Great stories Joe! I was cracking up over the wine boots. Your beer tales remind me of a story that was told to me years ago. Very late in the war two Americans were scouting Germany in a jeep and came up on a whole motorized column of assorted German vehicles parked by the road. The jeep pulled right up beside the lead tank and there was a short verbal exchange between the jeep driver and the tank commander.
Right after, the tanker started his engine and waved the column to do likewise. “What is going on?” the jeep passenger asked. “I asked him if he wanted to surrender to us”, said the driver, “and he asked me if I was crazy.” “And then?” the passenger continued nervously. “Then I told him we have an American Army behind us loaded down with chocolate, cigarettes, and beer, and you’ve got a Soviet army behind you starving, angry, and looking for revenge.” The Jeep then whirled around and led their captive column back to the American lines.
I don’t know if it’s true but it certainly makes a funny story.