I grew up under remarkable tutelage.
We also had a rather abundant supply of cool stuff at the local army surplus store. That includes dummy mortar shells to oxygen masks. In high school I had an incredible shortwave receiver ... it came from a B-17. I had an gyro platform from a B-29. We even had field telephones and a battalion switchboard.
You’re prob around my dad’s age. 73. He said the same. Virtually all the men when was growing up were WW2 vets.