I have a WWII photo my Dad took of a bombed out building in France, which he inscribed on the back to his girlfriend (later my Mom).

"At least I don't have to go back (home) to anything like this. We're lucky...let's realize just how much and never be unhappy over trivials."

Sometimes it's too easy to forget the sacrifices that were made, on days like this when we're supposed to remember. Thanks for the reminder that our Dads were once kids, put in harms way, just as we continue to put kids in harms way. At least then there seemed a better reason.

Those are really great photographs.

That last one, I took. Summer after freshman year in high school.

My dad graduated from high school in 1944; he received his draft notice in June of that year. He served in the Pacific theater on Okinawa. Although he was not a combat soldier (US Army Signal Corps), I know his service was the highlight of his life. Everyone did their part. It was a different time, different place.

Jack - Many thanks for remembering our veterans on this important day. I hope my dad is resting in peace. He passed away two years ago - and was a veteran like your dad. He served as a recruit artilery trainer in WWII. He never went overseas as his twin brother jack was killed in combat storming Iwo Jima with the Marines. Despite losing his twin brother to the Japanese; he never was bitter about it and in later life became a major distributor of Japanese writing products in North America. My parents made many trips to Japan over the years both for business and pleasure. They also hosted many business visitors from Japan in their home in San Francisco and were honored by the Japanese Consulate for their contributions to Japanese-American relations.