Dad enlisted in the Army for one year in January, 1941. And got out in October, '46. He was first wave at Oran, survived Kasserine, first wave at Sicily and Salerno, got pulled out of Cassino to be in the first wave at Anzio, and fought up through Rome to Lake Como. Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and numerous campaign medals. Never told us how or where he got them, and the Army records from then were destroyed in a fire, so...
My one cousin was a Seabee in Viet Nam, and wore shrapnel in his back 'til the day he died, about 10 years ago. Wouldn't talk about it. His younger brother (my age) flew the boom in tankers in the 70s. I was Army. And my youngest brother froze his ass servicing BUFFs at Loring AFB in Maine.
