[Sir Charles]

Not a combat vet, but if I were, I wonder if I, too, would be reluctant to talk about it, and, if so, why? It seems to me there is a middle ground between "Silence is golden" and warriors wanting their 15 minutes.

The result is we are left with the Audie Murphy and John Wayne, real and fictional heroes, depiction on film and whatever else the media and Hollywood want to give us.

My brother saw WWII combat against the Japanese in jungle warfare, and would only relate some of his experiences when drunk.

[PISANO]

It may be a generation thing. I am 60 years old, too old to be a boomer and just a toddler during WWII. I don't suffer from the maladies of the boomer generation (ie stress, need to find self, you know in general ME, ME, ME) and relate much more so to the previous generation. The things that I cherish the most are NOT THINGS. You are right there is a happy medium. I found mine and hope that Pvt. Lynch has found hers.