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TRENTON — Fifty-four years ago there was no Internet, or computers, for that matter.

Fifty-four years ago, two American soldiers — who had served together overseas for 29 months and became best of friends — said their goodbyes on a return ship to the United States.

Fifty-four years later, they said hello.

After the military, Sgt. Ray Sweeney got married and continued farming in Rose Fork, Ky., and Sgt. Cecil Sargent got married and began his career as a telegraph operator in Point Pleasant, W.Va.

Over the years, Sargent, who remained in West Virginia, said he frequently thought about his Army buddy, even mailed him two letters that weren't returned.

Sweeney said he moved from Rose Fork to Trenton years after the service and he never received the letters.

It seemed the two men — military buddies separated by less than 150 miles — would never be reunited.

Fast forward to 2008.

One of Sargent's daughters, Myra Doss, encouraged by her father, searched the Internet and located a handful of Ray Sweeneys.

Sargent called one.

Here's the conversation:

Sargent: "Did you ever play music?"

Sweeney: "Sure did."

Sargent: "Were you stationed in Germany in 1953?"

Sweeney: "Yes, I was."

Sargent: "Are you from a place called Rose Fork?"

Sweeney: "Sure am."

So on Thursday, Aug. 28, the two men — their black hair a little grayer — held a reunion 54 years in the making.

"I knew him as soon as I saw him," said Sweeney, who lives in Trenton.

"He looked the same to me," said Sargent, who made the three-hour drive from West Virginia to Trenton with his wife, Phyllis.

The two men relived war stories while Sargent's wife took a nap on the back porch. Fifty-four years — a lifetime to some people — couldn't mask their friendship.

"I'd drive another 100 miles to see him," Sargent said.

"Just seeing him means so much," Sweeney said.

They remembered playing music and cards together, even drinking a few beers.

Sargent said when he enlisted he was engaged, but while in Germany, he received a letter breaking it off.

"He didn't take that too good," Sweeney said.

Unfortunately for the two friends, their reunion came too late for a complete portrait.

Sweeney's wife of 53 years, Helen, died last year.

"She should have been here," Sweeney said. "She would have liked this."

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