I certainly love how this thread is going so far, and it's only just begun.

BOB ... thank you so much for being the first to jump in here and start things rolling. I really appreciate the story you told us ... what an interesting, and kind of happy-sad little story about friendship bonds and how world events can interfere in it's closeness and all. Amazing insights ... too bad they tend to come so much later. Childhood bonds seem the most profound hey? (and have the happiest and craziest memories to them too )

KEITH ... WONDERFUL to see the photo of your Uncle! I'm sorry that the loss of your Uncle had such powerful impact ... you know, of course, how effected my own family was. It seems the more I learn, the more I want to learn more, about other relatives and how my total family was effected, in all the different ways. I haven't done much lately for many reasons, but I never "quit" and don't intend to!

... I haven't followed the link you gave yet ... but will shortly. I really want to see what may have brought a sort of closure for your Mom.

CREWMAN ... thanks ... I just had a little flash-brainstorm about "Gee ... I wanna hear this stuff from people in here )

I call the after-effects "the hangovers" of yesterdays The good and the bad ... we're all still "hungover" and that effects our views and behaviors ... and our hopes I guess.

I think about the lives of those at home during the war years too ... in my family's case, living in the country with farms and families to care for and tend to ... the women and girls, and young boys, must have worked their heinies off to take care of everything while their men and many women were off to war because life goes on and must be tended to. People have to eat and all. And worried constantly about their loved and "needed" ones.

And those off to war or serving ... being separated from family and all the comforts and meals of home and family (though I know some would probably have preferred going off to war than living with family LOL )

God ... there is STILL so much more to know, or that I'd like to know about "life back then" ...

There are SO many stories locked away in peoples memories ... good and bad ... about those years.

Keep them coming

Karmen