My FIL still living, (90 years old) was still in Europe on VE day. His unit was already on a ship headed for Japan when the A-bombs were dropped. I can only imagine the whoop that went up when their ship turned around and started for home.
they went home?
didn’t we land a huge occupation force after they surrendered?
My grandfather, a combat engineer, was on an Okinawa bound ship as well. Made it home sometime in late September or early October.
My Mom was born the following July.
I can do the math on that. My kids have been able to do the math on that since they were very young. Using the Enola Gay as a teaching tool helped. I once offended a group of Libs who were standing in front of it whining about how “evil” it was by LOUDLY telling my daughter (then in early elementary school) that if it weren’t for that plane her grandmother, her father and therefore SHE would never have existed.