Polish troops raised an orphaned bear cub during WWII!

Well, something good happened during WWII. In 1942, a local boy found a bear cub near Hamadan, Iran whose mother had been shot. He sold it to soldiers of the Polish army who were stationed nearby for canned meat tins. Initially, the bear was fed condensed milk from an empty vodka bottle. Later on, he was fed fruits, marmalade, honey, and syrup. Occasionally, he was rewarded with beer which became his favourite drink.

The bear was named Wojtek, which means “smiling warrior.” Wojtek enjoyed wrestling, smoking, and eating cigarettes. The Polish troops even taught him to salute when greeted. He was eventually promoted to unofficial mascot of all units stationed nearby. He travelled to Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt with his troops.

(Source)