Seriously, 48 year olds then were the equivalent of 84 year olds now. Look it up. The average life span was something like 45.
Just putting out a question here, but isn't the "45" factoring in the deaths from war also, making the ALS much lower than normal expectancy?
My paternal GGG Grandfathers both served CSA and both lived to 74 and 81, so on average, they defied the ALS of 45 by almost double.
Just a question....