protect the enemy. The two pilots met 50 years later and formed a lasting friendship until their deaths months apart in 2008. The incident inspired a book and was honored in various ways, including a song by a heavy metal band and an NCIS episode plotline. Franz Stigler’s decision to save the struggling American bomber crew over engaging in combat remains a remarkable display of humanity in wartime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Brown_and_Franz_Stigler_incident