A local historian from my hometown had collected stories and archival data of the local men and women who served in the second world war. The school teacher, banker, mechanic and farmer, people who I had known as ordinary folk had their stories told. Often too late, did I learned of the sacrifices these folks made for our freedom. Multiply these stories across thousands of communities, and you had America's Greatest Generation.
About 20 years ago my brother, a high school art teacher in a small town in Arkansas, had the students interview their grandfathers who served in WWII. They were reluctant at first but really got into. They discovered that some had served together. They finally saw their grandfathers as the heroes they were. They didn’t know because, as Ross Perot said, “They saved the world, came home and build America and never mentioned it.